Perhaps it goes without saying that fans of the LCK and those who follow the highest-level tournaments in Korea are well aware that for many years, DRX has consistently performed poorly in the domestic league. In fact, before their “miraculous journey” at the 2022 World Championship, this team was on the verge of watching the tournament from home. Even prior to their match against T1, DRX was sitting third from the bottom. In the 2023 Spring LCK, they were even close to being at the bottom with only 3 wins and 15 losses.
In the domestic league, facing DRX has never been a tough challenge for T1, even when they had Deft or Zeka in their roster. However, on a day when Faker was absent, T1 had to rely on Poby, a Mid Laner promoted from the youth team, and he showed that he was significantly outmatched compared to a seasoned player like FATE. The loss to DRX further highlighted Faker’s importance, even as he has gradually taken on a more supportive role in recent years.
The significance of Faker has been confirmed by none other than his opponent, specifically BeryL and the DRX management. In the post-match interview, BeryL admitted: “Faker has a wide champion pool and requires more tactical calculations in the draft. His role as a playmaker is crucial, and when he doesn’t play, we clearly benefit a lot. The Mid Lane is the center of gameplay and affects all lanes. Therefore, T1’s change in Mid Lane was the decisive factor.” The DRX management also acknowledged that Faker’s absence was “good news for DRX.”
Indeed, not only DRX but even neutral fans must recognize that T1 is vastly different with and without Faker. The remaining players are all rare talents, but clearly, they have yet to shoulder the responsibilities of a captain. Even a Gumayusi who often “carries the team” or a genius like Keria found themselves helpless against the DRX players.
According to information from T1, Faker may need to rest for up to 2 weeks. This will be one of the toughest phases for T1, but it is unavoidable. If Faker pushes himself to play, it could be even more dangerous for him and there’s no certainty it would yield positive results for T1.