Global StarCraft II League
Global StarCraft II League is a tournament hosted by afreecaTV and Blizzard Entertainment in South Korea. GOMeXp had hosted it until the last season of 2015. There is also an English language stream available. The tournament features two leagues, Code S and Code A. Code S and Code A are mainly cast by Dan "Artosis" Stemkoski and Nicolas "Tasteless" Plott, they are sometimes helped by former professional player Jake "NoRegreT" Umpleby. The event is broadcast Wednesdays and Saturdays on TwitchTV.
As of the end of 2015 GSL Season 2, GOMTV has given away over 3.6 billion Korean won from the individual GSL and Arena of Legends leagues in StarCraft II.
Foreigner qualification house
GOMTV used to run a house for select foreigners to live in while attempting to qualify for Code A. The house could accommodate up to 8 players. Players are responsible for travel to the GOM house, but all expenses other than food were covered by GOMTV. The house closed in November 2012.GSL-MLG Exchange Program
and GOMTV have announced a player exchange program between the tournaments. MLG will invite and provide travel for four Korean players every tournament and the players will be seeded directly into Championship pool. Starting from MLG Anaheim 2011 the winner of the tournament is given GSL Code S seed and top three non-Korean players are given Code A seeds.MLG Columbus 2011 was the first event to see Korean invites. Moon "MMA" Sung Won won the tournament and the other invites finished 2nd, 3rd and 8th. Non-Koreans players accepting Code A seeds were Johan "NaNiWa" Lucchesi, Marcus "ThorZaIN" Eklöf and Jian Carlo "Fenix" Morayra Alejo. They will participate in both GSL August and GSTL August team league. For the team league they will form a team F.United together with players from a Korean pro team WeMadeFox.
It was thought that NaNiwa would have gotten the Code S spot for his second-place finish at the national finals at MLG Providence 2011, but it was revealed afterwards that Code S would not have been given out at that event.
The GSL-MLG Exchange Program has since been nullified, as GSL is now partnered with IPL. MLG CEO Sundance DiGiovanni has hinted at the Naniwa Code S scandal as possible reasoning for the breakup of the partnership.
With the closure of IPL, the partner program between the two is now finished.
Since 2013, the GSL took over as the Korean part of the World Championship Series created by Blizzard Entertainment.
Main Events
2010 Open Seasons
The 2010 Open Seasons were the first tournaments for the GSL, featuring three initial events with an overall prize pool of 600 million Korean Won and a prize of 100 million Won for the winner. These attracted worldwide attention as they featured the largest prize pool in the history of e-Sports. The purpose of the Open Seasons was to sort the players into Code S and Code A for the 2011 season.Sponsorship League
Sponsorship League is the regular tournament that is held multiple times a year. Code S is the major league and consists of 32 top players in Korea. Winner of Code S is crowned GSL champion. Code A is the minor league of 32 players. Winner of code A qualifies to Code S. Top seven Code A players and bottom eight Code S players participate in Up & Down Matches in groups of five players. Top two of every group qualify to Code S. Code A qualifiers are held before the start of a new season. Only top ranking players in Korean Battle.net server are allowed to participate. Foreign players are allowed to attend qualifiers without meeting the criteria though.For the 2011 GSL November season, it was announced that the format would be changing to deal with certain issues that have come up in Code S and Code A. A chart was later released that would illustrate the new format. The new format would be a dual tournament format with double-elimination four-player groups, where players in Code S immediately drop to Code A, and would have to continue playing if they want to get back up to Code S. The new GSL format means that there would no longer be a Code A champion.
The 2012 tour had the tournament format changed slightly, resulting in a longer season with slight changes with prize money in Code A. Due to the extended season, there will only be 5 GSL tournaments in the year.
World Championship Series 2013
In 2013, the GSL and the OnGameNet Starleague shared the duty as the Korean league for Blizzard Entertainment's World Championship Series under the name "WCS Korea".World Championship Series 2014
With OnGameNet having stopped its StarCraft II activities, GSL became the only individual league in South Korea and ran every season of WCS Korea under its own name again.World Championship Series 2015
In 2015, the GSL and SPOTV's newly established StarCraft II StarLeague ran parallel to each other as the focus of professional play in South Korea. Each league had three seasons throughout the year, for a total of six individual league seasons.World Championship Series 2016
The GSL and the SSL continued to run as parallel leagues in South Korea for 2016. Each league had two seasons throughout the year, for a total of four individual league seasons, with the finalists of their first and second seasons playing in the first and second season Cross-Finals events.The first season of GSL for WCS 2016 was preceded by two GSL Pre-Season tournaments which both granted seeding into the main competition to their respective winners.
World Championship
The World Championship was a yearly tournament that invites top eight non-Korean players to South Korea to play against the top eight Korean players. This is a two part tournament, the first being a Korea versus the World team tournament, the second being a 16-man single elimination tournament.The 2012 tour will not have a World Championship event.
Super Tournament
Similar to the 2010 Open Seasons, the Super Tournaments are a 64-man tournament featuring a prize pool of 202 million Korean Won. Participants are determined by the total GSL points obtained throughout the year.The 2012 tour will not have a Super Tournament event.
Blizzard Cup
The top 10 players of the year will compete in a tournament to decide the best player of the year in a two phase event including a group stage and a playoff stage. The 2011 event featured the top 5 players in terms of GSL ranking and champions of other events such as MLG, BlizzCon and World Cyber Games 2011.Special Events
Arena of Legends
The Arena of Legends are a special tournament series that are only available to premium users. They are generally online tournaments as opposed to the offline ones of the standard GSL. The first one featured four invited representatives of each race that was broadcast throughout the month of September 2011 on Saturdays and Sundays. Another Arena of Legends tournament was announced on November 2, 2011 called the Team Ace Invitational featuring two players from each team battling it out to see who is the strongest ace. The third Arena of Legends tournament was announced on December 27, 2011 called "Arena of Legends: King of Kong", featuring all of the non-champion runner up players from previous GSL tournaments. A "Kong" is Korean for a pea, and refers to Hong Jin-Ho, a Brood War legend who was famous for getting second place.Champions
Code S and other Major Tournaments
This is a list of all major GSL tournaments. They are considered equal by AfreecaTV and the winner of any of these tournaments is called a GSL champion.| Regular Season | World Championship | Super Tournament | Blizzard/HOT6 Cup | Open Season |
| Year | Name of Tournament | Winner | Result of Final | Runner-Up |
| 2010 | TG-Intel STARCRAFT II Open Season1 | Kim "Fruitdealer" Won Gi | 4 - 1 | Kim "Rainbow" Sung Je |
| 2010 | Sony Ericsson STARCRAFT II Open Season2 | Lim "NesTea" Jae Duk | 4 - 3 | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon |
| 2010 | Sony Ericsson STARCRAFT II Open Season3 | Jang "MC" Min Chul | 4 - 1 | Park "Rain" Seo Yong |
| 2011 | Sony Ericsson Global StarCraft II League Jan. | Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon | 4 - 0 | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | 2nd Generation Intel Core Global StarCraft II League Mar. | Jang "MC" Min Chul | 4 - 1 | Park "July" Sung Joon |
| 2011 | LG Cinema 3D World Championship Seoul | Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon | 4 - 2 | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | LG Cinema 3D Global StarCraft II League May | Lim "NesTea" Jae Duk | 4 - 0 | Song "InCa" Joon Hyuk |
| 2011 | LG Cinema 3D GSL Super Tournament | Choi "Polt" Sung Hoon | 4 - 0 | Moon "MMA" Sung Won |
| 2011 | Pepsi Global StarCraft II League July | Lim "NesTea" Jae Duk | 4 - 0 | Hwang "LosirA" Kang Ho |
| 2011 | Pepsi Global StarCraft II League August | Jeong "MVP" Jong Hyeon | 4 - 1 | Kim "TOP" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | Sony Ericsson Global StarCraft II League Oct. | Moon "MMA" Sung Won | 4 - 1 | Jeong "Mvp" Jong Hyeon |
| 2011 | Sony Ericsson Global StarCraft II League Nov. | Jung "jjakji" Ji Hoon | 4 - 2 | Lee "Leenock" Dong Nyung |
| 2011 | 2011 Blizzard Cup | Moon "MMA" Sung Won | 4 - 3 | Park "DongRaeGu" Soo Ho |
| 2012 | 2012 Hot6ix Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Park "DongRaeGu" Soo Ho | 4 - 2 | Jung "Genius" Min Soo |
| 2012 | 2012 Hot6ix Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Jeong "MVP" Jong Hyeon | 4 - 3 | Park "Squirtle" Hyun Woo |
| 2012 | 2012 Monsieur J Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Ahn "Seed" Sang Won | 4 - 1 | Jang "MC" Min Chul |
| 2012 | 2012 Hot6ix Global StarCraft II League Season 4 | Lee "Life" Seung Hyun | 4 - 3 | Jeong "MVP" Jong Hyun |
| 2012 | 2012 Hot6ix Global StarCraft II League Season 5 | Kwon "Sniper" Tae Hoon | 4 - 3 | Ko "Hyun" Seok Hyun |
| 2012 | 2012 Blizzard Cup | Lee "Life" Seung Hyun | 4 - 2 | Won "PartinG" Lee Sak |
| 2013 | 2013 Hot6ix Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Shin "RorO" No Yeol | 4 - 2 | Kang "Symbol" Dong Hyun |
| 2013 | 2013 WCS Korea Season 1 MANGOSIX GSL | Kim "Soulkey" Min Chul | 4 - 3 | Lee "INnoVation" Shin Hyung |
| 2013 | 2013 WCS Korea Season 3 JOGUNSHOP GSL | Baek "Dear" Dong Jun | 4 - 2 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2013 | 2013 HOT6 Cup | Jeong "Rain" Yoon Jong | 4 - 2 | Kim "Soulkey" Min Cheol |
| 2014 | 2014 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Joo "Zest" Sung Wook | 4 - 3 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2014 | 2014 HOT6 GSL Global Tournament | Joo "Zest" Sung Wook | 4 - 3 | Won "PartinG" Lee Sak |
| 2014 | 2014 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Kim "Classic" Doh Woo | 4 - 2 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2014 | 2014 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Lee "INnoVation" Shin Hyung | 4 - 2 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2014 | 2014 HOT6 Cup | Kim "sOs" Yoo Jin | 4 - 1 | Lee "MarineKing" Jeong Hoon |
| 2015 | 2015 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Lee "Life" Seung Hyun | 4 - 3 | Won "PartinG" Lee Sak |
| 2015 | 2015 SBENU Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Jung "Rain" Yoon Jong | 4 - 1 | Han "ByuL" Ji Won |
| 2015 | 2015 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Lee "INnoVation" Shin Hyung | 4 - 2 | Han "ByuL" Ji Won |
| 2016 | 2016 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Joo "Zest" Sung Wook | 4 - 2 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang |
| 2016 | 2016 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Byun "ByuN" Hyun Woo | 4 - 1 | Kim "sOs" Yoo Jin |
| 2017 | 2017 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Kim "Stats" Dae Yeob | 4 - 2 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2017 | 2017 HOT6 GSL Super Tournament I | Kim "herO" Joon Ho | 4 - 2 | Han "aLive" Lee Seok |
| 2017 | 2017 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Koh "GuMiho" Byung Jae | 4 - 2 | Eo "soO" Yoon Su |
| 2017 | 2017 GSL vs. the World | Lee "INnoVation" Shin Hyung | 4 - 0 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang |
| 2017 | 2017 HOT6 Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Lee "INnoVation" Shin Hyung | 4 - 3 | Kim "sOs" Yoo Jin |
| 2017 | 2017 HOT6 GSL Super Tournament II | Lee "Rogue" Byung Ryul | 4 - 3 | Kim "herO" Joon Ho |
| 2018 | 2018 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Cho "Maru" Seong Ju | 4 - 2 | Kim "Stats" Dae Yeob |
| 2018 | 2018 GSL Super Tournament I | Kim "Stats" Dae Yeob | 4 - 3 | Park "Dark" Ryung Woo |
| 2018 | 2018 Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Cho "Maru" Seong Ju | 4 - 0 | Joo "Zest" Sung Wook |
| 2018 | 2018 GSL vs. the World | Joona "Serral" Sotala | 4 - 3 | Kim "Stats" Dae Yeob |
| 2018 | 2018 Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Cho "Maru" Seong Ju | 4 - 3 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang |
| 2018 | 2018 GSL Super Tournament II | Kim "Classic" Doh Woo | 4 - 3 | Kim "sOs" Yoo Jin |
| 2019 | 2019 Mountain Dew Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Cho "Maru" Seong Ju | 4 - 2 | Kim "Classic" Doh Woo |
| 2019 | 2019 GSL Super Tournament I | Kim "Classic" Doh Woo | 4 -1 | Koh "GuMiho" Byung Jae |
| 2019 | 2019 Global StarCraft II League Season 2 | Park "Dark" Ryung Woo | 4 - 2 | Cho "Trap" Sung-ho |
| 2019 | 2019 GSL vs. the World | Joona "Serral" Sotala | ||
| 2019 | 2019 Global StarCraft II League Season 3 | Lee "Rogue" Byung Ryul | 4 - 0 | Cho "Trap" Sung-ho |
| 2019 | 2019 GSL Super Tournament II | Park "Dark" Ryung Woo | 4 - 0 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang |
| 2020 | 2020 AfreecaTV GSL Super Tournament I | Cho "Maru" Seong Ju | 4 - 3 | Park "Dark" Ryung Woo |
| 2020 | 2020 Global StarCraft II League Season 1 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang | 4 - 0 | Kim "Cure" Doh Wook |
- 2011 GSL October took place in Anaheim, California during BlizzCon. This was the first GSL final to take place outside South Korea.
- 2012 Hot6ix GSL Season 5 took place at IPL 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pre-Season Tournaments
| Year | Name of Tournament | Winner | Result of Final | Runner-Up |
| 2015 | 2016 Global StarCraft II League Pre-Season Week 1 | Kim "herO" Joon Ho | 3 - 0 | Lee "Life" Seung Hyun |
| 2015 | 2016 Global StarCraft II League Pre-Season Week 2 | Kim "MyuNgSik" Myung-Sik | 3 - 2 | Jun "TY" Tae Yang |
Code A
There will be no more Code A champions due to the format change in 2011 GSL November.| Year | Name of Tournament | Winner | Result of Final | Runner-Up |
| 2011 | Sony Ericsson Global StarCraft II League Jan. | Kim "TOP" Jung Hoon | 4 - 3 | Byun "Byun" Hyun Woo |
| 2011 | 2nd Generation Intel Core Global StarCraft II League Mar. | Hwang "LosirA" Kang Ho | 4 - 3 | Kim "SuperNoVa" Young Jin |
| 2011 | LG Cinema 3D Global StarCraft II League May | Choi "Bomber" Ji Sung | 4 - 2 | Jeong "MVP" Jong Hyeon |
| 2011 | Pepsi Global StarCraft II League July | Kim "Puzzle" Sang-Joon | 4 - 2 | Kim "Tassadar" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | Pepsi Global StarCraft II League August | Kim "GanZi" Dong Ju | 4 - 3 | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | Sony Ericsson Global StarCraft II League Oct. | Lee "Curious" Won Pyo | 4 - 0 | Kim "Oz" Hak Soo |
Special Tournaments
Champions of special tournaments are not considered GSL Champions.| Year | Name of Tournament | Winner | Result of Final | Runner-Up |
| 2010 | GomTV All-Stars Invitational 2010 | Han "Kyrix" Joon | 2 - 0 | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon |
| 2011 | Arena of Legends | Lee "MarineKing" Jung Hoon | 4 - 1 | Park "DongRaeGu" Soo Ho |
| 2011 | Arena of Legends: Team Ace Invitational | Jeong "MVP" Jong Hyeon | 3 - 2 | Kim "GanZi" Dong Ju |
| 2012 | Arena of Legends: King of Kongs | Park "DongRaeGu" Soo Ho | 4 - 1 | Hwang "LosirA" Kang Ho |