Nongshim RedForce secured a 2-0 victory against Kiwoom DRX in the Rise Group of the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) regular season Round 3, held at LoL PARK in Jongno on the 29th. In Game 1, 'Scout' Lee Ye-chan's Roke broke the game's balance early with exceptional roaming, while in Game 2, 'Kingen' Hwang Seong-hun's Zahen showcased his presence in late-game teamfights to complete a comeback win.

The following is the full interview with Head Coach Choi In-kyu and 'Sponge' Bae Young-jun.

Q. Could you share your thoughts on the victory.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = It's the first match of the Round 3 and 4 opening, so I'm very relieved that we managed to win 2-0.

'Sponge': I'm happy we won our opening match 2-0.

Q. There was a long break after Round 2 ended. What did you focus on most to improve the team's weaknesses?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = First of all, I felt that our pick-ban phases and in-game playstyles lacked a distinct identity during Rounds 1 and 2. So, we watched other international matches to identify picks and in-game directions that our team could utilize effectively, and that was our main focus during the break.

Q. 'Sponge', you must have had time for personal practice as well. What did you work on most to improve your individual performance?

'Sponge': I tried to play as confidently as possible. I also learned a lot by watching how top-tier junglers played during international matches.

Q. I'm curious about the direction you found for Nongshim during that process, and who you think is at the center of it.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = It's hard to go into detail, but we tried to find picks we could execute well from the pool of viable champions in each game. Even if one or two picks changed, we tried to align on how to operate once the overall composition was set. As a team, we are pursuing organic communication between the jungle, Supporter, and mid lane, as they can exert significant influence on other lanes. We are continuing to practice with a focus on that.

Q. What did you identify as the key to defeating Kiwoom DRX today?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = Based on the KeSPA Cup, Kiwoom DRX played a lot of top-side focused games, and I thought they were quite good at it in their winning matches. So, we focused on that to ensure we didn't miss their movements. I think our players did a good job of setting the game's direction by defending when they needed to and then creating our own windows to attack.

I understand this is Nongshim's first win against Kiwoom DRX. Many people objectively consider Nongshim to have a stronger roster, so I'd like to ask why you struggled against them previously and what changes you made ahead of today's match.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = We showed weakness and lost to many other teams, not just Kiwoom DRX. I believe the common denominator was that our team's overall strength was lacking. There were moments when I thought the meta didn't suit us, but I don't think the meta has shifted drastically even now. So, during the break, we worked together to raise our baseline performance so that we could adapt to any meta. I think that helped us improve our form a bit.

Q. Your next match is against BNK FEARX on August 1st. Please share your resolve for that game.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = There aren't many matches left in the LCK Rounds 3 and 4, so we will strive to win every single game.

'Sponge': I will prepare well for the next match and do my best to win.