South Korea’s Fighting Game Team Defeats Japan at Asian

South Korea claimed the fighting game gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 26, securing a 5-2 victory over Japan in a dramatic final held at the Aichi Sky Expo. The South Korean team mounted a comeback from a 1-2 set deficit, winning four consecutive matches to clinch the title.

Japan opened strongly with a win in the opening Street Fighter 6 set. Kojiro Higuchi edged out Yeon Je-gil in a closely contested match, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to secure the first point. South Korea quickly leveled the score through Lee Gwang-no, who defeated Akihito Sawada in King of Fighters XV with a decisive final-game performance using Najd.

The momentum shifted again when Daichi Nakayama's Dragunov character proved too strong for Bae Jae-min in Tekken 8, giving Japan a 2-1 lead. Lee returned to stabilize South Korea's position, securing a second victory in King of Fighters XV to tie the match at 2-2. The turning point arrived in the fifth set, when Bae adapted his strategy after his earlier loss, switching to Bryan and Fahkumram to defeat Nakayama and push South Korea ahead 3-2 for the first time.

Yeon delivered the pivotal moment in Street Fighter 6, avenging his opening-set loss against Higuchi with a more composed performance. Rather than rushing to finish, Yeon carefully managed the match and secured a 4-2 advantage for South Korea. Bae sealed the victory in the final set, using Bryan to overcome Nakayama's Dragunov before completely overwhelming his Steve character with perfectly executed counters.

The South Korean squad's balanced contributions proved decisive. Lee anchored the team with two King of Fighters XV victories, while Bae overcame his initial Tekken 8 setback to deliver two critical wins in that title. Yeon's redemptive Street Fighter 6 performance in the final set provided the decisive blow against a matchup where South Korea had been considered vulnerable.

The victory held particular significance as South Korea settled previous losses to Japan at the ECA 2026 tournament on the Asian Games' biggest stage. The team's comeback demonstrated the depth of South Korea's fighting game talent, with each player making essential contributions to reverse an early deficit and secure the continental championship.