After it was confirmed that outside information had leaked into play during Day 1 of "PUBG Asia Stars 2026," an international PUBG: Battlegrounds event tournament hosted by Krafton, all eight Korean participants declined to take the stage for the Day 2 matches held on September 19. On September 20, the controversy spread further, with a sponsor suspending its sponsorship.
The tournament is a regional-rivalry event split across three days: Day 1 on September 17, Day 2 on the 19th, and Day 3 on the 20th. Forty-eight players in total take part — eight from each of six regions: Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam — competing for a total prize pool of $70,000. Standings are decided by cumulative points across all events over the three days.
The controversy erupted after the Day 1 matches ended. Vietnamese participants HIMASS and TANVUU were accused of keeping live chat open on a secondary screen during matches and receiving information on enemy positions and player counts — details hard to determine from the in-game screen alone — via viewer chat. This is the practice known in Korean as "bangpeul" (방플), or playing while watching the broadcast.
On the 19th, Krafton posted two notices through the official Kakao Battlegrounds channel. In the first notice, the company said it "sincerely apologizes for the concerns and discomfort regarding fairness that arose in the course of running the Day 1 matches," and stated that from Day 2 it would apply adjustments to some regions' player rosters (two players), a delay on the broadcast of key matches, a re-briefing on operational standards, and strengthened monitoring. At that point it did not write who the adjustments applied to.
The names came late, and the points were left blank
Comparing the two Krafton notices, GameY found that the individuals were identified only in the [second notice]. Krafton said it had "decided to exclude VIE region participants HIMASS and TANVUU from the remaining matches of PUBG Asia Stars in order to ensure fair competition." However, it did not specify whether this measure constituted a sanction for a rules violation, nor did it explain how the Day 1 cumulative points already earned would be handled. Krafton said only that "this does not mean the matter is closed," adding that it would announce follow-up measures after further investigation.
The Korean participants responded by not showing up. All eight players from the Korea region did not compete in the Day 2 matches on the 19th. The reason: the explanation they received from Krafton differed from the content of the joint apology issued by the Vietnamese participants.
The fallout reached the sponsors. On the 20th, coffee chain 100 Billion Coffee (백억커피) said in a [notice] that "customers have left messages of disappointment and concern through the inquiry page on our website regarding the issue that has arisen in connection with the PUBG esports tournament in which 100 Billion Coffee is participating as a sponsor brand," and that as of that day it was taking steps to provisionally suspend sponsorship activities including related commercials, menu items and events. It added that it would decide on follow-up measures regarding its sponsorship participation after confirming the facts and the organizer's response.
Given that Asia excluding Korea accounts for a large share of Krafton's game revenue in the first half of the year, a fairness controversy erupting at an official tournament for its flagship IP — and the walkout of a major participating region — is an issue directly tied to trust in its esports operations.
The Day 3 matches on the 20th, the tournament's final day, are going ahead as scheduled at 8 p.m. It has not yet been confirmed when Krafton will release the results of its additional investigation or its plan for handling the Day 1 points.
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Source: [한국팀 8명 전원 불참...크래프톤 배그 대회 '방플' 논란] — GameY (게임와이), by reporter Lee Jae-deok, published September 20, 2026.
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