IMAGE CREDITS: LOL.FANDOM
During the 2023 LCK Summer Split finals, the LCK, South Korea’s premier League of Legends esports league, achieved its highest-ever peak viewership, marking a significant milestone in the realm of competitive gaming.
The grand finals, a riveting clash between two esteemed esports powerhouses, T1 and Gen.G, captured the attention of the global audience, amassing a peak viewership of 1.53 million, as meticulously tracked by the reputable data platform Esports Charts. This impressive figure not only shattered previous records but also eclipsed the league’s own milestone set earlier in the same year during the 2023 LCK Spring Split, which registered 1.46 million viewers.
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It’s worth noting that the 2023 LCK Summer Split ranks twelfth among the most widely watched League of Legends esports events in terms of peak viewership. This accomplishment becomes even more remarkable considering that it holds the distinction of being the highest-rated regional league event, second only to international competitions in terms of viewership magnitude.
Turning our attention to average viewership, T1, a formidable force in South Korean esports, reigned supreme with an astounding average of over 450,000 viewers throughout the competition’s duration. Following closely, Gen.G, the eventual triumphant team, secured the second position with a commendable average of slightly over 300,000 viewers.
While the pinnacle of peak viewership was attained during the 2023 Summer Split, it’s pertinent to observe that the average viewership fell short compared to the preceding LCK Spring 2023 (234,200) and the previous year’s LCK Summer edition (224,200). Throughout the extensive 290-hour airtime of the Summer Split, an average of approximately 214,600 viewers were engaged.
Analysis of viewership demographics reveals that the lion’s share of LCK’s viewership emanated from Korean-speaking channels, accounting for an impressive peak viewership of 607,900. Nonetheless, the English-speaking (370,400 peak) and Vietnamese-speaking (326,000 peak) channels maintained a commendable performance. Notably, Chinese viewership, a substantial market for League of Legends, remains untracked by Esports Charts.
In a year characterized by viewership declines in several of League of Legends’ Western competitions, the LCK’s upward trajectory continues to be a beacon of growth in the realm of esports. The recent statistics from Esports Charts stand as a testament to the enduring popularity of the South Korean MOBA scene. In parallel, the LCS, North America’s prominent esports competition, concluded its Summer Split with a peak viewership slightly exceeding 223,900, representing a comparatively lower figure in the competition’s history.
Among the sponsors that contributed to the success of the LCK Summer Split are prominent names such as Woori Bank, HP OMEN, Logitech, Secretlab, Tiffany & Co, and LG Ultragear, among others. This surge in the League of Legends’ Korean league’s popularity serves as a promising harbinger for the impending World Championships, scheduled to unfold in South Korea later this year.
