On the 13rd, at the '2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK)' regular season Round 4 Rise Group match held at LoL PARK in Jongno, Kiwoom DRX fell to BNK FEARX 1-2, extending their painful losing streak. Although they started strong by taking the first set, they collapsed under the opponent's fierce team-fighting ability from the second set onward, ultimately suffering a demoralizing comeback loss. It was a bitter defeat for a team desperate for a win to secure a spot in the Play-In stage.

The following is the full interview with Coach Cho Jae-eup and 'Aiming' Kim Ha-ram.

Q. Could you provide a summary of today's match.

Coach Cho Jae-eup: I think there was a significant gap in confidence between us and our opponent, both in terms of pick-ban and gameplay.

'Aiming': It’s most disappointing that we didn't lose because we tried something proactive and failed; we lost because we were too helpless to even attempt anything.

Q. What did you focus on preparing for today's rematch after the last loss? And what do you think went wrong in today's match that led to the defeat?

Coach Cho Jae-eup: In the current meta, the most important thing is the push battle in the bottom lane, which connects the jungle and the bottom lane. Sorting out champion tiers there is crucial, and counter-picks keep emerging. However, there is still a gap between my perspective on that jungle-bottom priority and the players' perspective. That gap carried over into our pick-ban and in-game play, which I believe caused today's loss.

'Aiming': Rather than proactively driving the game, we were very passive, mostly reacting to the opponent's offensive. I don't think we handled that well. We couldn't distinguish between when to commit and when to pull back, and because we didn't play proactively, we slowly and helplessly lost.

Q. In your last post-loss interview, you said, 'Next time, we will identify the opponent's strengths and target them.' What aspects of BNK FEARX were you trying to exploit, and why do you think it didn't work?

Coach Cho Jae-eup: In my view, BNK FEARX's strength lies in their ability to execute the jungle-bottom push battle and focus fire. They also have a good grasp of champion tiers. That's why, during the Game 1 pick-ban, I discussed with the players that the tier of Ezreal and Karma had risen significantly.

In truth, we haven't been able to conduct proper scrims since 'Aiming' joined. Due to various reasons, we've only managed about three, so we lack internal consensus on the constantly shifting bottom-jungle tiers. I talk about the changes, while the players focus on what they've done before, which leads to insufficient tier sorting and inevitably passive play.

I didn't want to talk about this because it sounds like an excuse, but I think that's why we had significant shortcomings in our pick-ban during Games 2 and 3.

Q. 'Aiming' is a uniquely skilled damage dealer in the Rise Group. Have you considered a composition or playstyle that relies entirely on 'Aiming'.

Head Coach Cho Jae-eup: 'After seeing 'Aiming's' skills firsthand, I truly felt he was playing perfectly. Because of that, it was initially difficult for me to question the things he had been doing. Of course, we talk a lot now, discussing how we can win more easily by making better pick-ban choices and adjusting our gameplay.

However, because we lack scrim time, we haven't been able to bridge our differences in perception. For example, the Nautilus pick in Game 2 might have been comfortable for the team, but it wasn't a good pick-ban for 'Aiming.' I had a specific direction for the pick-ban in mind, but due to a lack of practice, I couldn't lead the pick-ban with confidence, leading to today's result. I will ensure that for the remaining matches, I show a game plan and pick-ban that I can take full responsibility for.

Q. There are only three games left in the regular season. With one or two wins being critical for Play-In qualification, are you considering drastic changes like roster swaps?

Coach Cho Jae-eup: Honestly, I hadn't thought about roster changes at all before today's match. But after watching today's game, I felt some things, so I think I need to go back and have a deep discussion with the team members.

Q. Please leave some final words to conclude the interview.

'Aiming': It's very disappointing to lose today, but I still believe we have a chance. Our team and players are fully capable of seizing that opportunity. I want to make sure we grab the remaining chances to reach the Play-In or playoffs and achieve the results we want. I will talk well with the coaches and try to show a better performance.

Coach Cho Jae-eup: I talked a lot today to answer questions about the cause of our defeat, but ultimately, if we lose, the responsibility lies with me as the coach. Our players are all talented, so I will prepare well for the remaining matches to show the fans the good performance they want to see.