It can be said that T1 has gone through a very difficult period recently, especially since the Esports World Cup 2024. Unlike during the 2024 LCK Summer split, when T1 faced difficulties due to not having their strongest roster, the current situation is entirely different. T1 still has all 5 official members but has suffered three consecutive losses. In fact, before the match against KT Rolster began, not many viewers believed that Faker and his teammates would end their losing streak. Fortunately for T1, the result of the first match repeated itself, but this time they emerged victorious. Notably, players like Oner and Keria dispelled doubts with a stellar performance.
However, according to many viewers, alongside the resilience of a team that has faced many challenges before, as well as the talent of the players, Keria received an exceptionally strong “buff” before the recent match against KT. Specifically, before the match took place, on July 25 (Vietnam time), Mnet’s YouTube channel re-uploaded 2 songs by aespa – Keria’s favorite group. Some viewers analyzed that this is similar to the 2023 Worlds period when NewJeans (another favorite group of Keria) was chosen to sing the tournament’s theme song, which also contributed to boosting the morale of this K-pop-loving player.
For hardcore T1 fans, Keria’s K-pop interests are no longer unfamiliar. This player even once stated his determination to defeat JD Gaming to meet the group NewJeans in the finals of the 2023 Worlds. Additionally, when T1 released motivational songs dedicated to each player, Keria’s song was based on the melody of “Maria” by the famous singer Hwasa from a while ago.
Of course, regardless of the “buff,” the important thing remains the performance of the players, and in the recent match, Keria performed exceptionally well. If he and his teammates can maintain this form, T1 can confidently return to the title race that seemed to have closed off for them after a series of forgettable matches.