SOOP said on Jan. 23 it will livestream JoyCity's global sports game e-sports tournament, the '2025 Freestyle Korea-China Showdown'. The tournament will be held at the FREAKUP Studio in Seoul on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

The Freestyle Korea-China Showdown was a global tournament that alternated between the two countries and drew popularity, but it was suspended for a long time due to the fallout from COVID-19. It will be held in South Korea for the first time in 6 years since 2020.

This tournament will feature 4 teams representing South Korea and 4 teams representing China. Day 1 will be an event match between the two countries, while Day 2 will be a main tournament bracket featuring the 8 teams. Total prize money is about 35 million won.

Freestyle is JoyCity's flagship sports game that has been loved for more than 20 years, maintaining stable service not only in South Korea but also in overseas markets for a long period. SOOP plans to strengthen an e-sports ecosystem based on competition between countries, as with this Korea-China showdown.

The broadcast will feature commentary from former basketball player Lee Seung-jun (이승준) and streamer Kim Jin-yong (김진용). Caster Jung In-ho (정인호) and KBL announcer Lee So-jung (이소정) will host.

The tournament will also be held as a final event for the 2025 competition, and while the actual event will take place in 2026, the tournament title will remain the '2025 Freestyle Korea-China Showdown'. Global fans are also expected to be able to watch the matches through SOOP's Onebuild.