On the 9th, KWANGDONG FREECS (KDF) defeated BNK FEARX 2-0 in the Rise Group of the 2026 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) regular season, held at LoL PARK in Jongno, Seoul. Although the team had been on a two-match winning streak with a significantly bolstered performance following the addition of 'Aiming' Kim Ha-ram, they suffered an unexpected blow against BNK FEARX.

In the post-match press conference, Head Coach Cho Jae-eup identified the cause of the loss: "There were concerns I had while preparing for this match that weren't resolved during practice, and those concerns ultimately led to our defeat. BNK FEARX has certain strengths. We discussed them extensively in terms of both drafting and gameplay, but I felt things didn't go as planned. It's disappointing."

When asked about the team composition—which seemed to prioritize the top side by giving 'Aiming' Kim Ha-ram, a player with high carry potential, Ziggs in Game 1 and Miss Fortune in Game 2—Coach Cho cited 'team synergy' as the reason.

"'Aiming' is a player who excels at gold generation and playing carry champions. However, he joined us after spending half a year with another team, so there is still a gap in our understanding. It's hard to explain in detail, but for instance, in Game 1, there is a specific way to counter Lucian-Milio. It's not just about the bot lane winning a 2v2; it requires coordination with the jungle. We are still struggling with those finer details."

Kiwoom DRX will face BNK FEARX again in their first match of Round 4. Coach Cho expressed his resolve, saying, "When teams of similar skill levels play, the outcome is decided by small details. Those details may seem minor, but they are significant. Although we lost 0-2 today, I believe we are in a favorable position overall. We will be able to produce a different result next time."