Hyundai Wia, a leading automotive parts manufacturer, recently held the finals of its in-house e-sports tournament at its Uiwang Research Institute in Gyeonggi Province. (Image courtesy of Hyundai Wia)
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – In a bid to boost employee morale and bridge generational gaps, several South Korean companies are turning to an unlikely source: e-sports tournaments.
These in-house gaming competitions are becoming increasingly popular as a means to promote teamwork and create a more relaxed corporate culture.
Hyundai Wia, a leading automotive parts manufacturer, recently held the finals of its in-house e-sports tournament at its Uiwang Research Institute in Gyeonggi Province.
The event, part of the company’s One Team Spirit Festival, saw 150 employees competing in five e-sports categories, including League of Legends and StarCraft.
The tournament, which began last month, culminated in a final showdown where 28 finalists competed for team and individual championships.
“We’re committed to organizing diverse events to create a more enjoyable and horizontal company culture,” said a Hyundai Wia representative.
The company plans to expand its One Team Spirit Festival with additional activities, including a traditional Korean thanksgiving holiday snack-making event.
POSCO FutureM has recently embraced the e-sports trend as well. On Thursday, the company announced that it hosted the finals of its inaugural e-sports tournament at the Coliseum, an e-sports-themed pub at Postech in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.
Named the “Futures League” after the company, the event featured three popular e-sports categories: League of Legends (LOL), StarCraft, and FC Online.
The finals were streamed live on POSCO FutureM TV, the company’s official YouTube channel, with commentary provided by gaming experts.
POSCO FutureM holds award ceremony for internal e-sports competition
POSCO’s Gwangyang Steel Mill in South Jeolla Province organized the 2024 Gwangyang Steel Mill G League e-Sports tournament on August 23 at the Baekun Art Hall in Geumho-dong, Gwangyang.
The event, which featured StarCraft as the main game, was designed to revitalize the organizational atmosphere and facilitate communication between generations.
The G League, which began in May with a foot volleyball tournament, has been running various sports communication events for employees.
The e-sports tournament garnered significant interest from employees in their 20s and 30s, but also saw enthusiastic participation from staff in their 40s and above, creating a unique intergenerational bonding experience.
To boost the competitive atmosphere, POSCO set up a large special stage and commentary booth at the Baekun Art Hall, complete with audience seating.
The company even invited two professional e-sports commentators to provide live commentary, adding to the excitement for both participants and spectators.
The tournament featured both individual matches for employees over and under 35, as well as 4v4 team matches open to all age groups.
The semifinals, held on August 21, saw teams from the Rolling Equipment 2 Department, Ironmaking Equipment Department, Steelmaking Department, and Cold Rolling Department compete.
In the finals, the Ironmaking Equipment Department emerged victorious against the Steelmaking Department.
“This e-sports tournament has increased my pride as a POSCO employee, as it’s not common to find such events in other companies,” said Kim Woo-jin, who was on the winning team.
“I hope we continue to have more events like this where employees from different generations can naturally come together and communicate.”
OGN Survival Arena, an eSports arena in Seoul. (image: Seoul Metropolitan Government)
Public institutions are also embracing e-sports. The Incheon Jung-gu Facilities Management Corporation hosted its second in-house e-sports tournament on August 31.
The event featured the mobile racing game KartRider Rush Plus and allowed remote participation for employees unable to attend in person, embracing the digital age and generational integration.
Employees from various departments and age groups participated in both individual and team competitions.
The tournament champion, an employee from the Public Facilities Team, expressed his enthusiasm: “It was very meaningful to create good memories with my colleagues through a game that I usually enjoy as a hobby.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
