Chosen to host the Hanwha Life Esports web series E-DUKHOO, LEE CHAE YOUNG said the key to becoming an esports fanatic is that “you have to sincerely like it.” Previously an esports newbie, she dove “sincerely” into the game League of Legends and League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), and eventually found herself rooting with all her heart for the Hanwha Life Esports team—even going so far as to say that meeting other HLE fans felt like she was finally home. We talked with LEE CHAE YOUNG about how her experiences while hosting E-DUKHOO led her to be totally converted into an esports fanatic.
The allure of League of Legends
LEE CHAE YOUNG: With a game like League, it feels like there’s always more to learn. Unlike some games where you eventually feel like, I made it! It’s over, you could play League your whole life and it would still be changing, and I think that’s exactly what makes it so captivating. Depending on your champion’s traits, you’ll need to buy different items to deal a lot of damage and to heal, and there’s even a specific order you have to buy them in. I watched YouTube guides for how to master [League champion] Seraphine and took lots of notes. But there’s no time to check your notes on what to buy when you’re actually playing, so I just end up buying random stuff. (laughs)
Finding the position for you
LEE CHAE YOUNG: When I first started playing League, I played as a ranged damage dealer, but I was pretty bad at it. Ranged dealers need to watch for an opening and get right into the fray in their lane, but I was too scared to be in the front and fight one-on-one. I felt better suited to the support role instead, where you stay back a little and help the team. It fits my personality better. (laughs)
Wild Rift on mobile
LEE CHAE YOUNG: Wild Rift is the mobile version of League, which I heard people say is a bit easier, so I gave it a try. I’ve been playing for a while now, and it turns out I’ve actually got a knack for it. (laughs) For PC games, you have to juggle your attention between the mouse, the keyboard, and the screen, but I’m not good at multitasking. You can manipulate Wild Rift entirely with your fingers on your phone, which is a much better fit for me. I mostly just play random matches, but I visited Camp One, the HLE training center, and played the game with the players on their team. It was their first time playing Wild Rift, but they were racking up so many kills that it was hard to believe they never played before. They’re just that good. (laughs) I didn’t even really need to heal them, and that’s when I realized what a hard carry really looks like.
First time hosting solo … but MBTI says she’s an introvert
LEE CHAE YOUNG: fromis_9 are my closest friends, so I often come across as extroverted in our uploads, but my MBTI type is actually INFJ—emphasis on the “I.” (laughs) I figured the production crew cast me because they thought I’m the person they see when I’m hanging out with the other members, so I tried to think of the people there as though they were members of the group too. (laughs) I sat down to eat with the crew before going in to film E-DUKHOO and I asked what their MBTIs were. It turned out they were almost the same as me. All the producers were “I,” just like me, so we got along well. I was really grateful I got to meet such great people. I’m sure we would’ve been great friends even if we had first met outside of work.
National Iron
LEE CHAE YOUNG: On E-DUKHOO, they gave me the nickname National Iron, even though there’s so many people in Iron tier. It’s an honor! Having me as their representative. (laughs) I was obsessed with my tier at first, but since nothing I did helped me move up, I decided to just have fun and “GG.” I figured I should just play League for the enjoyment. Now I mostly play with friends. I don’t think other people in Iron are too hung up on their tier, so it’s fine if they’re just there to have fun when they’re playing with me. Some flover ended up getting into League and HLE after watching E-DUKHOO and I hope we can keep getting better by swapping tips on weverse.
Becoming a Challenger-tier host
LEE CHAE YOUNG: I didn’t know much about esports to start out, but you can’t come across as unknowledgeable when you’re shooting a show for another company, so I was like, Well, that’s no good! I’m the host, after all! And I really got down to studying. I memorized everything about the players, right down to where they’re from, so that I could be more engaging with HLE fans during interviews. The producers also sent me lots of esports memes, and I asked NA GYUNG lots of questions about the League champions. It’s critical that you can properly grasp an interviewee’s personality in 30 seconds or less. I do my best to figure out whether someone’s a little bit shy or if they’re really talkative during interviews. If they do seem talkative, I ask them lots of questions. If they’re quieter, I warm things up and try to get them more comfortable with talking about themselves by asking questions about them, like, “Where are you headed?” Or, “Where did you buy that?”
Hanwha Life Esports
LEE CHAE YOUNG: When I met the HLE players after watching them onscreen or at an event, it felt just like I was meeting celebrities! I was worried I would feel too shy when we filmed at Camp One, but the players were so used to interviews that they actually put me at ease. I was really happy I got to see them again for the last episode. I doubt they realized this, but inwardly I felt closer and closer to them after asking them questions on camera week after week. I’m going to keep watching them play. I’m a real fanatic now. (laughs) I even did the “Supersonic” challenge with them. Delight and Zeka got everyone hyped by saying, “Aren’t we a team? Shouldn’t we be doing this together?” (laughs) They got everyone else excited for it and we got a usable take after just two tries. What made me realize that teamwork is just as crucial in esports as it is for idols is that it’s the same way with us—where we’ll accomplish way more one time through rehearsal if we yell “fighting” first than if we do nothing and just practice three times. That’s what esports players refer to as “team fight.” I could see how in sync they have to be when all the players get together for a big moment in the battle. I also had the opportunity to interview HLE fans up close and personal. People usually avoid eye contact when there’s that many cameras around, but the fans knew we were filming E-DUKHOO and immediately started waving their hands. It was great getting to talk back and forth with people who felt the same way as me about the players, saying things like, “Remember that time such-and-such did that one thing?” Is this what people mean when they say it feels like they’re right at home? (laughs)
LEE CHAE YOUNG meets Seraphine
LEE CHAE YOUNG: I’ve played as the champion Seraphine on Wild Rift a lot, so I often play as her in League, too. I like her ability to root other characters. It makes me feel safer whenever I use it! It’s great that I can stop the enemy from moving, and the fact that Seraphine can do that and heal herself and her teammates at the same time makes her the perfect champion for me. Just like she can both deal and heal, when I’m shooting a variety show, I’ll deal damage to the other members, but when I support them, I really support them. I’m always paying attention to the people around me, and if I think someone needs something, I’ll rush over and get it for them. That’s just the kind of person I am. I’m also always sharing food with others. Seraphine’s also an idol, according to the lore, and I find it touching how her background entails giving and receiving support from others. It makes me think of us. fromis_9 and flover have that kind of positive dynamic, too.
The secret weapon for a last-minute victory
LEE CHAE YOUNG: I went to see my first live match during the LCK spring season, but sadly, we lost. But then, the day we were filming the very last episode, Hanwha won. I was thrilled. (laughs) Given it was my first time hosting a show solo, I ended up growing super attached to it. I felt like I was going to cry when we were shooting that last episode. Even the staff couldn’t get a word out. When I asked them, they said they were sad because it was the final episode, so I purposely put on the biggest smile I could and wrapped things up with a cheery goodbye. The production team behind E-DUKHOO laughed at all my jokes. Them being so receptive to me helped me power through all eight episodes.
Life after E-DUKHOO
LEE CHAE YOUNG: My sister tries to catch every LCK match, so sometimes when I’d go over to her house, she’d put it on while we’re eating, but I didn’t really understand it much. So the first time I saw one in person, I couldn’t even follow the commentary. (laughs) Once I got to actually meet the commentators on E-DUKHOO, I started paying close attention to what they say. I might think one team was doing well, for example, but then the commentary would elaborate with something like, “Their team made a mistake. That strategy might be good in the short term, but it might create bigger problems in the long run.” Additional commentary like that really helped me grasp the flow of the game better. But the biggest change was to my personality. To be perfectly honest, I’m usually scared to try new things, and knowing E-DUKHOO would be posted on the Hanwha Life Esports channel, the pressure was on to step up and do a good job. I could barely sleep for two days. But as soon as I got into it, I realized I was worrying for nothing. Doing E-DUKHOO taught me to just dive right in, and that made me worry less, which also had an impact on my personality. That’s something I’ll never forget. The show made me feel confident that I can succeed in anything I put my mind to.
“Supersonic” plays healer for flover
LEE CHAE YOUNG: I met a lot of flover while doing interviews there. They talked about their experiences attending our concerts or about our group dynamics, which was really exciting to hear. I appreciated that so much. I’m not very good at expressing my feelings, so I don’t know how well this is going to come across, but the flover I met there was like a ray of light and joy on a hot summer day for me. By contrast, “Supersonic” is about fromis_9 rushing in at “supersonic” speed to rescue flover from the heat. There’s a champion in League called Sona with low attack power but she can heal for over 90%, and I hope “Supersonic,” with its message, can be a healer for flover the way Sona is. I think it would be perfect if the song had the power to just boom!—instantly teleport flover to a nice, cool place just by them listening to it.
If the fromis_9 members were in League of Legends
LEE CHAE YOUNG: JI WON has a huge presence and usually has something to say. The ranged dealer Miss Fortune makes the biggest sound when she uses her ultimate and it deals a ton of damage, too. Since she’s got such a big presence, she’d be a good fit for JI WON. SAE ROM’s pretty quiet, but you can’t do without her, so she’s like a jungler that way. Roaming the whole map, leveling up by fighting mobs in the jungle, then popping up to help the whole team right when they need it most—that’s SAE ROM to a T. HA YOUNG is unquestionably a healer. She’s so pure, and you feel better just being around her. JI SUN reminds me of Senna because she’s strong and indispensable. She’s absolutely essential to our group because she not only takes care of us but everything we have going on around us, too. Lulu would be a good match with NA GYUNG’s personality, since she can use her ult to make herself or her teammates huge. It’s just like how NA GYUNG will be quietly working away at her own thing and then make herself or the other members shine when it’s needed most. She’s really powerful that way. SEO YEON reminds me of the champion Malphite because she’s good at singing and dancing, and goes the extra mile to play her part. JI HEON is similar to Ahri, who can use Charm. It’s a damaging move, but it shoots out in this adorable heart shape—so JI HEON. Sometimes she’ll “damage” us by teasing us, but then she turns all cute and all is forgiven. (laughs)
