For the players and fans of T1, perhaps among all the losses since the current roster officially formed, the defeat against DRX at the 2022 World Championship (Worlds) is the most bitter. That was the time when the powerful T1 lineup was at its peak both in performance and mentality after defeating the LPL champions, JD Gaming, in the semifinals. However, they were unexpectedly defeated by DRX – their favored opponent in the LCK – with a score of 3-1, shocking the entire League of Legends community.
Of course, for T1 players, the memories from last year in London are unforgettable, not to mention the fans. The image of Keria in tears or the helpless gaze of Gumayusi – who had kept hope alive for T1 multiple times in that match – will always be haunting moments in Worlds history. Moreover, for Gumayusi, it is even more painful as both his appearances at Worlds have ended in defeat.
Therefore, a program called The Greatest Play Tournament (tentative translation) revolving around matches from various Worlds has sparked debates among LCK viewers, especially T1 fans, as well as League of Legends enthusiasts in general. Specifically, the content of these clips revolves around matches from different Worlds, with recent guests being four players: Gumayusi, Peanut, Deft, and Lehends.
Notably, during the segment showing the T1 – DRX match, Gumayusi expressed that he is still haunted by the loss and has not listened to the song STAR WALKIN’ (the theme song of Worlds 2022) since that defeat. Meanwhile, Peanut had to relive the moment when his SKT T1 in 2017 was defeated by Samsung Galaxy. That loss marked the beginning of a crisis for SKT T1/T1, which did not see signs of recovery until Summer 2021.
According to international viewers, they feel like they are reliving the glorious years of famous teams around the world, as well as experiencing the peak moments of players who have made “god-like” plays. However, for many T1 fans, the LCK footage seems somewhat lacking in sensitivity, especially with the 2023 Worlds approaching as players have to revisit both their victories and defeats.
Nevertheless, this is still a very noteworthy content piece from LCK. Moreover, the players featured in the clip have all gone through numerous matches, their resilience has been honed. Who knows, these clips might actually serve as motivation for them and their teammates to conquer the heights at the upcoming 2023 Worlds, as no one wants to repeat those failures again.