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Tekken gamer Bae Jae-min — competing under the pseudonym Knee — is aiming to bring Japan's best players to their knees on the game’s home turf at the upcoming 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
But more than beating one country, the 41-year-old esports athlete also has his sights set on possibly the most meaningful title of his career: an Asian Games gold medal.
"Ten years ago, if someone had said you could win an Asian Games gold medal through Tekken, nobody would have believed it," Bae said in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on July 1. "It's an incredible honor to wear the Korean flag as a gamer."
Esports will return as an official medal event at the Asian Games, which open on Sept. 19. A total of 11 gold medals will be awarded, with Korea competing in nine events.
The League of Legends roster features Lee Sang-hyeok, known to the gaming world and beyond as Faker of the team T1, who will seek a second straight Asian Games title after winning gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago.
Another event drawing attention is the fighting game competition, which combines Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV into a best-of-three team format.
Bae will team up with Lee Gwang-no, known as MadKof, who plays The King of Fighters XV, and Yeon Je-gil, a Street Fighter 6 gamer known as DakCorgi.
"We barely knew each other before — we'd just say hello," Bae said with a laugh. "Now that we're teammates, we've been eating together and talking more. It feels like a grand coming together, and there's definitely some synergy. Of course, the age hierarchy is still very clear."
Bae, formerly the world No. 1 in Tekken, earned his place on the national team by winning the domestic tournament in May.
Tekken defines life
When Tekken debuted in 1994, it changed everything for Bae – who was just an elementary schooler at the time. Already an avid fan of fighting games, he was captivated by Tekken's polygon-based gameplay.
"When Street Fighter II became a hit, fighting games really took off," he recalled. "Then Tekken arrived with fully 3-D characters and completely changed the landscape. Launching your opponent into the air and finishing them with a combo was incredibly electrifying. Mastering new techniques and pulling them off felt completely different."
At the time, arcades across Korea served as gathering places for self-proclaimed Tekken masters. Bae traveled across the country seeking out renowned challengers.
"There wasn't any money or fame," he said. "But I took pride in believing I was the best at Tekken."
He moved to Seoul for university, forming a team and devoting his free time to the game.
As esports boomed alongside the rise of StarCraft, gaming broadcasters launched dedicated Tekken leagues.
After much deliberation, Bae decided to pursue gaming as a profession, and he hasn't looked back. He has since collected more than 100 trophies. The rise of online competition through home consoles rather than arcade machines also helped turn professional Tekken into a stable career.
"I envied the StarLeague players because they wore team uniforms," Bae said, referring to a professional StarCraft league.
"I never thought Tekken could grow into a league on the scale of StarCraft, but when the Tekken Crash League was established, I officially began my professional career. The game I had always enjoyed suddenly became something I had to win at, bringing a new kind of pressure. Even so, I loved every minute of it."
His gamertag, Knee, came from a kickboxing move used by his favorite character in the game, Bryan Fury. Over time, his name has become one of the most recognizable names in competitive Tekken.
An exhibition match against singer Nam Gyu-ri drew millions of views online, and Bae has been inducted into Korea's Esports Hall of Fame alongside pioneers such as Lim Yo-hwan and Hong Jin-ho.
Expertise comes with age
Success in fighting games depends on reflexes. Players must read an opponent's movements and choose the correct response in a fraction of a second.
To maintain that edge, Bae regularly trains to improve his response time and stamina.
"Once I reached my 40s, my reactions definitely slowed," he said. “Moves I used to land seven or eight times out of 10 don't hit nearly as often anymore. But experience has helped me make up for it.”
He believes his greatest strength now lies in reading opponents rather than simply executing difficult techniques.
"Reading your opponent’s mind is just as important as mastering your own moves," he said. "You have to use your head as much as your hands in Tekken. It's every bit as much a battle of minds as a card game or a board game."
Since making the national team, Bae has undergone antidoping tests and sports psychology training just like athletes in more traditional sports.
"At the Asian championship, I was able to receive physical therapy and professional conditioning support," he said. "Those things matter for gamers, too. Representing the national team has given me a completely different mindset."
The fighting game titles featured at this year's Asian Games are all Japanese franchises, and Japan is widely regarded as the favorite to win the event.
In April, Japan defeated Korea 2-1 in the final of the Esports Championship Asia 2026 in Jinju, South Gyeongsang. Bae was defeated by Japanese star Daichi Nakayama, known as Nobi.
Bae is eager for redemption.
He helped Korea defeat Japan at a 2022 exhibition match held on Korea's Liberation Day, beating five Japanese players in succession.
He has the edge in multiple head-to-head records against top Japanese competitors in tournaments held in Japan.
Currently training through persistent wrist pain, Bae remains focused on one goal.
"When it comes to Tekken, Japan is our biggest rival," he said. "Now that I'm wearing the Korean flag on my chest, I won't lose to Japan."
BY KIM HYO-KYOUNG [[email protected]]
