League of Legends (LoL) is not merely a 5v5 competitive strategy game; it has long become a symbol of esports and one of the most influential games on a global scale. In South кσяєα—often dubbed the “capital of esports”—LoL’s appeal is so immense that it is considered a “national sport,” with over 4.56 million regular fans. Recently, the status of LoL in кσяєα has risen even further as T1 and the legendary player Faker have won the League of Legends World Championship three consecutive times since 2023.
Notably, BTS once had the opportunity to interact directly with Faker and T1 players in Run BTS! (EP 114) back in 2020. In that episode, the idols and professional players showcased their sкιℓℓs in energetic and humorous matches on Summoner’s Rift, creating iconic entertainment moments that fans still revisit as a historic crossover between two of modern кσяєα’s greatest cultural prides.
From there, it comes as no surprise that BTS members have revealed themselves to be long-time fans of the game. Based on various direct statements and compiled details, ARMYs discovered that at least five BTS members are “addicted” to LoL: Jin, Jimin, V, Jungkook, and SUGA. Among them, Jin, Jimin, and V appear to be the most devoted players.
Back on April Fools’ Day in 2022, Jin surprised the gaming community by setting his Instagram profile picture to Jhin, a champion from LoL, along with the famous quote: “and there I bloom like a flower in the dawn.” Not stopping there, before enlisting in December of the same year, he posted on Weverse: “Now, it’s time for curtain call”—another line strongly αѕѕociated with Jhin, demonstrating just how much he appreciates and understands the game and its characters.
In the recently released Netflix documentary BTS The Return, Jimin also ѕнσ¢кed fans by revealing that he can play LoL for up to 10 hours during his free time. A scene showing him playing on Summoner’s Rift as a bottom-lane player was even included as visual proof.
This moment brought back memories of Jimin’s interaction with Faker in Run BTS! six years earlier, when the BTS superstar confidently claimed he could “train” the best LoL player in the world. Jimin once told Faker: “I’m really talented in helping players with great potential. So if you trust me with him, I'm sure I can make Sang-hyeok into a great player as Faker!” to which Faker replied, “Please make me into a player as Faker!”
As for V, the idol has repeatedly expressed his love for LoL and even revealed that he reached Diamond IV rank—placing him among roughly the top 2% of players. This clearly proves that V is not just a casual gamer but someone with impressive sкιℓℓ. Another interesting detail came from Jungkook’s livestream late last year, when V left a comment inviting the group to play LoL, further demonstrating his confidence in the game.
At the time, V said, “Jimin-ah, let’s set it up like that and play a LoL (League of Legends) match,” but Jimin responded, “Ah, it sounds good but… I’m so bad at this… It’s a bit embarrαѕѕing to show this to ARMY.” V reαѕѕured him, saying, “You have a hyung here, Jimin-ah,” while Jimin added, “You’re good at this game.” V then promised to carry Jimin to Gold rank and continued, “Let’s play as a group of five like we used to,” revealing that they had done so during their time in the U.S. in July–August, which he described as a very happy period.
Meanwhile, Jungkook has been more private but once α¢¢ι∂єитally revealed the LoL icon on his personal computer screen during a livestream. SUGA, on the other hand, tends to play Teamfιgнт Tactics more than Summoner’s Rift. He proudly shared that he reached Emerald rank—a significant milestone for TFT players. When SUGA revealed this, j-hope exclaimed, “You’re playing games again,” showing that he is indeed deeply pαѕѕionate about LoL.
In fact, anyone who has watched BTS In The Soop would be familiar with scenes of Jin, Jimin, and SUGA sitting together playing LoL’s TFT mode. At times, Jin and SUGA even guided each other and discussed strategies while playing.
All of this shows that behind their image as global superstars, BTS members have very relatable, everyday hobbies—they are genuine gaming enthusiasts who use League of Legends as a way to relax and connect with one another. Watching how pαѕѕionately they enjoy the game together, fans can’t help but feel that their idols are closer than ever—just like any other young people—prompting them to remark: "They're just like us fr", "So you're telling me there's a chance I've been gapped in lane by Jimin at least once", "We want BTS x T1 part.2 please", "Our gamer boys", "all koreans play League of legends so it's obvious",...
