League of Legends fans are outraged at a punishment they feel isn’t enough for Hanwha Life Esports’ Kim “Moojin” Moo-jin.
The 21-year-old jungler has been fined 15 million Koran won ($12,800 USD) and has been instructed to complete 48 hours of community service by his team after he was caught sending violent threats to underaged female fans.
In the leaked messages, Moojin contacted underaged fans, trying to meet up with them. He also sent threatening messages and joked about “date violence,” which is Korean slang for domestic violence.
One message said, “I’ll kill you. Rip your hair. You know what ‘date violence’ is, right? I heard it happens a lot in Busan. Wanna have it happen in Guri?”
Another translated message revealed that Moojin allegedly has a record for “date violence,” or at least claims he does.
“I’m just gonna take you by the collar and beat you up,” he said.
The incident was first reported by Inven Global. But the short article sparked outrage for many League of Legends community members. The report stated that Moojin had a conversation with a fan that “included complaints about scrims, a teammate, and some private issues.”
Leaving out the nature of his messages disturbed readers.
And Moojin’s apology furthered this sentiment. His apology letter stated that he was sorry for his “inappropriate jokes about date violence.”
Many fans felt this statement trivialized the true nature of his actions, which included using his position of power to lure in underaged girls, and also messaging them death threats.
The team’s apology was no better in this regard. Hanwha Life Esports called his actions “controversial,” and promised they won’t happen again after they educate the players and “improve the management process.”
Even League viewers who were fans of Moojin felt the punishment wasn’t severe enough. Many expressed that they wanted him suspended, or even banned from comptitive League of Legends completely.
A few years ago, a pro gamer lost his contract and was suspended after he verbally and physically abused his girlfriend on stream.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
