South Korean Tekken player Jeon “Jeondding“ Sang-hyun, who competes for the French esports organisation Team Vitality, was invited to a state dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron for South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the Élysée Palace on September 8, 2026.
The invitation is a rare moment for the esports industry. State dinners are formal diplomatic events and it is unusual for a professional gamer to be included on the guest list alongside heads of state.
Jeondding shared a photo with both presidents on X, stating to be “incredibly honored to be invited by the French government to a state dinner with the President of Korea and the President of France.”
“I never imagined I would have an experience like this in my lifetime,” the player continued.
The dinner marked the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea. It was also meant to strengthen ties between the two countries, described as a “Global Strategic Partnership”.
Jeondding was not the only notable figure invited. Other attendees included Nexon Korea co-CEO Kang Dae-hyun, SLL CEO Park Joon-seo, and Busan International Film Festival Chairman Park Kwang-soo. Several major business leaders were also present, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Electronics President Ryu Jae-chul, Hyundai Motor President Sung Kim, and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon.
While a formal state dinner invitation for an esports player is rare, this is not the first time competitive gaming figures have crossed paths with high-level political events in France. Ahead of the Trackmania Cup in June 2022, Macron invited a group of French esports personalities to a reception at the Élysée Palace. That group included former Fortnite pro Clément “Skite“ Danglot, Trackmania playerGwendal “Gwen“ Duparc, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player William “Glutonny“ Belaïd, and Dota 2 player Sébastien “Ceb“ Debs.
More recently, in August 2026, Macron attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Some professional players, including Gwen and Counter-Strike pro Mathieu “ZywOo“Herbaut, along with organisation leaders, were invited to meet with the French president during that event.
