In the past week of the Korean League scene, there were various issues that surfaced, which aren’t really particular to that time frame; the League scene in Korea takes the lion’s share of domestic esports due to the large number of people who make up the industry. This Week in LCK is a weekly recap of noteworthy news and controversies as well as reactions from Korean esports fans.

▣ Longzhu Gaming’s late player salary

Related news: Inven Exclusive: Whistleblowers reveal Longzhu Gaming's late salary issues

Since joining LCK in 2015, has Longzhu Gaming boasted well-known players like Pray and Gorilla. A few days ago, whistleblowers within the team revealed that the organization has been late on salary and that player morale is at all-time low as a result.

Korean communities’ reactions largely centered around “I told you so,” reflecting the number of people who had long been skeptical of Longzhu. Even back when Longzhu was called LG IM, it had a somewhat shaky image (both performance-wise and financially) and went through some rough patches in non-gaming aspects as well. This suspicion gained ground as ex-Longzhu players went on to do well in other teams, which came to be known as “The De-Longzhunization Effect.”

As such, Longzhu fans have one more thing to worry about. Since the team has many experienced players whose fandom goes back years, communities are ripe with caring and supportive messages for the current players who are dealing with the issue.


▣ Chan-dong “Chance” Lee’s removal from KT Rolster

Related news: KT removes Chan-dong "Chance" Lee from roster due to boosting allegation and player misconduct

Meanwhile, KT Rolster, the runner-up of last season, had their own share of trouble right before the new season. KT signed Chan-dong “Chance” Lee as a substitute support, only to find out later that Chance has been an active member of a radical far-right website and has been consistently expressing extreme views in the game. It was also revealed that Chance had been boosting accounts, which is against the Riot Games’ policy.

Shocked by Chance’s questionable character, KT decided to remove him from the roster. Korean communities seem to be in agreement of the decision, saying “It’s a no-brainer.” Others pointed out that “it may be just one website to someone, but it was far from harmless considering the social disarray it caused, not to mention Elo boosting should not go unpunished, especially for a pro.”

There was also ample advice given for prospective players. One user reminded us that, “It’s not uncommon to see Korean teams releasing players due to critical character flaws or past controversies. It’s too late to remedy the wrongs at that point.” While sympathizing with these cases, another person remarked, “These players are too focused on gaming to learn important social skills. I don’t care if you’re going pro or not, just don’t be a dick.”

Regardless, KT personnel are the ones who are most baffled by the whole incident. They probably had all the opening video shoots done and signed on the sixth player to participate in Rift Rivals, but he’s no longer a part of the team. What’s done is done, and they’ll have to find a new player before the event.


▣ Misery loves company

The most interesting turn of events this week was that these two teams played each other in the second match of the LCK Summer Split opening day. Understandably, the majority of people predicted a landslide win for KT because Longzhu participated in the match with new players, whereas KT had mostly the same roster from last season. However, Longzhu defeated KT 2-0 with their top ranking players in solo queue. It was enough to set the Korean communities ablaze.

Players and esports fan alike were shocked to see the result. Specifically, people were stunned when Longzhu Khan playing top Jarvan IV dismantled KT one by one like it was no big deal.

▲ Khan's devastating Jarvan IV (more about his build here).

Korean fans were quick to welcome the new “super team.” In sharp contrast to their second place finish last season, KT was beat to a pulp. Some commented that a properly paid Longzhu is much better than KT and that the overdue salary held them back.

All in all, KT got off to a rough start this season. They not only have to find a new sixth player, they also had disappointing showings in the opening match. But who knows? Longzhu has always been a fast starter but lacked the extra oomph to close out seasons.


▣ Samsung Galaxy’s 2-0 victory over SKT T1

Maybe this is the biggest piece of news this week. After claiming the MSI championship title, SKT T1 had a tough homecoming match that ended 2-0 in favor of Samsung, who, to be fair, is a powerhouse on their own right.

Korean communities were divided on the outcome. SKT T1 fans argued that their team didn’t have enough time to practice due to the demanding schedule they recently went through. SKT T1 only had one day off after coming home, and it subsequently had a negative impact on the team’s performance. There’s no denying that fact, confirmed by the players’ words, but perhaps it wasn’t the only factor affecting SKT T1’s plays in that painfully one-sided match.

At the same time, this isn’t to discredit the work Samsung has been putting into perfecting their play. Their macro game was impeccable and left no room for SKT T1’s come back. People hoping to see the end of SKT T1’s supremacy couldn’t be happier to see the result. Korean esports communities have polarizing feelings toward SKT T1, and the two groups weren’t shy about speaking out. On one hand, there are those who admire SKT T1 for their absolute dominance. On the other, those who want to see the fall of the giant more than anything.