Members of the LoLMeetupKorea community pose together during a Valentine's Day Platonic Potluck event in Mapo District, Seoul, Feb. 8. Courtesy of LoLMeetupKorea
People from all corners of the world gathered in Seoul in early February for a feast worthy of the upcoming Lunar Near Year: Two tables were laden with ubiquitous Korean fare like dumplings and fried chicken, homemade comfort food from abroad like shepherd’s pie, garlic bread and tres leches cake, as well as all manner of snacks, and even some libations in the form of Jell-O shots.
This was the scene at the Valentine’s Day Platonic Potluck hosted by LoLMeetupKorea (LoLMK), a community of English-speaking gamers who play on Riot Games’ Korean League of Legends (LoL) server. The timing of the event meant international residents could enjoy a festive gathering ahead of the holidays, even far away from home. The food offerings were as diverse as the group members, ranging from Korean Americans who want to stay connected with English-speaking culture to international students and workers searching for gaming buddies, and even soldiers stationed in Korea.
LoLMK was founded at least 14 years ago and is currently helmed by owner/leader Eric Hwang and Phil Chung. Chung, the deputy leader, is more widely known in the English-speaking community as the proprietor of Phil’s Computer Repository, a repair, sales and services shop tucked away in Sunin Plaza, a labyrinthine electronics market in Seoul’s Yongsan District.
“I spent my 20s working, building this business, and by the time I was 30 years old, I realized I didn’t have any friends. Business was successful, but I wanted to socialize,” Chung recalled. “I really liked the aspect of joining a community for a common interest.”
After assuming a leadership position last July, his first order of business was growing the group via social media. LoLMK’s Discord membership has since ballooned from 200 to more than 600, while a resuscitated Instagram account has improved visibility and organic reach.
Members of the LoLMeetupKorea community pose at the group's Halloween party in October 2025. Courtesy of LoLMeetupKorea
Julian Escobar, a student who joined the potluck, discovered LoLMK after stumbling upon an Instagram post from the group’s Halloween gathering last fall.
“Everyone was wearing their Halloween costumes, and it seemed fun and well-run, and everyone was happy,” he said. “They seemed genuine.”
The friendly vibes of the community confirmed that first impression. “Before, I was just playing (LoL) by myself, and that’s not fun. I saw the Discord server was very active, so that was also motivation to join. In this server, you can always see more and more people, different types of people, and they’re all welcoming. They all try to play with you,” he added.
Source: Korea Times News
