Bang Bang Bang!
K-Pop References in League of Legends
Of course, Rioters will sneak in references to their favorite shows and music. So today we'll check out K-pop references in League of Legends.
With so many champions in the game, there are quite a few references which some players might miss. We've already looked into the specifics of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and who references this anime, but today we've decided to tackle kpop to see which champions might have references to the popular music genre.
So, sit back, relax and have your favorite kpop spotify playlist on repeat. Some references might be clear as day, while others could be hidden from less-known groups and singers. You never know, you might find your next favorite kpop group thanks to Riot Games, eh?
Kpop References in League of Legends
5. SKT T1 Jhin - Bang Bang Bang
The most obvious Kpop reference is probably the champion recall of SKT T1 Jhin. Not only is it a World Championship skin, and one of the best to date, but it also belongs to the former SKT T1 bot laner Bae "Bang" Jun-shik. With this skin, he managed to include the popular dance from the most famous kpop group — Big Bang. (Yes I went there...)
At the time, one of the biggest songs from the boy group was Bang Bang Bang, which fit perfectly to the champion Jhin (though one bang is missing since Jhin is all about the number four), as well as the player who was choosing this skin. The champion recall emulates the famous 'bang bang bang' dance from Big Bang and it all comes together perfectly with this champion skin.
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4. Elementalist Lux - Dance
Elementalist Lux just has a multitude of kpop dances integrated into her kit. This is one of the best ultimate skins in the game, so we would hope that she has some great dance animations and they really do not disappoint. Everyone who is a kpop fan will remember just how iconic Gfriends Me Gusta Tu was and to have this dance included in the skin is perfect.
Not only does Elementalist Lux have the Gfriend dance included, but also Pepe by CLC, as well as Why from Taeyeon, who is a member of Girls Generation, one of the most iconic kpop girl groups out there. She dances all three combined together, creating a fun and unique dance unlike any other ones out there. If you managed to catch all three dance references, then you can definitely call yourself a kpop stan... I cringe just at writing that last sentence.
3. Syndra - Girls Generation Hoot
Since we were just talking about Girls Generation, we should stay on topic and keep going, right? So, are there any more Girls Generation references in League of Legends? Yes, yes there are. We could make a whole separate article just to mention them all, because there are a lot, but one we cannot overlook is Syndra and her dance emote.
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Girls Generation is iconic and Syndra is one of the most beloved mid lane champions as well, so it makes sense for her to also have a dance emote referencing the queens of kpop, right? Syndra emulates the dance to the 2010 song Hoot by Girls Generation. Honestly, the animations fit so well and the dance is amazing. Who would have known that these gems could be found in League of Legends?
2. Star Guardian Ahri - Dance
Just like Elementalist Lux, Star Guardian Ahri brings together three different kpop dances for her own. We all know and love Orange Caramel as well as Twice. The most famous dance Riot added to Star Guardian Ahri is the one for Cheer Up, which is the song that put Twice on the map. Twice's Signal and and Orange Caramel's Magic Girl are also part of her dance emote.
Especially the 'shy shy shy' part from Twice's Sana stands out with the dance and fits perfectly into the concept of Star Guardian Ahri, making her look incredible and stand out. So, if you're a fan of Twice, this is probably a skin you'll want to pick up when you're in the LoL shop next time. Maybe once more Star Guardian skins get released by Riot you can add this one to your collection.
1. Twisted Fate - Gangnam Style
In 2013 Psy's Gangnam style swept the world and becmae the biggest hit in the span of a few months. Even people who had never heard of kpop before were aware of the song and it put the genre on the map even for the mainstream, so of course, Riot had to include this song in some way, shape or form, right? Well, they sure did and gave Twisted Fate a new dance.
Twisted Fate now does the famous 'horse dance' from the song Gangnam Style by Psy. Honestly, who would have thought that a champion like Twisted Fate. He might be known for his gambling, but his dancing should also be noted. Is it canon that he's an incredibly cringe dancer? Hopefully it is, because it would be too funny.
So, those are some kpop references we have found that are available in-game. Test them out to see if you like them. Which champions should get some more kpop references? When are we getting a in-game BTS emote by the way? Or maybe some more Twice dance animations? Riot, please get on that.