South Korean Parents Back Esports Dreams as Gaming Schools Expand

Seven Hours of Gaming, With a Father's Support

Hong Jung-woo, 16, spends seven to eight hours a day at his computer in his Seoul home, training to become a professional gamer. He often goes to bed only when he feels sleepy or tired. His father supports the routine, and in March Hong will transfer to a specialized esports high school to pursue his ambition.

As of January 24, 2026, his family's decision captures a change in South Korea, a country long considered a global center of competitive gaming. In a society known for demanding academic expectations, some parents are increasingly accepting gaming as a possible career rather than simply a distraction from school or a source of addiction.

Specialized schools, private academies and formal teaching materials are helping turn that ambition into an educational pathway. Students can study competitive gaming, receive coaching and, in some programs, work toward a high school diploma that preserves their opportunity to attend university.

The attraction is easy to understand. Leading players can earn millions of dollars and command the kind of public attention associated with K-pop idols and traditional sports stars. The global esports market, valued at USD 1.97 billion in 2023, is projected to reach USD 5.18 billion by 2029.

The opportunity is also narrow. South Korea has only 10 franchised professional teams in League of Legends, its most popular game, employing about 200 players in total. Young people entering specialized schools face a demanding competition for those places, making the academic part of their education central to what happens if their gaming plans change.

Hong's move brings those two realities together: growing parental confidence in a multibillion dollar industry and the need to build a future beyond winning a professional contract.

Competitive Gaming Enters the Curriculum

South Korea's gaming infrastructure has expanded beyond PC bangs, the gaming cafes where people use computers to play, into formal education. Students can now choose esports as a school subject, supported by textbooks written specifically for competitive play.

One textbook, titled Highschool e-sports practices, explains the mechanics of games such as League of Legends. Its subjects include skill points, champion positions and cooldown times. These cover how a character develops its abilities, where it operates within a team and how long a player must wait before using an ability again.

Some students describe the materials as boring. Even that reaction reflects a change in gaming's place at school: an activity once associated with leisure now has lessons and assigned material, much like other subjects.

The Korea Scholastic Esports Federation (KSEF) has partnered with the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) to connect competitive programs with academic learning. Samha Choi, a KSEF representative, described the organization's educational purpose.

"KSEF was established to set up a positive esports education system within institutional education for the development of the Korean game industry and esports industry," said Samha Choi.

The partnership places gaming within an institutional framework, with education supporting the development of the game and esports industries. For families, that gives the pursuit a more formal structure than a teenager training alone at home.

A Diploma Alongside Professional Training

The Gen.G Elite Esports Academy in Seoul opened in 2019, established by an esports company based in California. It offers students a route toward professional competition while also seeking to protect their academic future.

Through a partnership with Elite Open School, the academy provides a program taught entirely in English that allows students to earn an American high school diploma. Students can then apply to universities in the United States on esports scholarships.

That option matters because South Korean schools do not typically offer admission based on gaming skills. A student may develop exceptional ability in a game while still needing conventional academic qualifications to continue in education.

Gen.G's approach addresses both needs. Students train for professional play while maintaining their studies, leaving room for university or a different career if a place on a team does not follow.

Educational programs are also bringing in STEM, the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, alongside career planning. The aim is to give students useful knowledge and options beyond competing professionally. Within the esports industry, those options can include streaming, marketing and data analysis.

The diploma is therefore a practical part of the pathway, not a minor extra. Without good grades or a high school qualification, young people who leave gaming can face limited prospects in the traditional job market.

Training Can Stretch Into the Night

Students preparing for professional leagues face a demanding daily routine. Training at academies can begin early in the morning and continue late into the night. Students eat lunch in silence before gathering in dimly lit rooms filled with powerful computers, where coaches teach them how to outmaneuver opponents.

Kim Min-soo, a student aged 17 at one such academy, described both the lack of sleep and the ambition driving his schedule.

I sleep only three or four hours a day," said Kim Min-soo, 17. "But I want to become a star. I dream of an e-sports arena packed with fans all rooting for me.

Kim wears a brace around his right hand to reduce pain caused by repetitive gaming movements. His experience shows how training involves physical demands as well as concentration, tactical knowledge and teamwork.

At top academies, trainees can practice for as many as 18 hours a day. That volume is described as 60 to 70 percent higher than what players in other regions might endure. Anthony Bazire, a French trainee at a Seoul academy, said the work ethic he saw among South Korean players pushed him to train harder.

South Korean trainees are also expected to do homework on their game before they play. Preparation matters because an individual player's mistakes can disrupt the team's efficiency, and a player who does so can face expulsion.

The resulting environment leaves little space for a typical teenage social life. Hong's seven to eight hours of daily practice already represents a substantial commitment, while the longest academy schedules demand much more. Families supporting these ambitions are accepting an intense routine as well as a possible career.

Faker Gives Families a Famous Example

Lee Sang-hyeok, better known by his gaming name Faker, is the most prominent example of what success can bring. Widely considered the greatest League of Legends player of all time, he left high school to pursue professional gaming, has won the World Championship six times and earns an estimated annual salary of several million dollars.

His career helps explain why parents increasingly see esports as a viable and potentially lucrative profession. In South Korea, leading players can gain both financial rewards and social status, weakening the stigma that once surrounded gaming as a career.

Faker has also become a part owner of T1 Entertainment & Sports, his team. That position gives him a role in the industry beyond his playing career and offers students another example of how gaming experience can lead toward business responsibilities.

T1 has established its own academy to develop new talent. Bin Wang, the head of T1's Business Department, described expectations for its educational work in Korea and Japan.

"We expect this to bring about innovative development in the esports education fields of Korea and Japan," said Bin Wang.

Among young South Koreans, esports is now the fifth most popular future job, behind athletes, doctors, teachers and digital content creators. That ranking places professional gaming alongside familiar careers and newer forms of digital work.

The global market projection adds to the appeal. Growth from USD 1.97 billion in 2023 to USD 5.18 billion in 2029 would amount to an increase of USD 3.21 billion, or roughly 2.6 times the earlier value. For ambitious students, the expanding industry and Faker's success offer powerful reasons to keep training.

Few Places and Careers That Often End Early

League of Legends offers a much smaller number of professional positions than the popularity of gaming might suggest. South Korea's 10 franchised teams hire about 200 players altogether, leaving the vast majority of aspiring competitors without a place.

For those who do become professionals, careers are often short. Most players retire before turning 26, frequently because of mandatory military service for South Korean men or because younger, faster players replace them.

Students therefore face two separate career pressures: gaining entry to a team and preparing for life after competitive play. A professional contract may arrive after years of training, yet the period in which a player can earn a living through competition can still be brief.

Former gamers who lack strong grades or a high school diploma can struggle to find work outside the industry. The contrast between a few stars earning millions and many aspirants facing limited job options makes continued education especially valuable.

Programs such as Gen.G's encourage students to retain their academic studies so that changing direction remains possible. Streaming, marketing, data analysis and university study offer alternatives to the professional roster, although students still need to prepare for those paths.

Schools Abroad Are Building Their Own Programs

The United States has a growing high school esports scene, with more than 100,000 students competing nationwide through leagues such as the High School Esports League (HSEL). Schools are investing in facilities and organizing teams as part of their sporting activities.

Calvert Hall College High School in Maryland has invested heavily in dedicated facilities, treating esports as a mainstream varsity activity. That places competitive gaming within school team structures rather than leaving it entirely to private training.

Japan's STAGE:0 tournament, organized by Dentsu, has become one of the country's largest esports competitions for high school students. It connects thousands of participants and encourages a cheering culture similar to traditional high school baseball tournaments.

The JIKEI COM Group has also signed a business alliance with T1 Esports Academy to further professionalize education in Japan and South Korea. Together with the KSEF and NASEF partnership, the agreement shows educational organizations working across national boundaries as gaming programs become more formal.

Australia, which has a smaller esports footprint, is looking to develop talent pathways and infrastructure. The International Olympic Committee's announcement of the 2027 Esports Games and the approach of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics form part of that international sporting context.

For students such as Hong, the spread of school programs, tournaments and international recognition gives competitive gaming a place beyond individual practice. The opportunities now include organized school competition, professional training and, through some educational programs, a route to university.

Key Dates in the Expansion

The development of esports education spans academy openings, market growth and planned international events. Hong's school transfer is the next personal milestone in that wider sequence.

• 2019: The Gen.G Elite Esports Academy opened in Seoul.
• 2023: The global esports market was valued at USD 1.97 billion.
• January 24, 2026: South Korean families and educational organizations are increasingly supporting structured routes into competitive gaming.
• March 2026: Hong Jung-woo plans to transfer to a specialized esports high school.
• 2027: The International Olympic Committee has announced Esports Games for this year.
• 2029: The global esports market is projected to reach USD 5.18 billion.
• 2032: Brisbane is scheduled to host the Olympics, a milestone approaching as Australia considers its esports talent pathways and infrastructure.

The 2029 market figure is a projection. It describes the industry's expected size, while the immediate decisions facing students concern school enrollment, daily training and the qualifications they will retain.

Traditional Classrooms Still Face Conflict

A recent incident in Seoul exposed a different challenge around gaming in conventional schools. A high school senior assaulted his teacher after being scolded for playing mobile games during class.

The student struck the teacher in the face with the hand holding his phone, ignored orders to leave the classroom and threw teaching materials. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education reported the incident, and the school requested a disciplinary review. No outcome of that review was given.

The assault was an extreme case within the broader tensions between classroom expectations and gaming behavior. Traditional schools continue to deal with gaming distractions and conflicts associated with excessive or obsessive play, while specialized academies organize gaming within a formal training environment.

South Korea's changing attitudes therefore involve more than accepting a new occupation. Parents and schools are also deciding how gaming fits around education, personal conduct and the demands of daily life.

Hong has his father's support and a planned move into specialized education. Students such as Kim are already enduring long practice hours, little sleep and physical discomfort in pursuit of a professional future. Their experiences explain both the appeal of esports schools and the importance of keeping academic qualifications within reach.

The strongest educational safeguard described in these programs is a route that continues even when competitive play ends. A diploma, university eligibility and preparation for other industry roles give students more than one possible destination after years of training.

Key Points

• Hong Jung-woo, 16, trains seven to eight hours daily and plans to enter a specialized esports high school in March with his father's support.
• South Korean schools and academies are adding gaming subjects, textbooks, structured coaching, STEM and career planning.
• Gen.G's Seoul academy offers an American high school diploma through an English program with Elite Open School, supporting applications for esports scholarships in the United States.
• Training at leading academies can reach 18 hours a day, with students facing lost sleep, repetitive movement pain and strong pressure to perform.
• Faker has six World Championship titles, an estimated annual salary of several million dollars and an ownership role in T1.
• South Korea's 10 franchised League of Legends teams employ about 200 players, and most professional players retire before 26.
• The global esports market is projected to grow from USD 1.97 billion in 2023 to USD 5.18 billion in 2029.
• School programs are expanding in the United States and Japan, while Australia is considering talent pathways and infrastructure.
• A Seoul classroom assault has led to a requested disciplinary review, reflecting continuing conflicts over gaming in conventional schools.