On the 10th (KST), the winners match between APK Prince and Jin Air Greenwings was held in the LCK 2020 Spring Promotion tournament. APK came up victorious over Jin Air with a set score of 3-1, and secured a spot in the upcoming 2020 LCK Spring Season. The following is an interview with APK’s jungler, Lee “KaKAO” Byung-kwon.

You’ve finally made it! How do you feel?

Kakao: I’m feeling really good. The team and I watched a lot of LCK to learn, and worked really hard to get here.

You’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time. What was the biggest obstacle in Challengers Korea that you’ve faced?

Kakao: I love getting showered with attention, but Challengers Korea gets less love and attention, so even if I do well in-game, I didn’t get any attention, so that was a bit of a challenge.

You’ve won LCK, played in foreign leagues, and even in Challengers Korea. If you look back on it, how do you feel?

Kakao: Looking back, I realized that I was very young. I think about how I should mature whenever I'm in a new team. Even so, I still make mistakes in new teams. I want to be perfect and either blend in or lead the team, so in the process, I can feel myself grow.

You were known for your trash talks. How’s your trash talk game now?

Kakao: I’ve become slightly more gentle (laughter). I was confident in my gameplay back then, so trash talking was really fun. But I felt terrible losing after trash talking. I might’ve been really confident back then, but LCK is a new challenge for me. However, the sky’s the limit, so I think it’ll return when I get better.

As you’ve imagined yourself back in the LCK, is there something that you wanted to do? 

Kakao: I want to vastly experience of watching other junglers’ reaction when I become a better jungler and provoke them. Seeing how LoL Park has become so amazing, and hearing the fans cheer made my heart thump like crazy, and made me think that ‘I want to keep going.’ It’s a good motivational turning point.

What kind of a player do you want to become?

Kakao: I watch a lot of replays from Clid. He’s good at aggressive routing early, positions well in teamfights, and overall making the game easier for his team, so I want to learn. I’ll become a jungler that’s also aggressive, but doesn’t throw the game.

What’s your next goal?

Kakao: LCK playoffs.

No one around the globe yet knows about APK. They’ll slowly get to know your team starting next season, so can you briefly introduce your team?

Kakao: APK’s very experimental. With a vast number of champions and strategies, we’ll try different combinations, but if it doesn’t work, we hone it until it becomes as close to perfect as it can get. we'll definitely be a very interesting team, so I hope you keep your eyes on us.