Recently, one of the major concerns for the global League of Legends community, especially in the LCK region, is the selection of the representative Korean League of Legends team for the upcoming Asiad 2022. Alongside the appointment of head coach kkOma, the six player names have yet to be determined, adding to the community’s anxiety.
However, KeSPA (Korean eSports Association) has taken some extremely cumbersome steps. The organization has been unclear in scheduling for the players, leading Faker to voice that he and his teammates feel overwhelmed. Subsequently, coach kkOma himself had to request a press conference. He admitted that he has virtually no authority and had unilaterally resigned after this press conference. As for KeSPA, they continue to postpone the selection of the roster until after MSI 2022, causing frustration and fatigue within the community.
Recently, however, KeSPA officially announced on their personal Twitter that coach kkOma will continue to hold his position with the Korean League of Legends team. Additionally, KeSPA clarified in the announcement that the team selection will be made by the head coach and a selection subcommittee in early May. The selected players will be evaluated based on their performance in domestic and international competitions over the past four years, their performance in 2022, and during the training camp. At that time, KeSPA will also announce the members of the selection subcommittee to the audience.
Coach kkOma’s decision to “turn back” and commit to KeSPA has indeed left many LCK fans feeling disappointed. Many have not hesitated to criticize the highly accomplished coach in the League of Legends scene, particularly in the LCK, calling him a “puppet” of KeSPA.
In reality, it is completely understandable why coach kkOma made his decision, as currently in the LCK, there are hardly any coaches who possess the combination of prestige and talent like coach kkOma. Moreover, if KeSPA fulfills their commitments, then coach kkOma would have full authority. At that point, he could assemble a team that he is satisfied with, capable of winning a medal at the upcoming Asiad 2022.