Korean lawmaker calls for action after cyberbullying of T1’s Gumayusi

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi issued a public statement on November 20th calling for immediate action from esports bodies, online platforms and government institutions following sustained cyberbullying targeting Lee ‘Gumayusi’ Min-hyeong, the MVP of the 2025 League of Legends World Championship finals.

In a post on Facebook, Jeon criticised what he described as an ‘organised pattern of harassment’ originating from communities including the T1 Supporters Gallery (commonly known as ‘T1Gall’). The lawmaker stated that attacks against the player had ‘gone far beyond acceptable limits,’ urging an immediate end to what he called long-running, targeted abuse.

Jeon’s statement cited ongoing criticism of Gumayusi even after the bot laner confirmed his departure from T1. He questioned whether such behaviour could be considered genuine support for the team, noting that the continued harassment suggested motivations aligned more with ‘cyberbullying for fun’ or ‘cyber wrecker–style conduct’ designed for attention.

“Cheering for a team can never be used as a justification for singling out a specific player for abuse,” Jeon said.

He also rejected claims that the behaviour amounted to ‘tough love’ or performance-related commentary, characterising it instead as malicious harassment extending over an extended period.

The lawmaker outlined a three-part framework for addressing the issue: action from esports governing bodies, intervention from platform operators and legislative steps from the government.

Jeon called on the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), Riot Games Korea and individual organisations to stop ‘remaining on the sidelines’ and introduce more concrete safeguards for players. He emphasised that younger and emerging players are particularly vulnerable to targeted online attacks.

Platform operators such as DC Inside were urged to adopt stronger self-regulation. Jeon stated he would pursue mechanisms to hold platforms accountable if harmful posts remain unaddressed and escalate into potential criminal behaviour.

In his statement, he noted that platforms that allow such content to proliferate should not be viewed as free of responsibility.

Jeon referenced his past work on anti-harassment measures, including efforts to remove comment sections from sports news articles and introducing a bill aimed at curbing cyber wrecker content. He argued that current protections are insufficient and called for tougher sanctions, including stronger criminal penalties for defamation and insulting behaviour online, as well as higher damages in civil cases.

“The government and National Assembly must move to strengthen sanctions,” he said, adding that he intends to use the current incident as an opportunity to accelerate legislative developments that support broader self-regulation across the esports ecosystem.

Jeon concluded that the issue extends beyond Gumayusi and reflects wider concerns about player treatment within esports. He appealed for cooperation across the industry, stating that ‘every player in esports is someone who deserves protection’ and urging fans and stakeholders to help create a safer environment.

The statement comes at a time of heightened discussion in Korea around player welfare, fan culture and the responsibilities of online communities, following several high-profile cases of harassment in competitive gaming.