On August 29, T1 defeated BNK FearX after a full-set thriller in Round 1 of the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) Playoffs at Chzzk LoL Park in Jonggak. Pushed to the brink after back-to-back losses in Games 2 and 3, T1 brought out a surprise Nasus pick that paid off to tie the series 2-2. In the final Game 5, every lane stepped up to wrap up the game in just 26 minutes.

Below is the full interview with 'Doran' Choi Hyeon-joon, who was named Player of the Match (POM) for his outstanding performances on Jayce in Game 1, Nasus in Game 4, and Kennen in Game 5.

Q. You won after going the full distance and advanced to Round 2. First, how do you feel about the victory?

Doran: It was a tough match that went all five games right from the first playoff series, with plenty of difficult moments, but I'm really glad we won. It was a bit exhausting, but overall I think it was a fun match today.

Q. It's been a while since you received POM. How does it feel?

Doran: Honestly, I wasn't expecting it at all, but I'm thankful that people viewed my impact in Games 4 and 5 favorably.

Q. BNK FearX showed fierce momentum today. Watching their Play-In matches, how did the team prepare for the playoffs?

Doran: Still, we had enough time to prepare, so we honed the areas where we were lacking as a team while getting ready for the match.

Q. What was the trickiest part of playing against BNK FearX, and how did you try to overcome it?

Doran: As a team, there were several factors, but personally, I was very mindful of the enemy top laner's champion pool. I prepared expecting that they would pull out a surprise pick at some point.

Q. You won Game 1 but faced a crisis after back-to-back losses. Did you feel any pressure, and what did you discuss with your teammates after those losses?

Doran: Our team consists of players with a lot of experience in best-of series, so I don't think we felt much pressure even in that situation. For me as well, I just focused on the game right in front of me.

Q. Top Nasus made an appearance in Game 4 with your team facing elimination. How did that pick come about?

Doran: I thought I could farm smoothly and build up stacks well, so I brought it up to my teammates. Their reaction was pretty positive, so we boldly decided to pick it.

Q. Nasus stacked up over 1,400 stacks in an official match. Will we see it often going forward?

Doran: Since playoffs are best-of series, as the games progress, I think not just Nasus but various other champions will appear frequently in the future.

Q. In the final Game 5, the opponent brought out a surprise pick with top Lissandra.

Doran: I didn't expect Lissandra at all. Still, I just focused on the match thinking I should do my best to manage the laning phase well.

Q. Unlike the previous games, T1 took control of Game 5 very quickly. The opponent tried to create variables, but T1 countered them well. Which moment felt like the turning point?

Doran: Early on, during the Voidgrub timing, we executed a lane swap and successfully defused their turn. From then on, I felt momentum shifted significantly to our side, not just in the top lane match-up but across the board.

Q. A monumental milestone was achieved today. Your teammate Keria became the second support player in LCK history to reach 700 games. Could you say a word of congratulations?

Doran: It's truly an amazing milestone. I hope we can all play well together through the remaining playoff matches as well.

Q. You're now heading to Round 2 of the Playoffs where Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports await. How do you predict the remaining matches will go?

Doran: I can't predict the outcome at all. I don't know who we'll face in the next round yet, but whichever team we play, I'll prepare well with the mindset that we can win against anyone.

Q. Finally, a word for the fans who supported you.

Doran: Thank you so much for sending us so much support until so late today.