PD: I'd like to ask you about the term "T1" Do you happen to know what T1 means? One team? I'm not really sure myself. The exact meaning is... I don't know the details. I'm not too familiar with it either. Team Number 1 Yes! Maybe… Together as one? Together as one? Tier one Team Team First… right? It's like a dream club that everyone wants to join. In soccer terms, you could say it's like Real Madrid. Since T1 as a team holds the title of being the best. T1 is such a great team and the most recognized Esports organization in the world, so I'd daydream about what it would be like to play for them. I thought, "When I become a pro gamer I'd like T1 to be my first team." It seems my older brother or dad wanted me to join SKT if possible. As for joining T1... it happened quite by chance... - Retrospecto - Carrier is down! Carrier is down! He took out the Carrier! SlayerS_'BoxeR'! You give SlayerS_'BoxeR' time and... GG! I know him as a legend of the game "StarCraft." "The Emperor"? I've heard him called something of a legend. He's a complete first-generation pro gamer Really the first steps? He's a first-generation pro gamer who started changing the framework. I think our parents knew SlayerS_'BoxeR' quite well. When explaining pro-gaming SlayerS_'BoxeR' who came before us paved the way and we're the ones walking on that path now. I've heard it described like that. I first heard of SlayerS_'BoxeR' when I was in elementary school seeing his name in the StarCraft League. I really started to learn about SlayerS_'BoxeR' in high school. As I got more into Esports and gaming I naturally came to know more about SlayerS_'BoxeR' Because we didn't really understand what a pro gamer was the best title we could think of to give him was "Emperor." King just seemed too weak. Right? King just wasn't enough. It had to be "Emperor." Only "Emperor" seemed fitting to describe SlayerS_'BoxeR'. That's what I think. Honestly, why we called him "The Emperor" there just wasn't a higher expression available at the time. SlayerS_'BoxeR', the Emperor of Terran the most popular pro gamer. SlayerS_'BoxeR' is the champion! PD: Let's start with a brief self-introduction. How should I introduce myself? Yes, hello I'm Im 'BoxeR' Yohwan, a founding member of T1, currently active as an influencer and professional poker player. When it comes to BoxeR there were many early pioneers in pro-gaming like Honest[SG], SSamJang, and countless others. I believe that when BoxeR came onto the scene it marked the true beginning of professional gaming. BoxeR's games are always a hot topic because they're fun to watch. Ah, StarCraft really is a game of brains. He used all sorts of unusual strategies. He invested a lot in, or rather focused a lot on delicate control. There's definitely BoxeR's own style BoxeR's own flavor BoxeR's own delivery. It's clear that even if you cover everything else, you can tell "This is BoxeR's game." When the game ends and I lift my head and look around sometimes I feel like what I've done isn't just a game. I don't know what kind of inspiration it gives to others but there are people who are moved. And when I lose badly, I see disappointed looks. It goes beyond just winning. Of course, winning is important but it's about how you win. It's about how you win, and how you show your game to people. The direction shifts. So the focus isn't just on winning but on creating some kind of story. Oh, look, three Lurkers! But he still walks-in! That's what you call smart play. Woah! SlayerS_'BoxeR'! WOW! SlayerS_'BoxeR'! Some of the tanks are in siege mode, and some are going boom, boom, boom! He definitely has a knack for showmanship creating his own star power. At that time, 'BoxeR's Dropship' (BoxeR's fan website) was ranked second among all celebrities. Can you believe that? In today's terms, can you imagine? Back then, earning over 100 million KRW a year was a huge deal. BoxeR showed his passion for StarCraft by consistently immersing himself in the game. He poured his whole life into it showing his dedication to the fans. To us pro gamers he started to seem like something else entirely. At first, he was just a close friend. But then he started shooting commercials, winning StarCraft Leagues becoming a superstar among superstars. Even though he was close, he felt a bit distant growing into a larger-than-life figure. ... how Esports was created. Back then, we didn't even use the term "Esports". BoxeR played a significant role in changing the perception of Esports the perception of Esports players and the entire Esports scene in a positive way. At that time, BoxeR was perhaps even bigger than StarCraft and the Esports scene itself. The first superstar recognized the need for a team Yes, when I first signed with Orion it was an individual sponsorship. But after a year I asked them to consider team units because I couldn't do it alone in this world. During the Orion era, BoxeR's salary was 100 million KRW. He became the first player to earn over 100 million then. He was with Orion. I remember that besides BoxeR there weren't any other officially contracted players at that time. There were four pro gamers in the Orion team, four. Kingdom, RainBOw, kOs, and sigamari. These four received 500,000 KRW each. Paik Daehyun, and iloveoov was an amateur and received 100,000 KRW. After the first Proleague was launched we won under the name of Orion team in the first league. We won the inaugural Proleague under the Orion name. I cried a lot then. Our players practiced without sleep in such poor conditions. sigamari, iloveoov, kOs, Kingdom, and RainBOw. And Coach Joo Hoon took really good care of us and guided us well. That's how we got this far, I think. Orion had promised something then. They said they would contract all players after the season ended. But except for BoxeR the salary contracts for the rest of the players were too small. It was unacceptable. The Orion representative wanted to do more, of course but the company policy wouldn't allow for a bigger budget. So we had no choice. That's when we announced our split. In that situation, from my perspective if BoxeR had only thought about himself, he might not have cared much. But for the scene to grow overall and gain more interest and fandom he thought we needed to proceed with team-based leagues. We were at a crossroads of either scattering to our own homes or staying together. In that situation, we decided to stick together a bit longer as team 4U. Let's hang in there and I'll meet with many companies to try and secure a team sponsorship. We hit the ground running with our new team, 4U. I chose the name 4U for a couple of reasons. I chose the name 4U for a couple of reasons. Since "Union" means a combination it symbolized our team coming together to unite and make something happen. That was the idea. And for a bit of humor you could also read it as "Sa yu(buy us)" as in "buy our team." That period was the toughest of my life. My bank account was scraping the bottom. When I first started gaming, I was broke too. But back then, I didn't worry about the money. I had no expenses to worry about. With 4U, it was a whole different story. We just had to hang on by our fingernails. Man, even putting food on the table was a struggle. The refrigerator was completely empty as we had already consumed everything edible. We pooled every last penny the players had buying stuff like canned tuna. Sometimes we'd be down to kimchi soup the kimchi long gone, just the broth left. We'd toss in some tuna, make a stew, and call it dinner. The utility expenses given our numerous computers, were substantial. Coach Joo Hoon had this beaten-up red Pride dented and barely running but we'd cram all six of us into it. That thing broke down more often than not. We'd have to get out and push-start it. I've got some vivid memories of that We had this one tiny room. Didn't matter if you were a player or coach early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the good spot. Late to bed? You're bunking next to the trash can. We'd line up to sleep from the window in last one in got next to the trash can. 4U is the first to call GG. It's getting harder and harder for 4U to make it to the semifinals. It's becoming increasingly difficult. Things were getting rough and grumbling started within the team. We needed things to turn around but it dragged on for 4-5 months. Of course, people started complaining first couple of months, everyone grinned and bore it. By month three, the cracks were showing. I wonder, if it had stretched past six months could we have held it together? It's anyone's guess. Just thinking about it now makes me break into a cold sweat. When I'd head out for a meeting with a company I'd come back to a room full of anxious faces. How'd it go? Their eyes searching for any good news. It was... Yeah, we had times like that back then... Coach Joo Hoon must've been carrying a heavy load. While we were just focused on our game waiting for opportunity to knock. He was out there pounding the pavement talking to people, making deals handled all the practical details. I met with all sorts of companies back then Pmang, Cyworld, Hangame, Yahoo, even clothing brands... Meeting with all sorts of companies I pitched hard to all of them But my terms were always the same. Big company or small, the figure didn't change. I had my bottom line and stuck to it. So I gave the same spiel about our team's value no matter who I was talking to. I believed in our players if we couldn't land a contract with our lineup this was evidence that we had not yet reached the required standard. That day was a real low point. The day before Kingdom had said he wanted to quit. BoxeR, Kingdom, and I went out together, and we talked to him over a drink trying to persuade him. We came back around 2 AM. When I went to the bathroom, I was shocked. I turned on the light and saw iloveoov crying in the dark. He said he couldn't breathe he felt so suffocated and stressed. He wanted to quit. This wasn't just between the two of us so we all gathered together. We talked things through and resolved what we could. By then, it was 8 in the morning. I made sure everyone could get some rest. I finally got to sleep around 8:30. (Mobile Phone Vibration) Always kept my phone on vibrate but I heard it buzz around 10 AM. When I answered the call the first words I heard were "Congratulations" Congratulations. The CEO had just approved the acquisition of the gaming team. The first thing I did was wake BoxeR. He was still half asleep so I said, "Hey, SK called. We're in." His eyes immediately opened wide. Yes, that moment... We went like this, and Alright, now get some sleep. The support was excellent overall. They provided salary contracts for all the players securing annual salary agreements for the entire team. We also acquired two apartments in Samseong-dong, each approximately 1,800 ft², totaling nearly 3,600 ft². It was a moment when each player finally had their own bed. Uniforms, two or three sets each gaming gears free phone plans new phones even a new ride. We got this massive "StarCraft van" a real step up for getting around. No more cramming into that old Pride. SK Telecom, true to their big-league status They were exceptionally generous with the accommodations and welfare provided Prior to that I'd had that solo deal with Orion, right? But even with that individual sponsorship I knew I couldn't go it alone. So I brought in the crew, RainBOw, kOs, sigmari, Kingdom and iloveoov. That year was a real eye-opener. Made it crystal clear you can't do this solo. The difference between a sponsored team and a club team it really shaped my thinking about where to take my pro-gaming career. I realized I had to make my teammates stars too. We all had to shine together I cottoned on to this synergy thing pretty quick. I must commend him, he is exceedingly perceptive. Instead of just looking out for number one and letting the others fall by the wayside he could've gone that route. By securing team-based sponsorships he instinctively understood that everyone needed to succeed together to achieve strong results and that this was the structure we needed to follow. Man, if BoxeR had been there, we might've clinched it. Thanks to BoxeR, my life as a pro gamer was smooth sailing. I reckon the younger generation of players now get to practice and live in the lap of luxury because of that. People call me an old soul too but making that call at his age? That's something else. If I'd been in SlayerS_'BoxeR' shoes back then no way I could've pulled that off. He went above and beyond for us feels like we owe our careers to him. They say no player's bigger than the team but in this case, he was practically the owner. So I'd say he might've actually been bigger than the team. The more I learn about SlayerS_'BoxeR's contributions the more respect I have for him. It wasn't just about his love for the game he looked out for his teammates and the whole gaming ecosystem, the Esports scene. He's got a good head on his shoulders. It's the stuff of legends, really. Sure, people love to stir up drama about this kind of thing but I just see that as gossip. When it comes to who's the GOAT that's all subjective. I respect everyone's take on it. But in my book... SlayerS_'BoxeR's greatness is beyond question. So, we managed to get T1 off the ground against all odds. We went from a one-man show to a proper team. It wasn't about how much cash I had, it was about getting everyone on board with the dream. I believe it worked because our hearts were in the right place. Now, years down the line, after life's beaten me up a bit after seeing what the real world's like if someone told me to do it all over again, could I? I'm not sure. I think that'd be even tougher. On April 13, 2004 under the name SK Telecom T1 with the dual meanings of "The One" (unique)
and "Team First" (the best team) the greatest team in esports history was founded The younger generations nowadays, they're something else, bro. Total Gen Z. At DRX, I was so shocked that one of the player's mother was younger than me. Woah That's a real shocker. Well, when I first came on board in 2008 I was pretty much the baby of the coaching staff. Back then, I was doing all the grunt work. But I worked my way up to official coach. Then I was running the B-team. After that, I switched over to 'Special Force' and then 'League of Legends' hit the scene. League of Legends as soon as it dropped it was king of the PC bangs overnight. Held that crown for weeks, years even same story with the broadcasts. First day ratings, viewer response off the charts. League of Legends rewrote the record books on day one. Welcome to the finals Around 2011-2012 when League of Legends launched its Korean server professional teams began emerging rapidly. For a company like SK Telecom back then getting a team off the ground wasn't a walk in the park. We were late to the party compared to others by then, lots of teams had already found their feet. All the top-tier players were snatched up by the big names. Sure, SK Telecom T1 was a big deal in StarCraft and Special Force but in the LoL world? Not so much. So when we tried to recruit we got a lot of "Thanks, but no thanks" We'd meet with players we wanted three, four times or more but they'd end up picking other teams. Even guys who'd said yes to us often jumped ship to other teams at the last minute. - His HP dropped so much! - You want me to kill him? - Like, really kill him? - What if he disconnects? - Do we have enough content for today's stream? Firstly, I was considering many candidates for the coaching position at that time. Kim 'kkOma' Jung-kyun was live streaming back then. Well he didn’t seem like an ordinary person. He appeared unique and I thought that his unusual brightness and energy would be very beneficial for coaching. Back then, we were a newly formed team so finding an experienced coach wasn't easy and we didn't really want that either. We saw how he appeared on his live streams but we also wanted to see what he was like off-camera. As it turns out, live streams are just live streams, and he was a serious and interesting person. So we moved forward with him, and I think I really wanted him on the team. Back then, my personal livestream was doing really well. Yes. It was doing incredibly well. When I first met cCarter I really liked him. I can't really put it any other way, I just really liked him. And working with him afterwards made me like him even more. Oh, there's one more thing... Yes. The one thing I talked about was that I wanted to create a second team. That was the only thing I mentioned. We tested players for all positions except Mid-lane. For the Top lane even though we tried out many players none matched up to Impact, so we picked him. In the final test, he struggled with heat management playing Rumble but even with those issues he still outperformed everyone else, so we chose him. Even now, as a joke he says I thought I was going to fail because of my heat management. As for Bengi, initially he wanted to join another team. Yes, he wanted to go somewhere else but they turned him down. Right, he ran away from us. Luckily, he returned and we were able to continue this great partnership. For the ADC it took us almost until the very end to decide. We had three final candidates and in the end, we chose Piglet. At that time, rather than just immediate skill we looked at potential and future talent. Coach kkOma had criteria for players who could improve over time. Piglet fit that profile the best. We also spent a lot of time evaluating Supports and although it was a tough decision, we stuck to our criteria of potential and ended up choosing PoohManDu as well. At that time, Mata was also in the mix for the bot duo. Looking back, he always asks why we didn't pick him. In the early seasons we mainly relied on solo rank scores to judge skill. There was a player named "GoJeonPa", who is now known as Faker. He was amazing in every lane. We wondered why he hadn't gone pro yet. Back then, T1... T1 GoJunPa, Faker... From the start, Faker was exceptional. To beat T1 you had to win in lanes other than Mid. Faker was, without a doubt, our only pick for Mid. He was so outstanding, we didn't even need to test him. He was a permanent fixture in the Mid-lane. This guy was ranked number one and that's how he got scouted. I was just a student studying and playing games And when the Korean servers opened up for LoL I started playing more. I played ranked a lot and then I got scouted. I was the first member of SK Telecom I remember the day we signed the contract at the SK-T Tower HQ. I was just a student living only three minutes away from home and school I was just moving within that three-minute distance and suddenly I got to visit a fancy place like the SK-T Tower. It was... shiny and glamorous Manager Mun, dressed in a suit, looked impressive. Coaches kkOma or cCarter were there as well. When I went to sign the contract I felt like... I felt like a real businessman. It was a proud moment for me. The amazing thing about sports is that when a star is born even greater stars emerge over time. This was something Esports needed although there were times when this was lacking. We wondered if anyone could surpass him. Now, the feelings I had watching BoxeR are the same as I have watching Faker. Faker might even be a greater player. During my time, we could talk about a player's value through their salary. The difference between my salary and Faker's is vast. I believe Faker built his legacy step by step. I believe I played a central role in creating the stories in the StarCraft scene and I think Faker did the same. He created his own story together with the fans. He's an incredible player. Despite receiving offers from China and other countries that would pay him several times his current salary he chose to stay with T1. How grateful we are for that! I believe Faker's debut in the history of League of Legends Esports or even Esports in general I would say it was the most iconic debut of any player. That's how I would evaluate it. However, I didn't anticipate that both League of Legends and Faker would remain so beloved and at the top for such a long time. Several thoughts come to mind. First, I'm truly amazed by Faker. Not only has he continued for so long but he has consistently stayed at the top. Maintaining that level of excellence is incredibly challenging. And second I've always said that age doesn't affect your performance in this game. I talked about it a lot, but I couldn't really prove it myself. Now, Faker is proving it and that gives me a great sense of vicarious satisfaction. Well, yes. When we first signed the contract I never imagined it would last for decades. I thought I'd make a lot of money quickly, since a pro gamer's career is usually short and then I'd enjoy life. That was my initial thought but I never expected it to last this long. (Provided by: Sandbox Network)
(Source: YouTube 'Syuka World')
SKT's partnership with Comcast, a major company to create an Esports organization comparable to Real Madrid, Barcelona, or the Yankees is in my opinion, a brilliant idea. It's one of the few ways for a Korean company to make a global name for itself. We have figures like Kim Yuna, Park Ji Sung, and Park Chan Ho who would be considered the top Esports star in our country right now? Is it Faker? If we compare his recognition to someone like Yuna Kim or Chan-ho Park, I'm not sure who would come out on top right now. But looking at the future if an Esports icon rises that person might surpass them. Personally, I think this way. Instead of spending 50 billion KRW on Park Ji Sung or Kim Yuna for endorsements it might be more beneficial in the future to invest that amount in Esports stars like SlayerS_'BoxeR', Moon, or Faker. There's a clear comparison Back then, the audience could attend for free, but now they have to buy tickets. When I first went to a LoL Park for this shoot everything was perfectly set up. When entering with a ticket, they checked it. If you went to the restroom and came back, they checked your ticket again. The game "League of Legends" was optimized and showcased flawlessly. Even the fan meetings with the players were perfectly organized. I thought Wow, this is exactly how I imagined it would be. As of April 2024 T1, which started with SK Telecom is celebrating its 20th anniversary. For the first 15 years until 2019 it operated with a budget that didn't require profit-making as part of a large corporation's sports team. However, since its spinoff at the end of 2019 T1 now functions as a typical company generating revenue and profits to sustain itself. This is the biggest difference. Just edit it however you see fit. Yeah, just enough so I don't get any backlash. Ah, got it. No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. PD: Take it easy. Easy. I practiced late into the night, but... I did feel a bit nervous. It's going on YouTube after all. Am I the only one stumbling over my words? Should we do another take? Let's go again? I'll try to be more relaxed this time. Ah, my mind just went blank. My motivation for applying to T1 was that I've been a fan of SK Telecom T1 since SlayerS_'BoxeR's days. I was T1 and Faker's biggest fan. As a successful fan- As a successful fan- If I were to do something, I wanted to be the best in the world at it so, among the things where Koreans and Korean companies could be the best in the world. I considered the potential of this industry. The office was too close to home. Actually, it was so far from home that I debated whether to come or not. This game that I love and especially Esports, the competitive side of gaming we're the birthplace of it. I thought its growth potential and promise were really attractive points. And because T1 is the best in the world I wanted to do something that could help maintain and solidify that top position in the future. To be honest the Esports industry is still considered a nascent field, right? So I had a desire to contribute to this industry. Our employees will relate to this a lot when you say you work for T1, people always ask Can you get me Faker's autograph? Everyone just says Hey, can you get me Faker's autograph? My husband, and especially my younger brother, were thrilled. My friends were quite envious. Since they're the friends I watch LCK and play LoL with their excitement and amazement were the biggest reactions. My friends were like So, you're feeding Faker now? Did everyone watch the same thing? What was it? It was about the employees I realized there are more people in the building and working together than I expected Everyone always greets each other cheerfully, which is nice. Instead of eating separately everyone always comes to eat together It seems like there's a really good atmosphere. The first thing that comes to mind is when we have upcoming matches On days when we win matches, everyone celebrates together and on days when we lose, they encourage us saying we'll do better next time Seeing that makes me feel like we're really a family-like team. In my previous team, I lived with other players But now at T1, I'm constantly with the staff." Keria, can tell the difference. We run into each other, so it was a bit awkward at first. But as time goes on, many staff treat us players very comfortably. So I felt comfortable too In a way, it's also a company so it's not just players. That's one of the pros, I guess? That we can develop some social skills. There are production crew members, social media managers and stream managers. They usually speak English fluently. Everyone seemed really well-educated. I had no idea. I didn't know that to get in here you had to be really smart and all that. That's not necessarily true but there are a lot of smart talents here. When you talk to them, they seem so different and intelligent. You really feel that. Can I say this..? Often... how should I put it there seem to be a lot of new faces. The staff seems to change quite often. It feels like every year or year and a half, there's a big shuffle and we see a lot of new faces. Hmm First of all, it seems like a lot of T1 staff are big T1 fans. So when they see me, they greet me warmly. Even though I only see them during meals they eat enthusiastically and it's kind of cute. That was very Faker-like. It was a thought-provoking video. So this is what's on the players' minds. I think I might be the one they're referring to as eating well. As for the company staff this is basically the players' living space. It's like their home so we try to keep work talk to a minimum usually going through managers or the general manager. There's a culture of not talking much beyond greetings. While the players show a professional attitude from another perspective, they're actually very young men. I feel like they might want to mingle more with the executives and staff. mingle more with the executives and staff. We see each other every day in the elevator or the cafeteria. But there seems to be an inner closeness between us From now on, we should greet them more brightly. We should give them more energy, I think. This is a personal thought. The most disappointing moment for me while working here my colleagues who I worked with move to different industries. As I mentioned before, the Esports industry itself is very new and still has a long way to go. But many of our colleagues, including myself joined this company with hope for this industry I've watched them work. But for various reasons some choose a "safer" path a more established path. Or due to various issues they exit the industry even if it is not their desire to do so. Whenever that happens, it feels like the dream I want to achieve is put on hold. They call it the current generation. These days, younger people working don't really have the concept of a lifelong career So frequent job changes are common. Staff who've left can always return to T1. There have been such cases so they're welcome to return to T1. As a manager I consider it a big task to make T1 a place where many staff can work happily for a long time, earn good money and enjoy their lives. I often tell our employees that T1 needs to do business worthy of the world-class achievements our top players have accomplished so far. As everyone knows we're the most popular team in the Esports scene and we collaborate with a wide variety of brands accordingly. Our team currently works with about 20 sponsors and partner companies. During the off-season, we focus on making the most meaningful use of the players' limited time. Even when the players' time isn't directly involved T1 is a team that many people love and recognize so we try to make the most of that advantage. T1 Academy has been growing with over 50% year-on-year revenue growth last year. As the name suggests, T1 Academy focuses on player development as the basis for our education. Among our programs, we place a lot of importance on the pro class. Honestly, not everyone can become a pro but we aim to bring students as close to that threshold as possible We're running programs discussed with our teachers to provide solid education and a faster path to pro gaming. I am responsible for HR including HRM planning as well as planning and executing various events and cultural initiatives at T1. I think our company's meal provision system is much better than other teams both in terms of quality and menu variety. To put it simply, if you start treating the cook poorly people won't be able to ask for what they want to eat. In a way, I'm not sure about the staff, but the players they're all young. They all quit high school, or even middle school in some cases. I wanted to approach them more like a friend so I joke around with them more, talk to them more. The commerce team I'm in is in charge of T1's overall merchandise from product planning and sourcing to operations and sales. We also handle various event-related tasks. Live commerce, which was a first attempt for an Esports team brought us great insights. I hope people can experience T1 through our merchandise, even in small ways. We plan to launch more merchandise in the future so people can feel the value of T1 and our players in their daily lives. Overall store management customer service, and beverage service. Rather than having a regular menu we have many seasonal or special menus. Limited menus usually (Keria's Pomegranate Slush Ade)
sell about 1,000 to 1,500 cups (Guma-Yuja Peace Tea)
sell about 1,000 to 1,500 cups (Green Flavor-Faker)
sell about 1,000 to 1,500 cups (Oner Vanilla Cream Latte)
sell about 1,000 to 1,500 cups (Zeus's Oreo Cream Smoothie)
sell about 1,000 to 1,500 cups For player birthdays or debut anniversaries we get about 500 to 1,200 visitors over two or three days. We develop and manage new businesses that can generate revenue for the team. T1 BASECAMP, for instance is more than just an internet café it's a space where fans can experience T1's IP and have a fan experience beyond just watching games. While it does include our merchandise sales our Hongdae location ranks first in nationwide PC bang sales and we're looking to expand further which can be seen as a good achievement. (Membership exclusive content)
(T1 Everwhere-Gumayusi Skydiving Episode)
As for T1 Membership (Membership exclusive content)
(T1 Everwhere-Gumayusi Skydiving Episode)
at first there were some concerns at first but now many teams are following suit. It's about giving our most core fans a sense of belonging and providing them with more special experiences. While it is a revenue-generating business we're preparing to separate these fans and offer them more exclusive benefits. We already had a solid fan base but last year's Worlds victory brought in many new fans. In the Esports scene working in business development is essentially about fan-based business. So we're currently finding our way somewhere between entertainment and traditional sports. Esports teams have both sports aspects and some entertainment aspects. As a result the fans are the ones spending money. Finding out what they like and selling it is what I think team business is about. So I don't see these aspects as conflicting We're always monitoring fan feedback listening to what the fans want and creating products that match that without burdening the players that's probably the unique aspect of our work. Well... um... I didn't know that had become a meme or that it had gotten so famous. During that time, T1 was losing so I guess people found my reaction amusing but it’s a bit bittersweet, perhaps? This is my first time doing an interview like this. Wait a minute, my face is getting really red. You do it like this, and turn- Can I have some water? I look funny, right? I’m so nervous. I try to catch all the streams of Faker and the other four players. I just go to the BASECAMP, play games with friends. I'm basically turning everyone into T1 fans. I've been a member since the first Membership phase and have stayed committed ever since. I even secretly wear T1 jersey to work at school and now the students recognize it. They always ask, "Where did you get that? I'm so jealous!" As a T1 fan, the activity I engage in the most is attending live matches. I shared my live event experience in a vlog and uploaded it to YouTube. Many T1 fans enjoyed it and I am very grateful for their support. Then, instead of a word of encouragement how about leaving a message asking the opposing team to go easy on your team? As a fan, my pride wouldn't let me do that. I believe we'll win easily without needing to ask. I feel like I wasn’t the one who made the choice rather, the choice was made for me. It’s not so much that I chose T1, it's more like T1 chose me. I was envious of Zeus. I was envious as soon as he got selected and even more so after he won the gold medal. When it was my turn for the military I thought we might be unified by then. The intended gift was just a Death Note. A fan gave me a Death Note and I wanted to share that with you guys. I posted a story on Instagram with the opposing team’s names written in it and seeing it in the morning really woke me up. Don’t we have the most fans in the world? "Oh, you're a Faker fan? I know Faker too. When people say things like this, it feels like... He boost the fans' morale by putting up the "3-2" hand gesture. League of Legends is a game that involves a certain degree of violence killing, dying, respawning, attacking, dealing damage. Despite this the way the players release stress is very calm which is why I became such a big fan. I take great pride in the fact that we've had Faker as our Mid-laner for 11 years now. T1 has become a part of my life. Having T1 as a driving force makes me work harder at whatever I’m doing. T1 is a team I can proudly say has been a part of my life and my youth. It’s a team I can boast about anywhere. Well Where there are fans there are always haters too. And so if I don't do well the haters criticize me which I know really upsets our fans. So doing well is the most important thing first and foremost. For similar reasons there have been a few controversies in the past. It's important to avoid any problems and stay out of trouble. I believe staying healthy and having a long career is crucial so you can continue to connect with the fans for many years to come. It's amazing how it all happened. I set my personal goals pursued my passion, decided to become a pro gamer and worked hard to succeed in this career. I was just living my life but in the process, I gained fans who like and support me. It's incredible to see how that unfolded. First of all, I feel extremely grateful to the fans who always believe in me whether I'm doing well or struggling. When fans send letters it brings me a lot of comfort. Even when I'm having a tough time reading those letters lifts my spirits and re-motivates me. Living this lifestyle it's almost inevitable that your health takes a hit. The pattern of this lifestyle is like that so whenever I get sick or feel down whenever I think it's getting tough I feel like I've always been able to get back up thanks to the fans. I am always grateful to the fans. Their influence on me is significant, but what resonates most are the letters, where I can feel their support directly On top of that, the gifts I frequently receive such as books and other presents help me understand how the fans perceive me and the reasons behind their thoughts. The expectations and love from the fans many of whom wish for... my happiness, deeply touch me. I believe the best way to repay their kindness is by striving to be as happy as possible and continuously improving myself. This way, I can eventually give back to others in a more meaningful and substantial manner. To be honest, I believe that even from the days of SK Telecom T1 I don't think there was ever a time when T1 didn't dominate the league's popularity. Even before that, it was the most globally popular team among LCK teams. The existence of a player like Faker drove a lot of that we had MSI 2024 in Chengdu, right? I was really surprised when we went to the pop-up store. I wondered if there was any other professional sports team in Korea that could generate so much profit from their IP overseas. And since 2019, after rebranding from SK Telecom T1 to T1 I feel like our global popularity has grown the most. Standing on that finals stage and looking out those gazes and feeling the eyes of 100,000 people on you it's an unforgettable experience that stays with you for life. It's an unforgettable moment especially the finals at Gwangalli Beach it was once the mecca of Esports, right? A place everyone dreams of going, but not just anyone can reach. When we had tournament finals at Gwangalli Beach there were some things our team always did without fail. We'd do about a week of on-site adaptation training you might wonder why we need adaptation training for online practice, but... Now things have become so systematic practice times, scheduling, and practice methods these have become almost universal across the world but at first, it was all over the place. I had the basic idea that this is a sport we should practice like it's the real thing. So I deliberately asked a game caster to record with a voice recorder Game 1 of T1's iloveoov versus so-and-so will now begin! It changes their posture when you're gaming. We'd go to Gwangalli Beach and look around the site like, this is where the stage will be and watch the venue being built. Before the finals, we would do several practice runs. We carefully timed everything with a stopwatch, recording the exact timing of different strategies. Nowadays, all this information is readily available, but back then, it wasn't. We created detailed record sheets, performed psychological and opponent analyses, and developed VOD timing concepts. We established a routine with consistent wake-up times morning exercises, meal schedules and set practice sessions. This kind of systematic approach began to take shape during that time. I think these systems work the same way. It's not just about practicing a lot it's about practicing in a well-organized manner. Utilizing the same amount of time the efficiency can vary greatly depending on the structure of the practice. Losing once in the finals especially to T1, means something different. He's about to close it out! Now it’s just down to the chase. Ah, if he can just push into the base that’s it. Nal_rA doesn't have any units left to hold them off. GG! SK Telecom T1 are the champions! SK Telecom vs KTF! A breathtaking war of the stars! Undefeated, but runners-up do you know what that feels like? We had a 23-game winning streak in the regular season. Twenty-three wins means we won one regular season and almost all of the next cycle too. But when we get to the finals, what happens? Second place! Just meeting in the finals was honestly an honor, I thought. Maybe because our team makes it to the finals so often everyone's like- I'll do my best to win. Do you have anything else you’d like to say? It’s been a while since you’ve been here. Uh... no. The fact that all players consistently perform well on average how systematic must the system be for a team to always perform so well? If Stork showed the pinnacle of Protoss iloveoov is showing the pinnacle of Terran. Ah, Samsung Electronics Khan they finally crumble against SK Telecom’s Terran wall. iloveoov shows up once again! JJu once again can't break through iloveoov! We might lose to other teams, but not to T1. We could lose to everyone else, as long as we beat T1 that was our mindset. In reality, there was a rivalry between mobile phone carriers, right? And sometimes we'd get actual rewards for beating T1. They’d give us extra bonuses that’s how intense the telecom rivalry was. It was really something else. KTF left no stone unturned in their preparation and gave it their all But even when opponents were aware of SK Telecom's players, they were simply unstoppable. In major finals or similar events... we at that time, KT suffered a lot and faced many losses. After the game, no one spoke on the way to the team dinner. We were all in tears. The intensity of their response can only be explained by how deeply disappointed they were. I was the fourth after BoxeR, iloveoov, and Midas. There was a perception that I wasn’t much in individual leagues but after defeating July I think things changed significantly. Going all-out with the Drones, what does that imply? Even the Drones are fully mobilized. GG! SK Telecom! It’s the perfect blend of the old and new. Midas, iloveoov, MuMyung, GoRush, and Canata! The finals at Gwangalli Beach bring back so many wonderful memories. so many wonderful memories. Back then, it felt a bit different. The games seemed easier at that time. When we played important matches against other teams we just had this automatic mindset that we would win. The biggest difference I notice is in the winning mentality. There’s a significant gap between a team that goes into the finals thinking, “We’re going to win” and a team that goes in feeling the pressure. This mentality is what leads to accomplishments like the over triple crown. Having a strong pillar like BoxeR and a superstar naturally instilled a winning atmosphere in the team and the organization. OVER TRIPLE CROWN
A title given to SKT T1 for their overwhelming performance in winning all the Proleagues in one year
and continuing to win the spring league the following year The over triple crown is undoubtedly a significant achievement but for me it felt almost natural. Our team had gone through tough times and had become tightly knit. With SK Telecom’s support we felt the need to prove ourselves not only to the fans but also to our sponsors. We worked hard without any distractions. Back then, we were prepared for it and it felt like a given. I always believed that T1 would become a strong team in the long run but in reality, T1 became a formidable team almost immediately after coming together. Back in early 2013 when I was in my twenties I was filled with a lot of youthful energy and confidence. I often boasted about our players saying we could win and how exceptionally skilled they were. It might have been because I was in my twenties and full of spirit. Now, things are a bit different... yes. I had a solid basis for that confidence because we performed exceptionally well during practice. I was confident that we would be able to achieve good results after finishing our first season (2013 Spring). At that time, I went to KINTEX to watch the finals. At that time, we went to receive our third-place award. The match ended with a 3-0 score, and as we were leaving after the awards ceremony, the players didn't seem playful. (MVP Ozone이) Watching MVP Ozone hold the trophy, they felt frustrated and determined. Seeing that, I thought we could achieve even better results in the future. Our players still had a lot of ambition. Our team started late and there were already many established, strong powerhouses with players who had been playing together for a long time. Given that we were a newly formed team I thought it would take at least a year to reach the top ranks like the other teams. When we first won, we were down 2-0 and I thought we had done well to reach that point. I never imagined we would make a comeback and win the championship. Here comes the final teamfight! No need to drag it out. It's a massacre, an ace! 20 minutes! Exactly 20 minutes! In a 5v5 battle, they took down all five. It's like they're shouting, "Surrender! ff20! 20 minutes! It's a surrender! They surrendered! They close in 2:1. GG! Unbelievable mechanics! I am truly grateful for the opportunity to show what I couldn't achieve as a player, now as a coach. Especially, I want to thank SK Telecom for accepting me as a coach despite having no prior experience. Back then whenever I'm asked which victory is the most memorable I often mention our first Summer championship. It was our first championship win and it’s hard to express just how happy I was in words. Although T1 debuted in the Spring season it was the full-game mirror matchup victory in the Summer season... I believe Faker was born to be a star. The world seemed to have laid out the perfect stage for him and through his sheer effort he seized everything on that scene. From the moment he participated in the World Championship I think he established himself as not only the best player in the world but also potentially the greatest player of all time. This perception was instilled in League of Legends Esports fans worldwide. SK Telecom T1! Today is the day of the epic showdown between SlayerS_'BoxeR' and YellOw, known as the Imjin War! No need for lengthy explanations. Who will come out on top? Let's dive into the first match! I finished the match with a Bunker-rush three games in a row. and I could sense the lack of connection with the fans and felt the tense atmosphere. Both YellOw and I were getting criticized in our own ways. It was a situation where there were no real winners only losers left after the match. It was a time when BoxeR's performance was starting to dip just beginning to slip. Back then, not many players from our generation were making it to the finals by 2004. I was getting impatient because when I pulled off that Bunker-rush three games in a row, I was no longer young for a pro gamer. I thought, "When will I ever make it to the finals again?" No matter what, I had to win, even if it meant receiving criticism. I practiced non-stop, playing game after game taking short breaks only to eat, and then returning to practice. I was the type to rely on sheer practice volume to win so I trained intensely. I wanted to erase the memory of my semi-final match against YellOw from everyone's minds so I practiced intensely to reach the EVER8 finals. And I faced iloveoov in the final match. It's the rise of a new champion! Marking the end of the Four Heavenly Kings era. After a long and difficult battle I lost. I felt like I hadn't performed as well as I could have in either the semi-finals or the finals. I couldn't forgive myself. I couldn't forgive myself, and right after the finals ended, I stood on the stage. As he was sharing his thoughts and talking I could see the fans clearly and felt incredibly sorry. Despite the "Master and Pupil" narrative, it didn't sink in. I just felt endless regret towards the fans with no words to say. So from that moment, I started writing a dark chapter in my career. I've casted on many moments when SlayerS_'BoxeR' won or came in second place. But seeing him tear up he must have been really determined to win the EVER Star League. Let's speak with the champion, iloveoov and give BoxeR a moment to catch his breath. This... This isn't the best time. It's hard to have a conversation while he's tearing up so we'll skip the interview. I felt incredibly small and guilty. There was another reason I shouldn't have cried as a master who should have been celebrating his pupil's success I ended up in tears. So, with iloveoov next to him, he wanted to congratulate him even more. In his heart, he truly did but given the circumstances, it was difficult to express it. To be honest, I found it admirable in a way. Wasn't it like playing against a teammate? No? "...So we'll skip the interview." They skipped the interview. I have an older brother in the StarCraft scene so I know a bit about it(the StarCraft Esports scene). Is this the Golden Mouse incident? Unlike LoL, StarCraft is a solo game, right? When it comes to defeat or victory, it's entirely on you so I think losing might feel even more heartbreaking. Actually, I cried recently after a tournament too. From my experience, when you feel really disappointed about a situation that sadness or frustration can come out as tears. Seeing SlayerS_'BoxeR' cry after a defeat shows how strong his competitive spirit is. His sadness over the result made me realize how exceptional and intense his drive to win is. ...we'll skip the interview. He clearly seemed very disappointed especially losing at 2-2, the regret must have been even greater which is probably why he cried so much. Well... surely for a pro gamer the stronger the competitive spirit, the greater the disappointment. When I first won Worlds in 2015 I expected to cry or feel incredibly happy, but... Looking back at winning Worlds, it was more like... Rather than feeling like we'd achieved something it felt more like we won because we were supposed to win. I felt much more calm than anything else. Now when I look back I only remember how tough it was back then. Whether it was the greatest team in history or not the situation wasn't as good as it might have looked from the outside both internally and externally. The effort it takes to achieve these results... so much effort. You can't really understand unless you see it. The feedback sessions and everything... it was really tough. Even though we were performing extremely well internally we weren't thinking that way. In other interviews I've said I mostly felt relieved and that's how I truly felt. I just felt relieved that we won. Of course I was happy too, but... It wasn't like, "We finally won the championship!" That's not how I felt. It was more along the lines of, "We've got to do this again and again." I was already fixated on maintaining our performance going forward so 'relief' is really the only way I can describe it. And because there were so many leagues back then even if we returned the break time was almost non-existent. Yes, and we just kept repeating that exhausting cycle. Even now, looking back the schedule was absolutely grueling. Especially post-MSI, heading into Summer... Looking back, with the MSI championship I think I got a bit complacent, at least from my personal perspective. The determination I had was much lighter compared to when I first joined in the Spring. When I compare it to that time, it felt much less serious. During my career from 2015 to 2017 I achieved results beyond what I could have imagined. But that doesn't necessarily equate to living a blissful life. I realize that now, upon reflection. First off, facing T1 in consecutive Worlds finals... Even now, I think about how that could even happen. It makes me wonder. Samsung! Scoring an ace, Samsung! GG! As the match was ending, Wolf was throwing up. You see, he always had a trash can next his seat. It's because he was battling panic attacks in 2017. His physical condition was bad, his face was pale and right after the game ended, he was throwing up. Faker nearly collapsed, so... When our defeat was confirmed as the Nexus went down Faker... Suddenly, witnessing Faker break down beside me it was unprecedented for us in that context. After we wrapped up the finals with a 3-0 we approached for handshakes and Faker, who at the time seemed almost... like a machine, you know? That sort of image... Faker was... in tears quite intensely. It caught me off guard, to be honest. It's challenging to put into words. Seeing a long-time teammate display such raw emotion on stage for the first time... It was beyond expression I just felt profoundly sorry. Truly. Witnessing Faker return in tears post-finals personally it sparked a fire in me. It reinforced my commitment to excel as a player. Well it was more of a moment for Faker where many people could really truly respect admire, and understand Faker more. I distinctly remember watching that 2017 finals. It was around then that I seriously considered becoming a pro gamer. Seeing him cry, I thought he looked heartbroken and really sad. I thought that someday, whether in victory or defeat I'd like to experience that intensity of emotion too. I think when people show any emotion - tears, happiness, whatever. It just shows the amount of drive and pressure they even put on themselves... Or the pressure from even the fan, and the organization. Because it's the standard that if you're going to be on T1, to be on a high standard, you know? I guess I can relate to that passion and emotion (in those tears). On one hand it also underscored his absolute dedication. He worked incredibly hard and that dedication was genuine which is why he was in tears. I always thought it was really admirable. Even now, it holds true but I still struggle to fully grasp the tears of BoxeR and Faker. It's beyond my comprehension. These legendary players have amassed numerous championship trophies they've been at the pinnacle for so long and they have nothing more to prove, it's just adding another accolade. Yet a minor setback moves them to tears... I believe these two legends operate on a different plane of thinking than I do, at least in this regard. Well, fundamentally for a pro gamer I believe my competitive drive far surpasses that of others. The essence of gaming is competition and proving superiority, right? So naturally, when you anticipate victory based on your perceived superiority and then face an unexpected defeat particularly if it's a crushing one it's incredibly difficult to process. And also when I think about the fact that I lost it feels frustrating and hard to accept which brings me to tears. I often use this term but it's because they're that pure in their dedication. They're not distracted by other pursuits, not socializing, not dating not indulging in culinary pleasures. They're wholly committed to the game, these individuals. So when they cry it's because they're that invested and their dreams are that tangible that's the source of their tears. Whenever we faced T1, there was an added layer of tension and we'd prepare with extra diligence, I believe. Prior to facing T1 in the semifinals with T1 on the opposite side of the bracket I have to admit I was hoping they’d get knocked out early. We always seemed to run into them at the most critical moments. But, as expected, T1 made it through and I thought, "Here we go again with T1." We knew that if we wanted to win the championship, we had to beat them. They made the wrong pick. What? They made the wrong pick... right? Ah... are they trying to use that intentionally? That instance with Ashe - Miss Fortune... That's right The Ashe - MF combination... Ashe was quite meta at the time and Pray was exceptionally skilled with her... As this behind-the-scenes insight reveals I don't think our opponents anticipated this strategy either. It presented an excellent opportunity to catch them off guard. It's been 7-8 years now but at that time, we had just secured 2 wins... Against T1, it was like have we ever pushed T1 this close to the edge before? With such thoughts, we wondered, could this be our moment to finally beat them? We got this. If we could just clinch this win we'd advance to the finals with a real shot at the championship. Trying to reconstruct my mindset then perhaps I was thinking, "A loss here would be catastrophic." As I recall, Bengi's playstyle had become somewhat predictable at that time. His Ward placements, movement patterns, and such. Especially for Junglers, with extensive game time these habits become ingrained and readable making it easy for other players to exploit. Consequently, his performance dipped and the team's results became somewhat unstable. I don't believe Bengi's skills were lacking but back then his gameplay had become somewhat predictable. Our assessment of Nidalee at that time was... Frankly, that Bengi was incapable of playing her effectively. Really, although Bengi had previously played Nidalee he wasn't regarded as proficient with her. However, Nidalee was exceptionally strong in the meta at that time. And Peanut, Wang-ho, was extraordinarily skilled with her... What stands out in my memory is If Peanut gets Nidalee, winning will be almost impossible. How do we contend with this Ashe? Ashe and Nidalee, this duo, what's our counterstrategy? The Nidalee pick wasn't an error on our part. We had prepared for the Nidalee pick our mistake was not banning Ashe. There were numerous rumors circulating that the Nidalee pick was a blunder but our decision to leave Nidalee open wasn't a draft mistake. We were committed to securing Nidalee for ourselves. Should we take Nidalee? We can take Nidalee. Bengi, you've practiced Nidalee, let's take it. If it's too much, we can pass. I'll take it. Alright, let's take it. We left it open, assuming they couldn't utilize it effectively, but then they didn't ban it either. We were perplexed, thinking, "What's their angle here?" And when they locked it in we wondered, "Did we get it wrong?" Their first-pick Nidalee caught us completely off guard. It's not that I didn't trust Bengi but at that time, our practice with Nidalee had been limited. However, allowing our opponents to have her would have been extremely problematic. At that time, Coach kkOma really boosted Bengi's confidence. He kept telling him how amazing he was at playing Nidalee. You're the best, you're incredible he would say, giving him a huge confidence boost. So while our focus was on that we overlooked banning Ashe and upon realizing Ashe was available after locking in Nidalee he said, "Ah, wait, I didn't see this one." That's how the conversation unfolded. Ah... wait, I didn't see this one. I missed Ashe, we should've taken Ashe. Bengi, I didn't see these two... Ashe. I am so sorry. This is the first time. Ah, I wasn't focused. But this is a retrospective insight. Upon discussing it later Bengi's reaction was quite surprising... When I expressed my mistake he said he felt so relieved. I was honestly terrified, you know. Nidalee's was dominating the game I just remember Nidalee doing really well that game. Huh? The whole situation seemed rather surreal, I think. Wow, he's really good. That was the overwhelming sentiment. I believe it might be considered the most impactful player substitution in Esports history. It fundamentally altered the trajectory of that series and subsequently the outcome of that Worlds championship. GorillA, especially, always brings up that moment when he's drinking. Remember that time! That pivotal moment! A sense of, "They got us, again" that sort of feeling. T1 got the better of us again, and it was incredibly frustrating. And then Bengi, after the win on the way to the interview, actually... His legs nearly gave out from the intensity of his nerves. The Jungle Himself, what more can there be? BEN-TheJungleGod-GI He said it himself! What! I'm sorry. The Jungler role is really... Dealing with four other players, from Top to Mid to Bottom, excluding yourself not just within the game's confines It’s also about managing their emotions outside the game and working through them. That’s what I think the position entails. And he executed this role for years, while consistently delivering strong performances so... In retrospect, Bengi was something of a saint in those days. The gaming room was supposed to close at 4 AM but if Bengi wasn’t in top form he would sneak out later to practice more. In all my time working, that’s such a rare case. Reflecting on it, he was a player who couldn’t help but succeed. He seemed like a really approachable guy and of course, as a player, he was excellent at the game. It's really hard to define him. Sometimes he was a great example for the team sometimes he was a bit mischievous sometimes he was like a friend sometimes like an older brother. Instead of trying to categorize him as a player I think, "When will I ever meet someone so precious in life again?" That’s how special and good of a player and person he was to me. In the finals that followed, Bengi and Faker defeated Samsung Galaxy
making them the first players to win the World Championship three times A year later, Bengi announced his retirement
making WORLDS 2016
his last appearance in the tournament He's just... Well I genuinely think he's a player you can respect. I could see it. What I noticed was that BoxeR wasn't the player he used to be. Huh? I don't feel like I've lost any stamina why is everyone talking about age? This is strange. But when I come to the gaming room and train, I can't win against the teammates. I don't think my skills have declined, if anything, they've gotten better. But the game itself has become more standardized and specialized. Where BoxeR's skills once stood out the playing field has leveled. Many players have caught up and adapted making his attacks less effective. Meanwhile, the younger players can pull off things that are mechanically challenging for me so I was gradually being edged out. But still... Alright, SlayerS_'BoxeR' has made it to the semifinals once again. It’s been quite a while. Though for SlayerS_'BoxeR' it hasn't been three or four years for his fans, it certainly feels like it's been a while. PuSan[S.G] has risen to the ranks through macro almost reaching named status. He’s also the Protoss I couldn’t defeat marking my dark history of the autumn season a period filled with bad memories for me. Ah, BoxeR is going for his signature move! Is he going for the Barracks push strategy? Maybe a double Barracks push? He usually scouts carefully upwards too! Ah, the Probe is heading up! What is going on right now! One gets canceled! Canceled one Barracks! Losing Game 1 without accomplishing anything losing Game 2 without accomplishing anything and facing a situation where I might lose Game 3 without accomplishing anything... In reality, PuSan[S.G] won the first two games. He was also winning Game 3, 9 to 1. The game was essentially over. He canceled building a Barracks. That's GG, it's over. You could just type GG and leave at that point. Usually, when we practice we just quit games like that and start a new one. Even in a live match in that situation, after canceling two Barracks you'd have to start the game at about a 2 to 8 disadvantage and the longer the game goes on, the more disadvantageous it becomes. Somehow, he managed to keep the game alive catching his opponent off guard. He'd thought victory was in the bag. You could practically hear him thinking, "What's going on here?" It should have been game over, but what is going on here? That's how he kept the match going. You see, I'd learned a thing or two about the fans over the years. They don't just care about wins and losses. They want to see the grind behind the scenes. They're invested in the story, the journey. Knowing that, I couldn't just throw in the towel. To be frank, winning wasn't on my mind at that point. I felt compelled to demonstrate something, anything. So I steeled myself and gave it my all. What an incredible turnaround! PuSan[S.G] is now... Wow! SlayerS_'BoxeR', absolutely phenomenal! This fall, it's not Protoss that's legendary, it's SlayerS_'BoxeR'! Is further commentary even necessary at this point? To those who feared BoxeR would succumb to a 3-0 defeat, and to all his supporters... Despite losing the first two game, he clinched the next three. Even though the final game wasn't particularly in his favor... With sheer determination and the fans in mind I won the third game, then the fourth, and finally the fifth... Advancing to the finals, I found myself overcome with emotion. Coach Joo Hun rushed to embrace me the fans in front were visibly moved to tears and from that moment on I was basically walking on clouds. In a sense, I was well past my prime as a professional gamer at the old age of 25 or 26 - was that it? Reaching the finals at that age? It's practically unheard of. And beating players from the new generation with superior mechanics who could be seen as the evolved version of the game? I think this had a huge impact on the scene. That's why it hit me so hard, I think. Everyone had written me off no one expected a comeback. Even if I had typed GG right then, no one would have blamed me. But by flipping the script like that I did something that was beyond anyone's wildest imagination. At 25, SlayerS_'BoxeR' reached the finals
as the oldest competitor but was defeated
by the rising star, AnyTime After all the tough times in the EVER Star League I remember when I got second place in the So1 Star League I made sure to smile and clap extra hard. I tried to play it cool, even though I was a mess inside. We had a packed house today, and we went all five games. I'm happy I got to show everything I had in me. My game wasn't exactly top-notch. Why couldn't I bring my A-game? AnyTime was just that good which made it hard for me to show what I'm really capable of. I want to give a shout-out to AnyTime for his great play. For an old-timer like him to hang in there for so long and make it to the top it's pretty mind-blowing. This achievement is really something else. To beat PuSan from the younger, more mechanically gifted generation 3-2 then to go toe-to-toe with AnyTime and just barely lose 2-3 that's a testament to the human spirit right there. He kept his cool after losing that final, even managing a smile. Looks like he made peace with it somewhat and felt good about how he played. I was so close. If I'd pushed just a little harder, I could've left the fans with something special to remember. A great memory for them and for me... man, I really... Ah, it could have been such an epic moment. It was frustrating. But in that moment, I kept smiling... Even though I came in second, I think second place is something to be proud of. You'll be seeing me in the finals a lot more. Unlike before, BoxeR smiled and promised he'd be back on this stage. Sadly, it turned out to be the Emperor's last dance in an individual league final. Still, I gave it my all right up to the end for the fans, for my mom, for my teammates. I should be happy with that right? I'll be alright. No need to worry too much. After BoxeR went off to the military the team started to fall apart and for a bunch of reasons I think everyone started heading in different directions. After we pulled off the over triple crown That year, in the (Unified) Championship Finals we lost to MBC Game. I think that was when things started to turn. It's all over now. The Marines are planting the victory flag! MBC Game has locked in their spot as the top dogs of 2006! The next generation of players needs to really show their skills but we were so focused on immediate victories that we might not have given them enough opportunities. Things started going downhill from 2007 because, I think, we all got a bit too comfortable. As the coaches and players stopped clicking it was like we were on a slippery slope. I remember the vibe was pretty tense. I'll admit, I got a bit lazy too and as that attitude spread through the team I think we're all on the hook for it not just one person. 2006 Second League: 7th Place
2006 Unified Championship: Defeated
2007 First League: 8th Place
2008 Second League: 10th Place This marked the team's worst performance since its founding When I rejoined the team after my discharge things were... I couldn't just focus on the game... It wasn't a situation where I could fully concentrate. Everything felt off. Most of my old teammates were gone we had a whole new coaching staff some of the guys I used to play with were coaches now and one was even a player-coach, I think? That was iloveoov. That's what I walked into. The players who were newbies or trainees when I left for the army or the ones who joined after they made up most of the team now. We had some new guys from other teams too. The whole scene had changed, you know? Just ten days after I got out of the army I hit a new decade in age. With everything so different it was tough to adjust, to say the least. I think T1 went through a big change in generations during that time. Getting new coaches and as the older players started to slow down a bunch of new talent came in. I clearly remember FanTaSy and BeSt joining the team and really shaking things up. You see, we drafted these players. FanTaSy and BeSt were our go-to guys. We were counting on them to carry T1 into the future. This player is an absolute master of macro. Even though good macro is a given these days, he really stands out. When I first joined the team, out of nowhere the guys won a championship within a week. They achieved the over triple crown and being there, I thought, "I want to do that too." I wanted to win a championship and become a key player for the team. But then, out of nowhere, the guys started losing. I was thinking, "What do we do now?" Suddenly, the coach came to me and said You need to lead the next generation. He gave me a lot of encouraging words, so... From what I remember, PuSan[S.G] was the master of macro and this new guy seemed to take it to another level. I see BeSt as following in the footsteps of [Oops]Reach and PuSan[S.G]. BeSt has this way of optimizing that's hard to copy. It's like his own secret sauce. Among pro gamers, everyone's pretty good at optimizing, so it's all pretty similar. That was the norm, but he broke that mold and got everyone talking about "macro" strats again. When I played against him, it was weird I felt like I was gathering more resources, but somehow my numbers were always lower. You can't overcome a macro advantage. Even then, it was hard to wrap my head around it. The idea that I was now a key player in the team I'd looked up to for so long felt unreal but I didn't want to get cocky about it. I think it lit a fire under me to work even harder. Putting on the SK Telecom uniform as a Terran main is a big deal. Precisely! Getting into this team's lineup as a Terran is super tough. But this player pulled it off. I got into StarCraft in the first place because BoxeR was such a big influence back then. So this team was impossible to ignore, and it quickly became my favorite. It was all pretty mind-blowing. I'd only ever seen them on TV, so meeting them in person was surreal. Every word the older players said was like gold everything they did was fascinating. Since FanTaSy played Terran like I did he was naturally the one I watched most closely. If I remember right, he joined as a trainee in 2006. He wanted to play like me but also mix in some of iloveoov's style. When he asked for advice he was super direct. What's this move? How do you do this? What's the thinking here? If he didn't get something, he'd keep at it until he did. Any good ideas we came up with we'd pass on to him right away. If iloveoov had some smart strategies or cool tricks I'm pretty sure they all got passed down to FanTaSy. Being the youngest on the team at that time I didn't really feel how bad the team atmosphere was. Being at the bottom of the totem pole... I made sure not to display any inappropriate behavior as a senior player. I think that sums it up. Yeah, that's pretty much it... I’m practicing just as hard as you guys. So you should be pushing even harder. That was the vibe. We started to break the ice, focusing on the players who were still around. Whenever I was on the team, we always won. This time, we'll win too. I was boosting the team's morale unraveling the tangled threads of challenges and working through them. And then we made it to the Proleague finals. We were really fired up at that point. It was our first full-year season and we were dead set on winning the championship we missed out on last season. That's why I think we prepared harder than ever. We weren't even considering the possibility of losing we were just confident that we were going to win. The match was in Gwangalli, Busan, right in my old neighborhood. Getting to play there made me so happy. After winning that match I think I felt the biggest rush of my life. Every gamer dreams about it, you know? I used to wonder what it'd be like to join that amazing team and become their star player. It was just unbelievable that it actually happened. Right now, I'm laser-focused on tomorrow's match and I'm ready to showcase our team's magic once again. To be honest, the Gwangalli final is the toughest memory from my whole pro gaming career. It's the most emotional memory I have and FanTaSy was right at the center of it. Game 2 of the ace match between FanTaSy and Jaedong really sticks in my mind. It was Neo Mudsa, right. From the get-go, we knew the ace match would be against Jaedong. No question about it. We decided FanTaSy face against him. The strategy we had cooked up a strategy against Zerg. From what I heard, BoxeR who was coaching at the time worked out the build with FanTaSy together. We figured if we just explained it to FanTaSy, he'd pick it up quickly. We laid it out for him step by step and FanTaSy got it right away. We thought, "This might just work" so we decided to give it a shot. An all-in with SCVs! A cheese rush! Oh, no Overlord means no Zerglings. This is chaos! The Bunker rush that made history for SK Telecom T1's Terran heritage. He can't stop it! It's unstoppable! The bunkering strat! SK Telecom wins! FanTaSy with three wins! And he's the hero of the championship! FanTaSy with the ace up his sleeve! It was amazing to see a player who could understand and execute just from an explanation. As expected... Getting stomped by that strategy really stung. To be honest, the build itself was a bit off. It went south for me, but you know how some days everything just clicks? I took out two of his Overlords and just ran away with it. It's still crystal clear in my memory, and it was really something. After the over triple crown, we went through a really rough patch. We clawed our way back to Gwangalli and won the finals for the first time in ages. I think we wanted to show something more. We needed to make a statement to show that Gwangalli was our turf. I said, "Hey, let's all get down there." We all stepped down, gathering the (Gwangalli Beach) sand together like this. In 2020, T1 failed to qualify for Worlds Hello I'm Choi 'Zeus' Woo Je playing Top-lane for T1 Academy. I want to win championships and get prize money too. I'll do my best to show you some great performances. At the end of 2020 when Coach Daeny came on board a bunch of Top laners got together and we kept doing in-house scrims for testing. When I first went up to the first team's gaming room how should I put it? There was this cold, no-nonsense vibe? I still remember that. When I heard I'd be joining the first team I thought, "I've got to hang in there and learn as much as I can." After my trainee days were over I was feeling pretty confident. I thought I was the best among the trainees at the time. Even though there were T1 trainees, I was sure I could make it to any first team. I think I even got some offers. So at first I wasn't... uh Initially, I didn't plan on staying with T1 but after they won Worlds and Coach Daeny came to T1 I thought I could learn a ton from him. I figured if I went to another team I'd be a starter and play matches but I knew the first team stage was a whole different ball game. I thought T1 could help me a lot So I stayed with T1 and ended up being the first to be part of a 3-Jungle roster. In 2021... my contract was up so I was on the fence about leaving T1. To be totally honest they had announced the 10-man roster so I was wondering if I'd get another shot. But Coach Daeny, who was in charge then, said "I will judge you solely on your skills." So he said, "If you're confident in your skills, then stay." After hearing that, my pride wouldn't let me leave. I didn't really feel like I was playing in tournaments. Not being able to compete for so long was really frustrating. Well... it was tough. We had like 11 players, so we did a lot of in-house scrims but with 3 Junglers, I often got left out. I ended up watching from the sidelines a lot. I think everyone was struggling back then. It was a setup where no one could really come out ahead. In 2021, I guess the biggest issue was that we weren't getting results. The Nexus! The Nexus is destroyed! GG! In the end, Gen.G takes the Spring title from T1! We had a 10-member roster that kept changing and it would have been fine if we were getting good results but we weren’t. Because of the lack of success frustrations built up and conflicts started to arise within the team. And especially, Coach Daeny had a strong philosophy and while I agreed with a lot of it the results didn’t meet expectations. This led to many issues emerging from various angles. T1's COO, Mr. John Kim, passed away suddenly. The team will be wearing ribbons in his memory during the matches. Once again, we offer our deepest condolences. <Related Post Image> I often met with Mr. Kim for contract talks or just to discuss business affairs. He always put the players first and how should I put it... He believed that for the company to grow we needed to take good care of the staff and players. That seemed to be his philosophy. I really respected that about him and felt the same way so I was always comfortable around him. I took on this position after my predecessor, the COO, passed away in an unfortunate accident. So I always feel like I owe something. Mr. Kim was a really influential figure in our company and held a high position but he always made the staff feel so at ease. In a way, he was this big shot but he felt like part of the team, not distant at all. We didn't even get a chance to thank him before he left for heaven so suddenly. When we went to the funeral home I think I cried a lot. It just didn't feel real. Yeah... that's how it was. It was hard to wrap my head around. Someone I knew... it was the first time I'd experienced something like this. It was the first time someone close to me had passed away so it didn't feel real at all. I think it hit me pretty hard. It was the first time something like this happened to someone I knew. When I was considering re-signing he was really supportive and believed that Gumayusi and Keria were the best Bot duo in the world. So when he passed, I was sad and shocked. That's why he's someone I'll always remember. Mr. Kim gave us these vitamins before he passed. But after he was gone I couldn't bring myself to do anything with them. I couldn't take them, couldn't throw them away. I just didn't know what to do. But I thought if I keep dwelling on the grief... Mr. Kim wanted to make T1 a great company and an excellent sports organization. Instead of staying stuck in our sorrow I should focus on working harder and work towards making the company better and turning it into an influential Esports organization. So I ended up taking all the vitamins. My mind just went blank... I... Hello, I'm T1 Moon 'Oner' Hyun Joon playing Jungle for T1 Rookies. My goal is to win championships make a name for myself and become the best player out there. Back in my school days unlike those without a clear dream I knew exactly what I wanted. T1 made quite a few changes. Things like Oner's first appearance today seem like attempts to get better results. Before Coach Daeny left it was pretty much decided that I'd play against KT. But if I hadn't played well in that KT match I probably would've ended up in the second team. I was really sad at the time but I thought, "I've got to give it my all here." It was announced today that T1 has ended their contracts with head coach Daeny and coach Zefa. Coach Stardust will be the acting head coach and coach Moment from the second team has been promoted to first team coach. The next day, I heard about the dismissal. I was thinking What am I supposed to do in this situation? and just decided to go for it. Doran's in trouble! Oh, Oner! Oner! Oner's...! Wow!! Oner, Oner, Oner! Wow!!! Woah!!!! Oner! It's Oner! Two consecutive POGs in his first Summer appearance. Two games in a row without dying! From that point on I think I found my playstyle again. Feeling that someone believed in me I went on with a lot of confidence. I remember T1 didn't make it to Worlds in 2020 so I was really surprised when we made it. T1 advances to Worlds and the finals! Back then, just making it to the Worlds semi-finals felt like a miracle. I was really looking forward to the next season and it felt like I'd gained a lot of fans cheering for me. 2021 was really... So much happened that year. I think everyone, from the coaches to the players and even the company staff, had a tough time. But from my perspective, it was a really valuable experience. I feel like I learned a lot that year both mentally and skill-wise. After we settled on our five-member lineup I think our story really came together nicely. Sticking with the same members, we kept going and it's great to see everyone growing. Also, it seems like we all have good chemistry, which is nice. In any professional sport, and for any team it's unrealistic to expect them to stay at the top forever. There's always going to be a cycle of players coming and going. There's always a cycle of players coming and going. I think 2021 was a transitional year for T1. They had a ten-man roster and during that time some players hadn't hit their prime yet. Meanwhile, some players didn't quite gel with the team. I see 2021 as a year of sorting things out, like sifting through stones to find the gems. It's not about saying that the starters were the only valuable players and the others weren't. It's about finding the right pieces to create the best possible team. That's the process T1 went through in 2021. In my opinion, many T1 fans think of Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria as a family-like, brotherly team to root for. I take a lot of pride in that. It's pretty unusual in Esports for fans to love an entire team like this. Think about it, from 2021 to 2024, that's a long stretch. These players are creating memories year after year. The period they can look back on fondly keeps getting longer. CJ Frost from 2012 or ROX Tigers from 2015-2016 and many other teams those fans reminisce about how great those times were saying, "Oh, those were really good days." Well, for fans of Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria those days are still happening. When they say "remember when" they're talking about years of experiences. I'm genuinely envious of that. Wait a minute you know that finals against DRX? With only DRX left, it was really... I remember we absolutely dominated Game 1. So I thought, "This is easy, we've got the championship." Before I knew it I found myself hearing Silver Scrapes. 2022 Worlds, Game 5 In that last Elder Dragon teamfight we... we started losing the fight. The moment Faker and Zeus tried to backdoor Teleporting in, and then failing the backdoor with the enemy team rushing in and Gumayusi trying his best to hold them off... I just couldn't believe it. When T1 loses a game I can't bear to look at the players' faces at the end. The last image caught on camera was Keria shaking and crying, which was too much... The expression on Keria's face after it ended... I never really understood people crying over sports or getting super upset about losing but I think that might have been the first time I got it. The 2022 Worlds really sticks in my memory. I believed our team was the hardest-working and the most passionate team out there. So I kept telling the players that if such talented individuals work hard with pure intentions, results will follow. Maybe we should have kept in mind that it's not the strong who survive, but those who survive who are strong. I regret not guiding them in that direction. I think you guys have more talent and put in more effort, you know? Of course, most of you are still under contract with T1 so you'll have next year no matter what. Whatever happens, whether with T1 or elsewhere, you still have a lot ahead of you in your careers as players. If you don't let your guard down until the very end you'll definitely win a championship someday. So even though today is disappointing, wrap things up well. I'm sorry, and anyway, GGWP, guys. GGWP. Experiencing runner-up so many times it started to really bug me that I was getting used to it. Usually, after winning, you check out the community reactions watch clips of people's reactions to the win, stuff like that. But after the loss, I didn't even want to talk to the community or fans. Honestly, being a T1 fan sometimes I hate it. When we get second place or lose, it hurts so much. I think, "I wish I hadn't rooted for them I wish I hadn't gotten so invested." As a fan, losing one championship hit me hard but the loss the players must have felt is something I can't even begin to imagine, and that made me really sad. Constantly slipping at the final hurdle I think the players started to believe that this was the limit of their talent that the chemistry between the team was only good enough for second place. But now I can say we can win the championship, right? I truly believed we could win. We’ll see which team will join Weibo in the finals at Gocheok Sky Dome. Which team will make it, T1 or JDG? With the roaring cheers from all the fans joining us for this showdown let's get started! To be honest, even though Faker said they'd shut down JDG's golden road while some might have believed it most people probably thought it'd be tough given JDG's momentum. So what did we do? We knew just hoping wouldn't cut it. We picked up cigarette butts used polite language thought positive thoughts that's all we could do, right? We did a lot of good deeds fans even did voodoo rituals and stuff, it became a huge meme. We picked up trash and things like that. We couldn't let negativity creep in. We knew we might lose to JDG and the fans were a mix of hopeful and nervous. Let's be real, T1 winning Worlds doesn't change my life. It doesn't directly change my life. But even so we still desperately wanted T1 to win. To be honest, I couldn't guarantee we'd win. Our gameplay wasn't that great and Faker had that wrist injury. And they're up for an engage this time. who's Teleporting in? It was like... a moment of disbelief? A brief silence, then a collective "Wow!" When Faker's Azir flipped Ruler at the end the vibe in the venue was just... The cheers were deafening. The person next to me was in tears. The audience went wild. Everyone was hugging each other some people were crying. Witnessing that moment it felt like one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. When Keria shouted, "Here I come, NewJeans!" I felt this unexpected rush of excitement. "Nice! Bring it JDG!" "Here I come, NewJeans!" It showed how overwhelming their emotions were, how confident they felt and really summed up the "We are T1" spirit. I think that phrase said so much. At that moment I cried out of guilt for not having full faith in T1's victory. The most touching moment for me was during the finals opening ceremony. I almost cried when I heard what Faker said. The fourth trophy... The fourth trophy... is for my teammates. It's T1's fourth Worlds title! It's Zeus, Oner, Gumayusi, and Keria's first Worlds win! Faker, after 7 long years! A whole 7 years! As they destroy the Nexus, Faker announces his return! GG~ When we took down Weibo's Nexus in Game 3 the first person I called was Mr. Kim's mother. If we'd come up short again like last year I would've called my mom saying, "Mom, we were so close, we'll try again next time." But thankfully, we won. Being able to call Mr. Kim's mother was probably the happiest moment for me. For us, the players, and the fans it was a pivotal time. The situation felt pressing, and because of that, it had a special meaning for everyone involved. I watched it while in the military and when they lifted that trophy I felt a sense of pride, deep down. Woah... well there must have been a point where things got really tough but overcoming that and lifting the trophy again it just seemed unreal to me. It made me think, "Maybe I should reignite my passion for LoL." Seeing a performance that could inspire such positive emotions in someone I find that truly amazing. iloveoov and I probably felt the same way. He was like one of our own truly our protégé. He was the kind of player who made us feel this way. Especially since all three(BoxeR, iloveoov, FanTaSy) of us played Terran. To be honest at first I thought he was a player without any standout traits. Because initially, he wasn't very good at the game. If I played 10 games with him I'd win about 7 or 8 of them. When I think of FanTaSy's style it felt a bit vague to me personally. When FanTaSy first joined the team I never lost against him. It was impossible to lose. Actually, for the first 6-7 months after I joined the team including practice, I couldn't beat Canata even once. I really felt like I hit a wall. I think he was the most determined pro gamer I've ever seen. Because FanTaSy didn't suddenly skyrocket he just kept improving bit by bit through hard work. Seeing that... He’s the embodiment of hard work that’s the feeling you get. Because he has continued to improve so much you can really see it in his play. He has become very skilled and more solid. There were moments when things just clicked for FanTaSy. I remember the day I first beat Canata. That day really sticks in my memory. It's hard to admit, you know? We were on the same team and played the same race, but I had more experience and was a better player, But at some point things crossed over there's a period where it's hard to accept it yourself. As I started winning game after game, it was so much fun and I could feel myself improving. I think that motivation is what really drove me to work hard. I was pretty surprised when FanTaSy first made it to the finals. Because I was winning more in practice around then. Looking at the basics alone I honestly didn't think I had what it took to reach the finals. But luck was on my side too. Somehow, I kept finding ways to win, no matter the situation. That's how I clawed my way to the finals. And once I got there, you know what they say People grow into their roles. I found myself working harder than ever, improving way beyond my original skill level. Of course, the disappointment was huge. Because I lost 3-2 and there were some really close moments it was very frustrating. But honestly just making it to the finals was unbelievable in itself. I had done really well to get there so I think I felt more good than disappointed at the time. When we were up 2-0, I think I let my guard down without realizing it. Just... it was in Busan too so I thought, "Am I about to win again?" I might have let my guard down. I was pushed to the brink of defeat after two losses but I was so confident at the time I kept thinking I could still win. From Game 3, I thought I could still turn it around. At that time, my mental definitely cracked. I even teared up a bit. I was so frustrated and disappointed, I almost cried. FanTaSy was really a maker of classic matches. But in the end he ended up being the perpetual runner-up, always making his opponents look good. If you're in it for the long haul, second place might be better than first. If you're the runner-up and don't throw in the towel and you don't feel like "This is as far as I can go, I'm done" it's incredibly motivating. You've seen someone win right next to you your mission isn't over your target's still in your crosshairs and you've got a legion of fans rooting for your comeback. That's rocket fuel for your motivation. Once you're content, you've hit your ceiling. But the champs who stay hungry always gunning for the next title they're the ones who keep climbing. Get comfortable, and you start sliding. But who settles for second, right? The top spot's still within reach. Sure, right now it's a tough pill to swallow. You probably don't want to hear any pep talks. But if you're still head over heels for the game if that fire's still burning, this setback is just a stepping stone. Even after coming in second twice, he never gave up. He always believed he could win and seeing him work even harder I realized you need a strong mentality to succeed. FanTaSy had both a great mentality and incredible work ethic. In the SKT tournament, I was the runner-up against GARIMTO. Then I came in second to [Oops]Reach. I was hungry for that top spot so I pushed the Bunker-rush strat three games in a row then got second again in EVER8. But I didn't stop there, I won second place in the So1 tournament too. If I'd won at EVER do you think I could've made it to the So1 finals? Personally, I think the odds would've been much lower. He is determined to break the curse of two second-place finishes it's the terrorist, FanTaSy! I figured I didn't have much to lose. Everyone was betting on my opponent anyway so I just thought, "Let's stick to the plan and see what happens." When it comes to player matchups, who's got the edge? Head-to-head record, Stork Recent performance, Stork Map advantage, Stork Finals experience, Stork Commentators' picks (Um Jae-kyung, Kim Tae-young, Kim Chang-sun, Park Yong-wook) I'm quoting the reporter verbatim here Unanimous, Stork favored FanTaSy, you've seen the articles, right? Yeah, go ahead and speak into the mic. What's going through your mind? Here I am, in front of all these fans who braved the cold to see you, FanTaSy and I'm going on about "Stork this, Stork that." What were you thinking as I was saying all this? It's got to him, it's really got to him. Well, predictions are just predictions. If everything went according to plan, why would all these people show up? That's right. If predictions always came true, who'd bother watching the game? After SlayerS_'BoxeR' and iloveoov, the Terran prince streak for SK Telecom T1 had been broken. Many hopes rest on Crown Prince (FanTaSy's old nickname) FanTaSy had raised hopes but couldn't clinch the win. But today, he's finally broken the curse of the Terran throne line! Both FanTaSy and I took a few years longer than expected to grab that first win. To keep pushing through that year after year, showing up to tournaments building your career, that's no walk in the park. Back in the day, when you heard SK Telecom T1 the 'T' stood for Terran in people's minds. That's how strong their image was as the Terran powerhouse, the ultimate Terran team. But that image had been fading bit by bit. It was losing its luster, but FanTaSy, being a late bloomer, climbed his way up reminding everyone that T1's Terran was still top-tier. I bet T1 fans must absolutely adore FanTaSy for that, right? Seeing a teammate, someone carrying on the legacy finally reaching that top spot, of course it feels great. How could it not? We witnessed his struggles and now he's finally reached that stage that position he's been dreaming of. After the win, I was really keen on getting that StarLeague badge. Getting my hands on it for the first time was just incredible. For a solid two weeks after the finals I'd wake up naturally around 8 AM. That's a full two hours before my usual roll-out time but I'd just wake up, not even feeling tired - that's how good I felt. It's definitely a moment I'll never forget. No one can call him 'the strongest second place' anymore. They simply can't. FanTaSy is the strongest Terran in the end! If StarCraft 1 had kept going I reckon FanTaSy would've been the undisputed top dog. He hit his stride just as the curtain was coming down. If StarCraft II hadn't come out and the league hadn't switched over could he have left the others in his dust? It's anyone's guess, but I think a lot of people were expecting that. Those back-to-back wins at the finish line as far as I know, it put me neck and neck in the official rankings. I didn't exactly leave the competition in the dust, but I finally caught up. That's how I saw it. It was the swan song for StarCraft 1 and I think I prepared harder than ever. I put in so much effort that I had no regrets which led to those great results. Looking back, I'd say I brought my A-game to those matches. In the early days of Esports, and with SK's involvement, for esports to really grow (Excerpt from a phone interview with an original team representative)
In the early days of Esports, and with SK's involvement, for esports to really grow we needed to up our game with proper pay and perks. That's what builds a powerhouse team and beefs up the whole Esports scene. We can't carry every team on our backs, but by showing what a top-tier team can do and how it keeps raising the bar we might just set the gold standard for Esports teams. Every time I come here, I'm hit with a mix of emotions. Here's why Back in the day, our idea of a gaming house was... I still remember, we had this gaming house. I think it was in Seonhak-dong, Incheon. Just a shoebox apartment, if you can believe it. That was par for the course back then. Or we'd squat in a PC bang, that was our pro gaming "facility." It was the same for BoxeR and all of us. Now, seeing a whole building dedicated to the team it's like, "Wow, this is really possible?" It blows my mind every time. For us pro gamers life's a simple equation, eat, sleep, game, repeat. I'm really satisfied with T1's treatment and benefits. In terms of welfare I think it's pretty incredible. First off, the food at T1 is delicious. I think the food is one of T1's biggest strengths. At first, I thought it was just run-of-the-mill stuff. I took it for granted. I think I'm the one who appreciates T1 BAP the most. And those extras like the karaoke room and gym I use them a lot in my free time. The sauna in the gym. Oh yeah, you use the gym a lot. It's really good. We've got chill-out zones like the karaoke, massage chairs, the works. They even hook us up with weekly manual therapy. From where I'm standing, it's in a league of its own. That's what I've often thought. They're always tweaking things, making life better for us players always trying to help out. They seem to really listen to what the players have to say. They've got us covered on all fronts so we can keep our eyes on the prize. It's a setup where all we need to worry about is bringing our A-game. Now that T1 has become the most recognized and coolest team in the world, I think as someone who was there from the start, it's really something to be proud of. T1's a name that'll stick with me till I'm six feet under. But as life goes on I've realized this T1 tag isn't something I can just shake off. It's the best memory of my life. Being part of T1? Still feels like a dream. Throughout my life... Even now, it's recognized as the best team. Being on this dream team for so long? It's been nothing short of an honor and a privilege. It feels like the movie Forrest Gump. My time at T1 afforded me a wealth of experiences and insights. I'm profoundly appreciative of the opportunity to have been part of such an organization. When I look back on my T1 days I only have good memories. As for my time in the spotlight I owe it all to T1. They're the reason I was able to reach my career peak. Just being able to play for a year especially on such a grand stage... ...And I'm still active as a streamer. It feels like T1's been my home away from home for half my life. Rule number one, stick with T1 like glue. Rule number two, see rule number one. I've always looked up to them since my school days. Being a pro gamer for T1 is something I consider a great honor. It's such an honor to be able to coach the best players. I'm leveling up just by being here, soaking it all in. Being with the best team and the best players, I guess that puts me in the big leagues too. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be "responsibility." I get way more attention than I probably should and I enjoy more benefits than I likely deserve. But these perks aren't because I'm so great. They come from being part of this amazing team, T1. That's why I can enjoy them. These people are actually winners. Like they're the definition of the top of the top, the best of the best. And it honestly really motivates me. I've been given the chance to make a name for myself under the T1 banner. We don't want to tarnish T1's name. It's like I'm living in a dream. Being part of such a team is an honor, plain and simple. Just being a member of this team is an honor to me. Our seniors are writing new chapters in history. Every time I see it, I think to myself I want to climb up there too and write a new page in T1's history. T1 can be considered a kind of role model in the Esports world, that is. During Worlds last year, I was in Korea and even in high-rise department stores I saw T1's logo and advertisements. The impression I got at the time was that this team has been very successful business-wise as well. People all over the world know T1 and the name T1 is not just the name of a team but has already become a brand in itself. Over the past two decades, Esports has seen tremendous growth, hasn't it? Among all the organizations in this field, T1 stands out as an undisputed pioneer and leader in the industry. What truly impresses me about T1 is their vision. They don't just excel in League of Legends but have expanded their focus to other gaming sectors as well. Most importantly, they've consistently developed players. Personally, I think they are an industry role model. From its founding until now, T1 has been an irreplaceable presence in the Esports industry. Not just in Asia, but worldwide, T1 has built a name that inspires trust in every aspect Hearing the name "T1" brings confidence. T1's legacy will never be broken. I think having four world titles, they're so far away from every other team in international success. So right now, it'll take many years and many miracles for other teams to catch up. I think T1 is the gold standard of League of Legends competition. It has been a 20 year domination and it's been amazing watching what T1 has been able to achieve throughout the years. Honestly, this team shaped Esports even beyond Korea for the results in the achievement that you guys had. I'm really happy that we've been part of this journey and witnessing your success. I think T1 and T1 players are kind of like, what every team and every pro player wants to be like. If you're a pro player starting out as the ADC you wanna be like Gumayusi if you're a Mid-laner, you wanna be like Faker. If you're a new team or any team even just teams that have been around forever like G2, Team Liquid whatever every team wants to be like T1. T1 as an organization has just stood as the standard for Esports teams not just in Korea but across the world including the west and so that is significant to me. I think they have just cemented themselves as the most premier organization in all of Esports and they've been able to hold that spot for two decades now. When I was casting StarCraft I'd always say what a blast it was what an honor to commentate on BoxeR's plays. Now, I'm singing the same tune about Faker's games. It's a privilege, a joy, an honor to call his matches. SlayerS_'BoxeR' and Faker in my 20-plus years of commentating, they've been the biggest names in the biggest games. They've been the brightest stars in my own personal hall of fame. But when I step back and look at the big picture T1's always been the common thread. It's not just me saying this, right? T1 is the best in the world. Sure, when you stack it up against the other sports like soccer, baseball, or basketball Esports is the new kid on the block. But we're making history as we speak. It's already been two decades since the team was founded. Over that time, countless players and staff have come and gone. It's akin to the Ship of Theseus raising the question of what truly defines T1. In my view, the core pillars of T1 are SlayerS_'BoxeR' and Faker. It’s not just about being great at the game or winning a lot. I think what makes us the best is that our franchise stars are genuinely good people who can positively influence our fans. With SlayerS_'BoxeR' and Faker at the forefront the positive brand image we've established is unique and irreplaceable. I believe it is already cemented in history which is why we must continue to strive for excellence and remain the best. Our team originated from StarCraft and was initially limited to the domestic market. However, we have now become a global team excelling not only locally but also on the world stage. In the future, it won't just be Faker other great players will follow T1's legacy. I hope that T1 remains at the center of Esports not just for 20 years, but for 50, even 100 years. I want to look at it from a father's perspective wishing for T1 to always be at the heart of Esports. When I first joined T1 it was a chance occurrence, SKT contacted me unexpectedly, and I joined suddenly. I consider it a true blessing. Living as a pro gamer with T1 for over 10 years I've grown significantly both as a person and as a gamer. I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful for that experience. I will continue to work hard in the future. iloveoov, Back-to-back MSL Championship First Team Championship iloveoov, MSL Three-peat iloveoov, First Star League Championship First Gwangalli Championship Back-to-back Proleague Championship Three Consecutive Proleague Championship, Triple Crown iloveoov, Second Star League Championship Four Consecutive Proleague Championship, Over Triple Crown iloveoov, WCG 2006 Gold Medal Gwangalli Three-Peat Championship First Special Force Championship FanTaSy, First Star League Championship The Last Brood War Proleague Championship Rain, First Star League Championship First League of Legends Championship First World Championship Finals Win First Undefeated Championship INnoVation, First GSL Championship First StarCraft II Proleague Championship First Unified League Championship Second StarCraft II Proleague Championship soO, First Official StarCraft II Tournament Championship V4 First Unified StarCraft II Proleague Championship Second World Championship Finals Win First IEM World Championship Third StarCraft II Proleague Championship V5, "We may falter, but we'll never fall" First MSI Championship Third World Championship Finals Win V6 Back-to-back MSI Championship V7 V8 V9, Second LCK Three-peat Inaugural Challengers League Championship First Wild Rift Championship V10, First Undefeated LCK Championship Since League Format Began Fourth World Championship Finals Win - Retrospecto -
