With the globalization of digital entertainment, esports have emerged both as a competitive industry and as a key cultural arena in which ideas, identities, and values circulate across borders. This paper attempts to understand South Korea’s esports ecosystem as a form of digital soft power that promotes global citizenship, cross-cultural communication, and youth engagement. By using qualitative discourse analysis of South Korean esports-related policy documents and institutional materials, the paper examines how Korean esports titles, leagues, and streaming cultures are framed and mobilized to shape the perceptions and practices of international audiences. The paper argues that esports serve as a participatory media platforms that enable everyday forms of intercultural dialogue, community-building, and the formation of shared global identities. It further highlights how digital play contributes to broader discursive agendas surrounding peace, cultural understanding, and transnational belonging. At the same time, this paper situates esports within contemporary debates on media-based soft power, demonstrating how digital youth cultures can complement traditional cultural diplomacy by promoting more inclusive, bottom-up forms of global citizenship.

Authors:
Nur Izzah Anisah Ismail, University Malaya, Malaysia

About the Presenter(s)
Nur Izzah Anisah Ismail is a PhD Researcher at the Asia-Europe Institute, University Malaya. Her interests include esports governance and digital policy. Her current project examines South Korea’s esports as a digital soft power tool.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nur-izzah-anisah/

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