The 2018 LCK Summer Split kicked off with a spectacular opening match between bbq Olivers and MVP. The teams showcased unique compositions and strategies, demonstrating how last year’s unconventional tactics have become the norm in this year’s meta.
But the real excitement begins tonight as the defending LCK champions, KINGZONE DragonX, go head-to-head with Gen.G, the team formerly known as Samsung Galaxy and the reigning world champions. Both teams will be under pressure to perform, but the KINGZONE players have the most at stake. Interestingly, the key to their success this summer lies not in strategy or training, but in relaxation.
Pressure can have strange effects on teams, as seen countless times when NA LCS teams crumbled under the spotlight at international events. Gen.G, on the other hand, have faced and overcome that pressure before. They have already clinched a major international trophy, and even if they never win another, they will always be remembered for stopping the SK Telecom T1 dynasty. But KINGZONE’s story is different. They have entered two consecutive major international competitions as the favorites, only to fall short both times.
It’s hard to comprehend the impact these failures have had on the KINGZONE players. ADC Kim “PraY” Jong-in even admitted that he had to avoid reading online forums after their loss at MSI. Instead of obsessing over team compositions and strategies, what they really need to figure out is how to play with a relaxed mindset.
They can take a page out of Royal Never Give Up ADC UZI’s book. After years of choking on stage during crucial moments, UZI finally realized that his fans love him regardless of wins or losses. This relaxed mentality gave him a significant advantage. In contrast, KINGZONE’s Pray, support Kang “GorillA” Beom-hyeon, and jungler Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, despite their experience in major international finals, appeared fearful. They didn’t play the same champions or utilize the same style that had brought them success in domestic play.
This pressure ultimately caused their downfall. When they needed to perform at their best, they couldn’t deliver.
In the history of professional League of Legends, only one team achieved immediate success on the international stage: SKT. Led by teenage prodigy Faker, SKT won the 2013 Worlds, bringing the Summoner’s Cup home to Korea for the first time. Faker then went on to establish an SKT dynasty, making international titles seem easy to win.
SKT’s unparalleled success and continued dominance set incredibly high standards that have yet to be matched, even by fellow LCK teams. Even Samsung, in their title runs in 2014 and 2017, took time to find their footing.
The last thing KINGZONE should worry about is living up to the SKT legend. Considering the quirky LCK playoff system, we have only witnessed KINGZONE in five best-of-five matches over the past two seasons (with a record of 3-2). This is simply not enough to gauge the team’s true potential.
That’s why relaxation is crucial. They should tune out the criticism and focus solely on their game. Tonight, at 12am CT, they have a golden opportunity against Gen.G to do just that.