On Feb 11, DRX defeated Hanwha Life Esports on day 18, match 2 of the 2022 LCK Spring split. With a score of 2-1, DRX extended their match win streak to five matches. Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu was named the Player of the Game for both of the matches that DRX won tonight.

Following the match, Deft joined the press room for a post-match interview.

Thoughts on the victory against HLE tonight?

I’m very happy that we won, but I feel I made a lot of mistakes in game 3.

Recently, the support champion pool has changed dramatically, with Lux rising higher in tier. Thoughts?

It depends on the bans in draft, because the matchup between high tier supports is like rock paper scissors. Because BeryL’s so good, he’s confident in any matchup. It’s very fun.

You made some incredible plays on Zeri in game 3. What are your thoughts on the champion?

I don’t think I play that champion very well at the moment, but even so, I think she’s a very good champion. If I adjust my build, I feel that I can put on a performance.

There are different opinions about Zeri . Some say that she needs Yuumi to perform at her 200%, while others say that she’s good as a standalone champion. Thoughts?

The game definitely becomes easier to carry with Yuumi on her team. I think that even without Yuumi, as long as she gets to play the game top side, I think she’s good. She’s kind of like Kai’Sa in her prime, where she can just take over the game, even in a tough game.

It’s normal for ADCs to buy Noonquiver on their first back, but you bought a Pickaxe and a Long Sword as your first purchase. How come?

I wanted to be as cost-efficient with my item purchase as possible, and I don’t like building tier 2 boots before I get Galeforce. Not much is different when it comes to the two purchases. It all depends on how I can maximize pushing waves situationally.

Fans are saying that you’re currently performing near your peak form. Do you agree with the sentiment?

Right now, my mindset is, “I’m doing everything I want to”. In the past, I thought, “Oh, I don’t need to make unnecessary plays to win”, but right now, it’s more like “If I make mistakes, it’s okay. I’ll make the plays I want”. I think the latter mindset is working well.

Is your current mindset similar to when you were on EDward Gaming and KT Rolster?

A bit different; I think it’s more similar to my rookie days.

What caused such a change in mindset?

I realized that I don’t have much time left as a pro, so the biggest goal is to show what kind of a player I am. I think I’m slowly showing up, so I’m happy about that. I’d say that I’m playing more instinctively. However, it’s not enough to just have such a mindset; my teammates are playing well, so I’m being put more on the spotlight.

You’ve played with a number of different well known Support players in the past. As you continue to build your synergy with your current lane partner, BeryL, how’s he different from your previous partners?

It’s hard to say that BeryL’s much better than my previous lane partners, because all of them have been exceptional in their own right. However, he’s very good at making my job as the carry much easier, and the responsibilities that he has outside the game really helps me a lot as well.

As your performance continues to rise, the talk about you potentially representing Team Korea at this year’s Asian Games continues to gain traction. What are your thoughts on going to the Asian Games?

I was heavily contemplating on continuing my pro career overseas this year, because I felt that it’s the right move to make if you play in the pro scene for so long. The biggest reason why I decided to stay in Korea is because of such an opportunity like the Asian Games, so I’ll need to work much harder. If I do get the opportunity, I’ll make sure to work hard to show everything that I got.

After a 3-match losing streak, DRX is now on a 5-match win streak. What changed internally for such a dramatic improvement?

Since the beginning of the season, I’ve said that the team’s already ready to perform well. However, we couldn’t show that in the beginning because everyone had a different understanding about the game, and we all needed time to be on the same wavelength. As we continue to play through the split, we’re becoming more familiar with what each other wants to do, which translates to great performance.

What’s the most important thing that DRX needs to improve in order to win the Spring split?

We feel that although everything is starting to click, it’s not at the highest level of gameplay. We just need to elevate everything in order to win.

DRX plays DWG KIA in their next match. What do you have to say about your next matchup, and also to your fans?

DWG KIA’s a very strong team, so it’s a good match to figure out our current skill level. We’ll make sure to win, and would like to credit our fans for our win streak, because they’ve been very supportive. Thank you.