South Korean Deputy Demands Action: “KeSPA, Riot Korea and every club must no longer be bystanders” over Gumayusi harassment

South Korean lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi made a public statement on November 20 via social media, following the online harassment suffered by Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung after he announced his departure from T1. In his official address, the member of the Democratic Party called on the entire esports sector, particularly KeSPA, online platforms, and the government, to take coordinated action against this wave of cyber-violence.

For several years, Gumayusi has been the target of orchestrated attacks from a faction of the “T1 응원 갤러리” ("T1 Minor Support Gallery"/ “T1gall”) community on DCInside, all under the guise of supporting the T1 team. The deputy strongly condemned the repetitive and organized nature of these behaviors:
“Hiding behind the pretense of supporting the team to attack a specific player in an organized and longstanding manner cannot be tolerated,” Jeon declared officially. He clarified that these actions do not stem from genuine fan passion:
“When criticism persists even after Gumayusi has decided to leave T1, it is hard to believe it comes from any true spirit of support.”

Throughout 2025, the Worlds Finals MVP and T1 both faced persistent harassment, much of it instigated by this community. The campaign took on several forms: the spread of false rumors; manipulation of comments from figures close to Gumayusi; the delivery of funeral wreaths and protest trucks with insulting messages to T1 headquarters; grave physical threats; and even surveillance of Gumayusi’s online activities. The group even went so far as to collect and circulate the name and address of the church frequented by the player's family.

Jeon Yong-gi analyzed the phenomenon as a disturbing escalation, underscoring: “To defame a player, and to spread baseless rumors is a form of social violence.” He continued: “Cyberbullying, driven by entertainment or profit, must no longer be allowed to destroy anyone’s life and dreams.”

He urged immediate action from esports institutions, including the Korea e-Sports Association, organizations, and Riot Games Korea: “KeSPA, Riot Games Korea and every club must no longer remain bystanders. They must implement specific measures to protect players.” Jeon also stressed the duty of platform operators, naming DCInside directly, to remove harmful content and cooperate with authorities: “If hateful posts are not stopped and cross into criminal activity, online platforms cannot evade their responsibilities any longer.”

At the institutional level, the deputy called for strengthened South Korean laws regarding defamation and online harassment, as well as better data protections to prevent similar cases from spreading. “We must protect all athletes—not just Gumayusi. Every esport player should be respected and supported, not sacrificed for controversy or profit,” Jeon concluded. He finished his message by urging fans and the global esports community to “put an end to these abuses and work together to build a safer and healthier digital and sporting culture.”