[Bu-aeri's Game Dictionary] "Justice Party's Ryu Ho-jeong Proxy Gaming Scandal... Gamers' Outrage"

Sim Sang-jung, leader of the Justice Party (left), and Ryu Ho-jeong, preliminary candidate (right). Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] The controversy surrounding Ryu Hojung, the Justice Party's number one proportional representation preliminary candidate, and her alleged use of a proxy player in the game League of Legends (LoL) has heated up both the political sphere and the gaming community over the past week. Recently, online gaming communities have raised suspicions that Ryu allowed her boyfriend to use her LoL ID during her university days in 2014, thereby unfairly inflating her gaming skills. Although Ryu issued an official apology, the controversy has persisted as allegations emerged that she listed the rank obtained through proxy gaming on her job application to a gaming company, gaining an unfair advantage. Ryu has denied these claims, stating, "I did not embellish my resume through unfair means to get a job."

"In literary terms, this is akin to ghostwriting." Hwang Heedu, a former professional gamer and a member of the Democratic Party's nomination committee, criticized the proxy gaming controversy in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 14th.

Hwang pointed out, "Rank among LoL users is a very sensitive area," adding, "The core issue is that the rank was not earned by the candidate herself but by her boyfriend playing on her behalf."

Hwang Hee-du, Democratic Party Nomination Management Committee Member

He continued, "Because there are not many skilled female gamers, (Ryu) received attention and was able to pursue a new path, but it is unfair since the skills were not her own," explaining, "Some say, 'Is it really a big deal just because of a game ID?' but this is exactly why gamers are outraged."

Hwang emphasized, "It is not just a game but a culture and an industry," adding, "If you compare this issue to football or other sports, you can understand how serious it is."

He further stated, "Gamers are even more angered by the trivialization of game IDs," and said, "This incident should serve as an opportunity to change perceptions about gaming and allow voices to be heard in the political arena as well."

However, regarding calls from some quarters for Ryu to resign, Hwang refrained from commenting, saying, "It is up to the candidate to make that decision."

The proxy gaming controversy involving Ryu has sparked debate within the gaming industry as well. Since Ryu is the number one proportional representation candidate, her chances of entering the 21st National Assembly are quite high. She has attracted significant attention as a potential representative of the gaming community in the legislature. While attending Ewha Womans University, she founded an e-sports club and later gained considerable popularity as a game BJ on AfreecaTV. In 2015, she joined Smilegate and worked there until 2018.

An industry insider who wished to remain anonymous said, "Proxy gaming is a morally serious issue that could even lead to criminal charges if it involved a professional player."