On the 17th, KWANGDONG FREECS (KDF) lost 0-2 to BNK FEARX in their 2026 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) regular season Round 1 match held at LoL PARK in Jongno. After turning their season around with a two-game winning streak following an 0-2 start, the team unfortunately failed to maintain that momentum.

After the match, Head Coach Cho Jae-eup visited the press room and briefly commented, "The opposing team had better teamwork." He added, "There was a difference in perspective between myself and the players regarding the BNK FEARX match, and that carried over into the game. The pick-ban phase was also disappointing."

When asked about the first set, which collapsed entirely after a major setback in the top lane, Cho explained, "In my view, it would have been a difficult game even without the incidents in the top and bottom lanes. The issue lies more with the pick-ban strategy than with individual player performance. We made adjustments to the pick-ban for the next game, but it seems that losing the first game in that manner affected our overall performance."

He continued, "BNK FEARX is a team with a very distinct identity. I had concerns about certain aspects and discussed them with the players before we went on stage, but we couldn't reach a consensus. The players were confident. I believed we could win if we neutralized BNK FEARX's strengths. In that regard, I think our pick-ban strategy gave them too much room to play comfortably."

Finally, Head Coach Cho expressed his resolve: "These days, it feels like everyone, including us, is too swayed by the ups and downs of each match. The players were very sad after today's loss. I view this as a long race, and I believe the team that can bring out a cohesive identity among all five players will achieve good results. We will not be shaken by wins or losses and will strive to become a team that can smile at the very end."