On the 24th (KST), DAMWON Gaming defeated SANDBOX Gaming in round 2 of the 2020 LCK Summer split. With a set score of 2-0, DWG shut down SB to continue exerting their domination in the standings. Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon showed an incredible performance on Kennen in game 2, where not only did he create a 50 CS deficit against his lane opponent, he had key ultimates in teamfights, which snowballed the game in DWG’s favor and awarded Nuguri the Player of the Game (POG) for game 2.

Nuguri joined Inven Global in an exclusive one-on-one interview to talk about the match.

How does it feel to 2-0 SB?

Not only am I satisfied that we beat them 2-0, I’m also satisfied with our in-game performance overall. I read in an article before the match that our overall track record against them is 15W/10L. It’s a record that’s pretty neck to neck, but the 2-0 gave us a huge confidence boost.

Not only did the team all beat its recent opponents 2-0, the wins all had a huge gold lead, so many are saying that DWG is performing at its peak performance. What is the driving force behind such great performances?

I think a lot of it comes from our mid-jungle. Because they’re doing well, it also affects the side lanes, so we’re able exert our power on an explosive level. 

How do you rate your own team’s performance as of recent?

I think we’re doing very well. If winning Worlds is 100, I’d at least rate ourselves at 80 points.

When the team was diving the enemy fountain to give Canyon the pentakill, did u not want to steal it from him (laughter)?

I don’t want to troll my teammates like that (laughter). Canyon’s also doing very well these days, so I definitely wanted to give it to him.

Many foreign analysts say that Kennen’s not a good pick in competitive play, and do not understand why many LCK teams prioritize him. Can you tell us his strengths and weaknesses in the current meta?

I think that in Europe, LEC teams pick Malphite as a counterpick to Kennen. I don’t think he’s a counterpick, but the matchup between Malphite and Kennen exists. At least in the LCK, I think that even if Kennen is picked blind, he won’t have any problematic matchups. Since Kennen’s really good in teamfights, I think that he’s just a pick with very little weaknesses.

Whenever we see you on camera, you look very lethargic. 

Really (laughter)? I mean I do feel good because we’re winning matches. Sometimes, we have slight in-game disagreements, and it’s not like I don’t like my teammates or anything, I love my teammates (laughter)! But sometimes, I think the slight frustration shows in my expressions.

Whenever we see your bag, there’s a lot of dolls attached to it. Can you tell us what they are?

Oh, they’re gifts from my fans, and I attached them to my bag because everyone uses the same bags, so I wanted to keep my bag distinguished.

Recently, the K-pop star, Sunmi, posted pictures of herself wearing ShowMaker’s jersey. If you could have one K-pop star wear your jersey, who do you wish that would be?

Right now… I’d wish IU would wear my jersey. I listen to her songs a lot, and they’re great.

The last time we sat down for a conversation, you told me that you even got a new cellphone to watch Doran’s (top laner for DragonX) gameplay from his perspective. Do you still watch his gameplay on your phone? Or is there another pro that you watch for learning purposes?

Nowadays, I watch every single match with ‘ProView’, which allows me to watch the matches from the pro’s perspective. It’s especially useful when I want to learn a certain matchup.

Next match is the rematch against DragonX. You must be itching to get your revenge on them, since the team lost by a very close margin. Is there anything you’re going to prepare specifically for them?

That match was definitely very close, and I personally feel that my side lane macro was definitely passive. In our rematch, I want to be more proactive and be more aggressive. In the end, I just want to beat them.

Lastly, a word to your fans.

I think that because of our great performance recently, they’ve sent us a lot of gifts and continue to be very supportive. Everyone is grateful for them, and we’ll continue to practice hard to not lose to the top teams in round 2.