Since the start of the LCK Spring 2022, one of the most noticeable issues in Korean League of Legends is the lack of truly outstanding toplaners. Even on the currently undefeated team T1, Zeus cannot yet be considered a top-tier toplaner due to his lack of experience in crucial matches. Other names like Doran, Rascal, or Kiin, Canna show inconsistent performances. This is becoming a headache for Korean League of Legends, especially with numerous international events such as MSI, Worlds, and the Asian Games 2022 on the horizon.
Looking over at their “archrival” in China, the LPL is not short of skilled and experienced toplaners, such as Flandre, Ale, TheShy… In this context, many fans in Korea are eagerly anticipating the return of Nuguri – the 2020 World Champion. If Nuguri makes a comeback, he will be one of the most sought-after names and will help improve the quality of LCK toplaners compared to the LPL.
However, recently, LCK fans were somewhat “disillusioned” when Doinb – Nuguri’s former teammate at FunPlus Phoenix, unexpectedly hinted at the possibility of his return when asked by a fan during a livestream: “You want to ask about him? It’s hard to say because his situation is a bit complicated right now. I think he might return, but everything is unpredictable; we’ll only know when it happens. I’m talking about the top lane, Ngu! That’s right, Ngu!”
Additionally, the Korean media reports that the “complicated” situation Doinb referred to might be Nuguri’s pneumothorax condition. Recall that in 2020, after defeating DRX in the LCK Summer 2020 finals, Nuguri had to undergo emergency surgery, causing many to worry about his ability to participate in the 2020 Worlds. Fortunately, he managed to reunite with DWG KIA in time and helped the team win their first World Championship title.
Currently, this troublesome condition might be making Nuguri’s return date extremely uncertain. If the former DK star does not recover in time and regain his form before the Asian Games 2022, it will be a significant loss for the LCK in this tournament against their “archrival” China, especially since Weibo Gaming is unlikely to release TheShy given that the time is very close to the 2022 Worlds.