"This year is different." It sounds like a jinx of a phrase, but no sentence fits better. This year's 'Chovy' really is something different.
Gen.G Esports defeated IG 3-0 in the semifinals of the 2026 LoL World Championship (Worlds) at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, on November 8, KST. With this victory, Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon reached the Worlds finals stage for the first time in his nine-year career and on his eighth attempt.
Meeting him in the media room after the match, Chovy's expression was brighter than ever. "Every moment of Worlds this year feels so enjoyable and precious," Chovy said with a broad smile. "More than anything, I'm just so happy that winning today allows me to experience these great feelings once more."
A dominant 3-0 victory, and reaching the Worlds finals stage after nine years since his debut and eight attempts. On this day, more than any of those titles, the simple fact that he could keep this enjoyable moment going brought Chovy the greatest joy. Freed from negative energy like the pressure of expectations and the resulting tension, Chovy was truly enjoying the stage more than anyone else.
"Looking back, there wasn't a single Worlds I played just to enjoy myself. I was always filled with expectations, pressure, and tension. It made me reflect and realize, 'I must have had a really tough time back then.' That's why I wanted to make this Worlds a stage for myself—a stage I could enjoy. Once I did that, I could finally fully feel the cheers of the fans and the joy of it all."
So what brought about this realization? What caught Chovy's eye was a short passage he stumbled upon. "I happened to come across a quote about managing anxiety," he said. "'Will you let anxiety push you into being a supporting character? If anxiety is unavoidable, just surrender yourself to it and enjoy it.' That really left a deep impression on me."
He added, "To be honest, no one wants a novel without adversity and hardship, nor is it interesting. Every time at Worlds, I suffered elimination and had to swallow disappointment. Realizing that those experiences built up to moments like this changed my mindset. Instead of thinking, 'Can I do well this time too?', I came to this Worlds thinking, 'Those were the moments I fought through so I could do well this time, for the sake of my own story.'"
This mindset of Chovy was evident outside the match as well. His blissfully happy expression right after securing the finals spot and his overwhelmed, emotional look during the interview became a talking point among fans. Joking that he seems to cry a lot more these days, Chovy shared an unexpected story.
"I woke up a bit early this morning. While reflecting on my mindset and thinking through things, I realized how tough things had been for me in the past, yet the fact that I'm enjoying myself like this hit me so deeply that tears suddenly came. I think it was similar during the interview. It wasn't simply because we won or because I was happy to reach the finals—it was the realization that I can finally truly enjoy this moment, combined with the overwhelming atmosphere of the venue, that touched my emotions."
Now, Chovy looks beyond the finals toward the Summoner's Cup. When asked if he thought he would cry if he won, Chovy kept his relaxed demeanor to the end, joking, "Honestly, a few years ago I was confident I would never cry, but for this final, I feel like I'll tear up no matter what. It's no fun to spoil it, so I'll just say I'll try my best not to cry."
In closing, Chovy expressed his resolve: "I've reached the finals after eight years, and I think this might be a moment that may never come again. I don't want to lose such an important moment to tension or anxiety. I want to enjoy this moment—one that might only happen once—and take the championship title as well."
