On Sept. 18, Gen.G flew out to Shanghai to participate in the 2020 LoL World Championship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Inven was unable to catch up with Gen.G at Incheon Airport. However, we were able to speak with the mid laner, bot laner, and the interim head coach for LCK’s #3 seed — Gwak “Bdd” Bo-seong, Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk, and Ju “oDin” Yeong-dal respectively — over the phone, to hear their thoughts on this year’s Worlds.

Bdd“They say that the LPL teams are the strongest, so in that sense, I’m very happy with our group.”

How are you feeling right now?

Recently, I had to get up early to get myself checked up for COVID-19. I’m a bit tired, but I got some good sleep after, so I’m feeling good. Mentally, I was feeling a bit exhausted after our playoffs loss, but I’ve recovered a lot since then.

You’re returning to Worlds after three years, the last time being in 2017 with Longzhu.

Honestly, it all still seems surreal. They say that the LPL teams are the strongest, so in that sense, I’m very happy with our group. I think we’ll do well.

The mid lane competition in this year’s tournament is at its fiercest. How do you think you’ll fare against the other mid laners at Worlds?

I’m always confident in myself. After reading the 10.19 patch notes, I don’t think there’ll be any major changes in the mid lane meta. I’ll work hard to put on a great performance in the mid lane.

Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say?

The team talked about how we have a great shot at winning the tournament. I really want to win. There’s still some time until our matches start, so we’ll all be working tirelessly to play well. Thank you, and please continue to support us.

Ruler"I do believe that I’m in my prime once again."

This is your fourth appearance at Worlds after qualifying for the tournament in 2016-2018. How do you feel?

There was that one year gap where I didn’t make it to Worlds, but I think it just made me have a stronger mindset. I’m confident in my own form right now, and I really hope that we’ll win.

Due to your monstrous Summer split performance, they say that it’s the second coming of Ruler. 

I personally thought that I got a lot better since last year, but doubted myself due to my blunder in the Spring split. However, things worked out so well in the Summer that those doubts have all disappeared. I do believe that I’m at my prime once again.

Gen.G is in the same group as TSM and Fnatic, and you’ll be playing against Doublelift and Rekkles. How do you feel about your opponents?

I’m aware of how good they are. You have to be very nimble in the laning phase, and since they’re veterans, I won’t be taking them lightly.

Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

Fans sent me so many supportive messages. I’m very sorry that I couldn’t respond to every single one of them, but I can assure you that I read every single one of them. Thank you for your support, and I’ll make sure to do well at Worlds.

Interim Head Coach, Ju “oDin” Yeong-dal"Our immediate goal is to get out of our group in 1st place."

Gen.G’s first match is on Oct. 3, the day after the two-week quarantine ends for Gen.G. Does the tight schedule and the foreign environment bring a lot of pressure for the team?

I was able to check how things are like with the teams that already arrived in China. We already have scrims booked, and we prepared everything beforehand, so I’m not too worried. I just want to start practicing already.

How’s the team atmosphere?

After the regional qualifiers, they all went on a short vacation, so because of the rest they got, everyone’s in high spirits. However, we didn’t start scrims just yet, so we’ll see how things are when we’re back in full gear. Everyone’s itching to get back to the grind.

Gen.G’s seeded with TSM and Fnatic. How do you feel about your group?

Honestly, I’m pretty satisfied with the group. However, I think other teams will also feel, "Oh, these other teams are definitely beatable." I honestly even expected to be drawn into the group of death, but even so, as long as we take care of our health and prepare well in our drafts, it doesn’t matter which team we face. Our immediate goal is to get out of our group in 1st place.

Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to the fans?

I talked a lot with various players and coaches, and we all believe that the LCK has a great shot at bringing the championship trophy home. We’ll make sure to live up to our fans’ expectations to produce great results. Please send us support and cheer us on, rather than criticism.