T1 secured a 2-0 victory against Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) in their home match during the first round of the 2026 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), held at the Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, on the 25th. Although they were pushed by a spirited performance from HLE, 'Keria' Ryu Min-seok, fueled by the home-ground advantage, delivered an outstanding performance to lead his team to victory.

'Keria', who was named Player of the Match (POM), shared his thoughts: "It wasn't an easy match, but the fans' passionate support helped us turn things around. I also won POM both times I played here last year. The Inspire Arena definitely seems to be a place that suits me well."

As 'Keria' noted, it was not an easy match. The first set lasted over 48 minutes, marking the longest game of the season so far. 'Keria' explained, "I don't think we showed what we were capable of in the early stages. Our opponents are a very aggressive team in the early-to-mid game, so we tried to keep adjusting our play to fit the situation."

Recalling the tense final moments before the Nexus fell, he said, "I was defending our base. I heard my teammates' urgent voices, and when I looked at the screen, I realized we were on the verge of a comeback loss. My heart was pounding, but I'm so relieved we managed to close it out."

In the second set, he put on an incredible performance with Morgana, a champion he hadn't played in a long time. "It had been a while, but it's a pick I've always been confident in. I think playing with confidence and having fun led to a lot of great moments," he said with a laugh. "Honestly, I thought the game was over when we got the duo kill in the bottom lane. But as the game went on, there were quite a few chaotic moments, so it was a bit scary until the very end."

Regarding coach Lee Ji-hoon, who will join the team starting in the second round, he said, "He had such great results as a player and as a coach in China, and he has a reputation for being very sharp. Having worked with him, he really is brilliant, and we communicate well, so I'm looking forward to the process ahead."

Finally, 'Keria' expressed his gratitude: "I'm so thankful to the many fans who made the long trip to Yeongjongdo to support us. I'll make sure we win tomorrow's match to repay that support. I'll also do my best to show a great side of myself at the fan meeting after today's match. Thank you."