Hanwha Life Esports became the first LCK team to secure a spot at the 2026 MSI after defeating T1 3-1 in the '2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK)' Road to MSI Round 3 match, held on the 12nd at the Wonju DB Promy Arena in Wonju, Gangwon Province. By clinching the No. 1 seed, Hanwha Life Esports advances directly to the 2026 MSI Bracket Stage.

The following is the full interview with the Hanwha Life Esports roster.

Q. You have secured the 1st seed for MSI. Please share your thoughts.

'Zeus': As I felt last time, I think it's best to win quickly and advance as the 1st seed, so I came here with the mindset that we absolutely had to win. It was more intense than I expected, so it was physically draining, but I feel great.

'Kanavi' = I'm happy that we beat T1 3-1 and advanced to MSI.

'Zeka': I returned with some regrets last year, so I'm very happy to be going as the 1st seed this year.

'Gumayusi' = My mindset is that it's always good to participate in every tournament, so I'm happy to be advancing to MSI as the 1st seed.

'Delight': I'm happy we won today to advance to MSI, and I'm even happier because it's been a while since I've been to MSI.

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = I'm also very happy that we won today and that we're heading to MSI as the 1st seed.

Q. Which team among T1, Gen.G, and kt Rolster would you like to join you at MSI, and why.

'Zeus': There isn't a specific team I want to go with, but if I had to pick one that seems likely to make it, it's T1. Playing against them today, I thought they were very good.

'Kanavi' = I want to play against T1 a lot more, so I hope T1 comes.

'Zeka': From experience, the aftermath of losing in the 1st seed qualifier seems quite significant. I think either T1 or Gen.G will make it, but I think Gen.G has a slightly higher chance.

'Gumayusi' = I think T1, Gen.G, or even kt Rolster have a chance.

'Delight': I think it will be either T1 or Gen.G; whoever is in better condition on the day will make it.

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = I also think the team in better condition on the day will advance.

Q. (To 'Gumayusi') You chose 'Randuin's Omen' on Kog'Maw in Game 3. Was that planned before the match, or was it an impromptu decision.

'Gumayusi' = I believe all item builds should change flexibly depending on the situation. The opposing team's composition only had Galio as a tank, but they were building a full-tank item path. I judged that defensive items would be efficient for me as well, so I bought it.

Q. 'Zeka' mentioned having bad memories from last year, and one of the five people who caused those memories is 'Gumayusi'. You are going together this year; how do you both feel.

'Zeka': Since the beginning of the season, Min-hyung (Gumayusi) and I have been joking around, talking about who would have a higher chance of winning if the guy who never went to MSI faced the guy who always goes. It's great that the guy who always goes brought the guy who never went. But Min-hyung always goes and never wins. So, I'll make sure we win together in my first appearance.

'Gumayusi' = I think my first appearance with him is quite meaningful. As I said earlier, just participating in a tournament is meaningful and fun, so I'm happy we're going together. Since we're going together, it would be great if we could win our first title together.

Q. Why did you choose Senna in Game 4?

'Gumayusi' = We spent as much time as possible over the last two weeks researching bot lane pick-ban and champions. Senna and Kog'Maw were new picks we polished, and I thought they were very strong. So, when the pick-ban phase was evenly split 50-50, I thought our team would win in most scenarios.

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = 'Gumayusi' is very smart, and 'Delight' also makes sharp judgments while looking at the composition, so I think they constructed the picks well to suit the situation.

Q. (To 'Delight') The Game 4 pick-ban was impressive. What was the reasoning behind banning Xin Zhao, and when did you decide on Blitzcrank at the end.

'Delight': We planned the pick-ban while considering the opponent's Yone composition. As the pick-ban progressed, I thought Xin Zhao was very good for the opponent to move a tank champion to support and counter our top lane champions with an AD jungler, so we banned it. Also, with us having Maokai, Blitzcrank remained open, and looking at the opponent's composition, there were no champions that could withstand a hook, so we picked Blitzcrank.

Q. (To 'Kanavi') TES' 'Crème', who you were with at JDG last year, provoked you by naming 'Kanavi' as the opponent he most wants to meet at MSI. Any words for 'Crème'?

Kanavi = 'I have a lot of great memories with Crème' from last year. I think he was just playfully taunting me to celebrate making it to MSI first, and I'm really happy we get to meet again there. As for what I want to say to him: whenever I run into him in ranked games, he's always been very kind enough to die whenever I gank him, so he should watch out.

Q. (To Head Coach Yoon Sung-young) You were caught up after having a 8k gold lead in Game 1, and you were reversed in Game 2. Since it's a best-of-series, the players could have been shaken; how did you manage their mental state?

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = Similar accidents happened at the same time in Game 1 and Game 2. However, looking at the game content, I didn't think we were falling behind significantly, so I think all the players managed their mental state well. Also, Hwan-joong (Delight) is a player who is very good at breaking bad momentum, so from Game 3 onwards, we paid more attention to that and set the atmosphere.

Q. 'Kanavi' and the coach, you both spent a long time in the LPL, achieving both adaptation and results, and now you've moved to the LCK and achieved the feat of advancing to MSI as the 1st seed. What are the differences between the LPL and LCK, and what is the secret to achieving good results in both leagues?

'Kanavi' = If I had to name the difference between the LPL and LCK, I think the LCK feels more organized and meticulous, while the LPL is incredibly strong in unexpected situations and chaotic fights. I think I achieved good results in the LPL in my own way, so I came to the LCK with confidence. Although the beginning of the LCK Cup was a bit rough, I'm very happy that we finished 1st in the regular season and are going to MSI as the 1st seed.

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = I think similarly to 'Kanavi'. The LPL seems to excel in skirmish-oriented play, while the LCK is definitely more precise in the game itself. Now that we've achieved our MSI advancement as the 1st seed, what comes next is more important. The players know this, of course, so we will prepare even harder to become a team that can show an even better performance at MSI.

Q. In Game 1, you picked Jayce, Ziggs, and Trundle together. Was this a pre-planned strategy, and why did 'Zeus' pick Jayce as the 1st pick to snowball from the laning phase, even though a solid champion remained for the top lane? What was the basis for that confidence?

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = As everyone knows, 'Zeus' is very good at Jayce. That's why I thought we could win even if we picked him 1st. Furthermore, when we matched the composition, we had Trundle, so the balance was good, and I thought we could catch the opponent's Sion much more easily.

'Zeus': I actually think Jayce is a champion whose power wanes as the series goes on. However, I had enough personal confidence, and my teammates also really prefer compositions that utilize Jayce. So I thought if I picked him first and played well, the game would become advantageous. Also, the picks that followed were reliable champions that supported Jayce, so I picked him with confidence.

Q. Lastly, please share your resolve for MSI.

'Zeus': I'm happy to advance to MSI, but I received even better energy after waking up this morning and seeing the national soccer team win. We advanced as the 1st seed, but I think this is where it really starts. I have the confidence that we can win, so please look forward to it.

'Kanavi' = We secured the 1st seed, so I will show the other league teams what the LCK 1st seed's skill is all about and make sure we win.

'Zeka': Although this is my first MSI appearance, my teammates have a lot of experience and some have even won before, so I will trust my teammates and make sure we all win together.

'Gumayusi' = I've been to many international tournaments, and it remains a regret that I've never won. I will cheer up and do my best to win this year.

'Delight': As it's been a while since I've been to MSI, I will make sure to return with a good result and a win.

Head Coach Yoon Sung-young = We will prepare with our best efforts to show our fans a great performance.