See what T1 has to say before going to North America to attend the biggest tournament of the year?
On September 22, all four representatives of the LCK participating in the 2022 World Finals were present at a press conference at LOL Park, Seoul, Korea before starting their North American tour. Each team has about 30-40 minutes to answer questions from reporters at the event. Below is a question and answer session with T1 – the reigning Korean League of Legends runner-up and also the 2nd seed of the LCK at the biggest tournament on the planet.
Let’s start today’s press conference with a question common to everyone: What did you think before joining this year’s Worlds?
Bengi: This is my first time going to Worlds as head coach. I feel the responsibility is heavy on my shoulders so I will do my best.
Faker: This is the final tournament of the season. I will give my best.
Keri: I think I tried my best to get here, so I hope to reap the fruits of this year’s Worlds.
Zeus: This is the arena everyone dreams of. I will try to play well.
Oner: This is my second lane at Worlds so I will try to play better than last year.
(Question to Zeus) You were voted to be at the top of many of the best top laners at this year’s Worlds. How do you feel about this assessment? Is there a top lane that you consider formidable?
Zeus: I think all the lanes in the LCK and LPL are really good so I don’t try to think too much about the rankings. I think top lane can adjust itself harmoniously to perform well at Worlds. I think all LCK and LPL top laners are strong so they’re all in my sights.
(Question to Bengi) How would you rate the team’s current form? From a head coach’s point of view, what does T1 need to overcome to win Worlds?
Bengi: I think based on the team’s performance throughout the season, we are definitely title contenders. Since the Worlds update will shake up the meta, we’ll need to find the optimal picks and analyze the opponents well to optimize our macros.
(Question to Gumayusi) How do you predict your performance at this year’s Worlds as you’re about to make it to the biggest tournament of the year for the second time in a row?
Gumayusi: Last year, I thought we were really capable of winning Worlds. I’m about to return to the Worlds stage with three of my teammates from last year. So I think as long as we focus and work harder, we will be able to win.
(Question to Faker) As someone with international experience, how is your past experience different from this year? What do you pay special attention to at this year’s Worlds?
Faker: You will be playing against many teams in different regions so I think the most important thing is to analyze the macro capabilities of the other regions.
(Question for Keria) Thresh was buffed in patch 12.8 – the Worlds version. What do you think about the less influential Wizard generals in the game?
Keri: The Mage took over the meta during the Summer so I felt a lot of stress because I couldn’t influence the team’s results. I think we’ll see a wider variety of supports at Worlds. This is interesting!
(Question to Bengi) You have just been appointed as head coach. I’m curious how you feel after hearing this news. In addition, the team now has time to understand themselves and analyze the opponent. Which LPL team do you think will be the hardest opponent to play against T1?
Bengi: It is true that I felt pressure when I first received the offer to be the head coach. But I decided to take the responsibility and take on this role. When it comes to LPL teams, there were a lot of 3-2 series in the playoffs last Summer so it depends on how they played that day.
(Question to Faker) How well do you expect to be with Bengi? You are traveling to multiple locations for this year’s Worlds and how do you manage your health and stay focused?
Faker: He’s someone I played with when I was a player. Certainly Bengi and I have some advantages in terms of communication, for example. I think as long as you make the most of the time you have, there should be no problem in managing your physical and mental health.
(Question to Gumayusi) In the past, you said that you were tired from not being able to rest during the season. Now that you have a break and how does it affect the way you play? Would you like to talk more about the Summer Split?
Gumayusi: Personally, I think I can tap into my full potential when I have enough long breaks. Now I’ve had a bit of a break and I think I’ll do well at Worlds. The Summer League is really busy, chaotic. I’ve been communicating a lot with my teammates and I think we’ve all fixed a lot of problems. So I think I can play much better.
(Question to Bengi) Can you tell us how you are preparing for Worlds after LCK Summer 2022?
Bengi: During the discussion after the Summer Split, we realized that there were too many communication problems due to not having rested for the whole season. Communication will continue to be something we will have to work on improving at Worlds.
(Question to Faker) T1 is about to face EDward Gaming again in the Group Stage of Worlds just like last year.
Faker: EDG are defending the title so they’re definitely a team we need to watch out for. Meeting them at the Group Stage meant we could test how well we did. So I think that’s good in a way. I think it would be interesting if we beat them 2-0 in the Group Stage.
(Question to Faker) Did competing at Worlds this year mean anything to you?
Faker: Like last year, it was the stage where I wanted to test myself. So this will be a good opportunity for me to improve myself. My plan is to focus on better fitness control before going into each match. I’m trying to make the best use of my time and focus on practicing through a variety of ways.
(Question for Bengi) Worlds will be using a completely new version. What is T1’s strength in this meta?
Bengi: Personally, I don’t think it’s changed much from the current meta because the only change is champion balance. I still think the meta will focus on bot lane and since there are so many champions that we like to use that don’t get nerfed too much, we’ll give it a try and see. We are feeling very confident right now.
(Question to Oner) Hecarim received an update on the skill set. Patch 12.18 reduced this champion’s buff a bit, but Hecarim is still quite good. What do you think about this champion?
Oner: I think every player and team has a different view of champions. Personally, I don’t think this champion is S rank.
(Question to Zeus) How do you rate LPL’s top lane at this year’s Worlds? Do you think top laning is increasingly affecting the game?
Zeus: I think each of them has a unique playstyle but it’s hard to describe exactly how they played until I played against them. Champions like Jayce or Kennen are buffed. They’re all my favorite champions so I’m glad to hear the news. I’m coming back from a break from League of Legends so I’m still adapting to a lot of things. I will need time to play around and find out.
(Question for Gumayusi) T1 will also face another opponent in this year’s Worlds Group Stage, Cloud9. Berserker, the former of T1.Challengers, is currently the ADC of C9. What do you remember him as?
Gumayusi: I think that game will be fun because both teams have skilled bot laners. I was very excited to face him because I remember him as a very skilled player.