"From now on, you are a new Secret Royal Astronomer. Carry out your mission."

On a drizzly July day, I visited T Factory in Seongsu-dong to check out T1's new interactive exhibition, 'Secret Royal Astronomer: Counting the Stars' (hereinafter 'Secret Royal Astronomer'). A massive banner featuring the T1 roster and the exhibition title covered the entire side of the building, making it impossible to miss from afar. At the entrance, there was a luggage storage area for fans' convenience, as well as a spot to pick up merchandise purchased inside.

(This article contains most of the spoilers for the 'Secret Royal Astronomer: Counting the Stars' exhibition. It is not recommended for those planning to visit.)

Past a slightly awkward group photo of the T1 squad, visitors are greeted by an entrance designed with the aesthetic of a traditional Korean hanok. Flanking the entrance are portraits of the 'five star-catchers' dressed in traditional hanbok and gat (traditional hats). In this exhibition, visitors take on the role of a new secret royal astronomer, tasked with studying the stars captured by these five—in other words, the history of championship victories built by the T1 players.

Once you enter and complete a simple check-in process, the exhibition begins in earnest. To enhance immersion, the staff stationed throughout the venue used a tone of voice reminiscent of historical dramas. After a welcoming "Welcome, traveler," I received my mission scroll and a horse-pass (mapae), along with a brief explanation of the tasks ahead.

From this point on, I felt like a real secret royal astronomer, and a small sense of responsibility to 'complete the mission to the end' began to bloom. I took a peek at my mission scroll, which listed the four tasks ahead. Would I be able to complete them all successfully?

Before the actual missions begin, an exhibition hall detailing T1's championship history welcomes fans. It was a space where one could look back on every winning moment since the team's founding. Beyond that, there were game-worn uniforms and the championship trophies T1 has hoisted. One wall was filled with white silk scrolls densely packed with quotes infused with the players' blood and sweat, along with tributes from fans.

Now, I entered the first room: the Memory Training Center. The first mission was to watch a video of T1's championship moments and then arrange wooden blocks in the correct order. For a reporter who has been covering esports for over a decade, this was a piece of cake. I completed the mission with ease and received my first seal.

The problem was the second room: the Reflex Training Center. I had to stop the timer at exactly 4.13 seconds, symbolizing T1's founding date of April 13. Out of the six Secret Royal Astronomers performing the mission together that day, only one succeeded—and it wasn't me. Still, perhaps because they valued participation and effort, I was fortunate enough to receive the seal anyway. The successful astronomer even received a surprise gift.

The third mission, the Observation Training Center, was a spot-the-difference game. It was conducted in pairs over two rounds, with 40 seconds to find five differences in each. I narrowly failed the first round by finding only four, but I breezed through the second and happily received my seal. After passing Artie, who was learning archery from a scholar, I entered the Starlight Letter Office and the T1 Workshop.

At the Starlight Letter Office, you can leave messages for the T1 players. As I was among the first to enter, there were only four letters, but I'm sure it will soon be filled with the support and love of fans. The T1 Workshop was a merchandise shop selling keyrings, magnets, cups, keycaps, dolls, photo cards, and more. The space also featured plenty to see, with handwritten messages from the players hung throughout.

The final hurdle is the 'astronomical examination.' The moment has arrived to test the knowledge I’ve gathered while carrying out my missions. I easily solved the problems and received my 'grading.' With that, I safely secured my fourth seal. Once you collect all four seals, you are given a rare reward as promised: a fortune draw. You receive a random photo card and a word of wisdom. Among the many options, I drew a 'spell' from Keria: 'You'll sleep soundly until morning the moment your head hits the pillow.' For any working professional, this is truly a precious blessing.

But that wasn't the end. Finally, visitors can launch a constellation reflecting their own traits into the night sky. By placing your hand on a scanner, it analyzes your aptitude as a secret royal astronomer and generates a constellation. My Sagittarius constellation, representing a brave and adventurous spirit, was launched by the star-catchers Oner and Peyz to decorate the night sky.

After the exhibition, SK Telecom users (plus one guest) can use the exclusive lounge on the second floor of T Factory. The lounge offers a free drink and features 'Fortune Photo,' where you can take photos with exclusive T1 frames, and 'Phone Atelier,' where you can create custom merchandise using limited-edition materials featuring player characters and signatures.

It was a unique, interactive exhibition that captures fans' attention with a clear, consistent concept. The recruitment for new Secret Royal Astronomers to help the Five Star-Catchers study the stars runs until September 13. This has been 'Secret Royal Astronomer: Counting the Stars,' where you can meet the Star-Catcher 'Faker' wearing a traditional hat and flowing robes.