NewJeans x League of Legends World Collab: The Ultimate Korean Cultural Moment

Last October 2, at 2 PM KST, Riot Games unveiled the anthem for this year's League of Legends World Championship entitled "GODS." The song was written by Riot Games' principal composer Sebastien Najand and Mako's Alex Seaver and performed by K-Pop girl group NewJeans. The group, known for their light, fresh, and Y2K-inspired songs, switched from their usual sound to a hard-hitting heavy synth melody.
 

The music video follows last year's champion Kim "Deft" Hyukkyu through the 10 seasons he has worked for the championship title–from when he first discovered League of Legends in high school, all the way to his team DRX's cinderella-sweep throughout the League of Legends World Championship 2022.

NewJeans being chosen to sing the League of Legends Worlds 2023 anthem and portray the song by showcasing Deft's 10-year journey is a big deal.

But why is it such a big deal? K-Pop and esports are currently the most important things in South Korean culture–and the two being brought together is a momentous occasion.

League of Legends (LoL) is a multiplayer online battle game created by Riot Games in March 2009. The game is based on a team strategy wherein two teams of five champions face off to destroy the other team's Nexus or base.

LoL has received generally positive reviews over the years as critics highlighted its accessibility, character design, and production value. The game's long lifespan, accompanied by the positive reviews it currently receives, is considered one of the greatest video games ever made.

The history of League of Legends in South Korea came from their culture of PC Bangs, or modern internet cafés. Players who played in internet cafés often earned high ranks in Solo Queue (playing and leveling up without a team)–and were eventually invited to join a team as a trainee.
 

These players go through insane amounts of hours in Solo Queue each day just to climb the ranks, some of them choosing not to sleep or commit to relationships just to focus on training.

The League of Legends World Championship, LoL Worlds 2023, is an event created by Riot Games and serves as the crowning event of the League of Legends esports for the year. This year, 22 teams from all regions of the game will enter a months-long race for the Summoner's Cup and a multi-million dollar prize.

Worlds 2023 started last October 9 with their Worlds Qualifying Series: A best-of-five match between the fourth seeds (the team who placed fourth in the preliminaries) of each region.

As the host country this year is South Korea, the first stage of the championship will be held from October 9-15 at the LoL Park in Seoul. The second stage will be from October 19-23 and 26-29 and will be held at KBS Arena.

The quarter-finals will be from November 2-5, and the semifinals will be from November 11-12, both being held in Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan. Then, the world final will be on November 19 and will be played in Gocheok Sky Dome, known as the largest indoor venue in South Korea.

Plan to watch LoL Worlds 2023? Why not eat snacks while watching the games? Browse through The Daebak Company and see our selections of snacks that will be perfect to eat while watching.

NewJeans is a five-member girl group that hails from ADOR, a sub-label of HYBE. Members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein debuted last year with their hit single "Attention," earning praise from not just K-Pop fans but also music critics around the world for their fresh sound.

Since their debut in August 2022, they have been making waves worldwide. Their name, NewJeans, serves its meaning in two ways. The first meaning alludes to the idea that jeans are a timeless fashion item and that the group aims to "carve a timeless image for themselves." The name also serves as a wordplay on the term "new genes," referring to the fact that the group marks the start of a new generation of not just K-pop but Pop together.

Last May, they were named one of Time Magazine's Next Generation Leaders, putting them alongside actress Florence Pugh, journalist Rene Silva, and climate activist Sage Lenier. According to Time, the group has “already reached global milestones even faster than its more senior counterparts in the industry.”

Although the group is still young and new in the industry, they have made their mark in the music industry by placing first in international charts after every release. In their most recent comeback, Hanteo announced that NewJean's album Get Up sold just under 1.2 million copies nationwide on its release day, placing the group among Korea's top best-selling girl groups.

These are just a few of their accomplishments just a year after their debut. Their most recent feat was becoming the first female K-Pop act to play at Lollapalooza just last August. They joined the HYBE label mates Tomorrow X Together.

In recent months, NewJeans has been synonymous with South Korea's success in the music industry–making them the perfect artist to sing the 2023 LoL Worlds anthem. 

"It was fun to try a new genre and sound," shared the group in an interview. "Through this collaboration, we are happy to present a song incorporating both NewJeans' and League of Legends' unique colors. We hope it brings you a new sense of empowerment!" they continued.

When the announcement that NewJeans was to sing this year's anthem, Carrie Dunn, Global Head of Creative, Esports of Riot Games, commented:

“The Worlds Anthem is the rallying cry for our community every year, and we're so excited to partner with NewJeans to deliver this incredible moment. Between Worlds taking place in Korea and NewJeans' meteoric rise, this partnership felt fated as a true cultural celebration. 'GODS’ juxtaposes epic and intense production elements with NewJeans' beautiful and powerful vocals – conveying both the grind and the glory that awaits our players at Worlds.” 

Jam along to NewJean's new release with League of Legends "GODS'' with your favorite merch. Check out our NewJeans collection at The Daebak Company.

Whether you're a K-Pop or an esports fan, there is no denying that the momentous collaboration between League of Legends and K-pop girl group NewJeans sets another high mark for Korean culture to be seen worldwide.

Did you like NewJean's newest release? And for LoL fans, are you excited to watch Worlds 2023?