Nongshim RedForce defeated BNK FEARX 2-0 in the second round of the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) regular season, held at LoL PARK in Jongno on the 16th. Although they started both sets in a favorable position, they once again exposed their inability to convert leads into victories, ultimately resulting in a loss. With today's result, Nongshim RedForce has now recorded eight consecutive losses.

The following is the full transcript of the post-match interview with Head Coach Choi In-kyu and player 'Scout' Lee Ye-chan.

Q. What is your overall assessment of today's match?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = In Game 1, we felt the opponent had better scaling in the early-to-mid game, so we needed to maintain initiative and snowball. We failed to execute our roles properly during dragon fights and skirmishes, which led to a disappointing loss. In Game 2, we hoped to capitalize on an unfamiliar bot lane matchup, but the early laning phase didn't go as planned. From the third dragon fight onward, we set up our teamfights poorly and lost.

'Scout': Simply put, we had too many shortcomings in every phase—early, mid, and late—across both games. Those issues make it very difficult to win.

Q. There were high expectations following the signing of 'Scout', but the team is currently in a crisis. Even the casters pointed out a lack of synergy. How do you diagnose the team's current state?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = The current meta revolves around gaining bot lane priority to secure a laning advantage, with the jungle and mid lane capitalizing on that. Even when we had advantages in the bot lane, we failed to capitalize on them, showing a lack of adaptation to the meta. That is likely why the games felt frustrating to watch, regardless of whether we were ahead or behind.

Q. You've taken measures such as trading the ADC and swapping the support, but it hasn't led to wins.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = Ultimately, as the losses have piled up, I believe we have failed to find and prove our winning formula in the current meta.

Q. What are your plans for the support position moving forward.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = That is a matter for the team to decide internally, so it is difficult to comment on it at this stage.

Q. Executing a bot lane trade during the season is a high-risk move. What was the background behind that decision?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = While I cannot go into every detail, we determined that before the trade, we lacked a lane capable of decisively closing out games. We often led in the early-to-mid game only to lose steam and fall behind in the mid-to-late game, and the team morale was low. At the time, I believed that was the right choice to turn the atmosphere around.

Q. Do you see a possibility of normalizing the team by the second half of the season or the Worlds qualifiers?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = Although we lost today, I saw potential when we ran scrims with the new roster. I am confident that we will bounce back and show a much better performance by the end of the season.

Q. You mentioned that the teamfight setup for the third dragon in Game 2 was disappointing. How should it have been handled to gain an advantage?

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = While I have only reviewed the game briefly, we should have either created a mid-lane standoff using the range of Kog'Maw and Lulu or forced the opponent into a rushed play near the dragon to counter their engage. Instead, the third dragon fight was indecisive, and we gave the opponent too good a position and situation, which is the most regrettable part.

Q. As a veteran, the team's 8-game losing streak must weigh heavily on you. What problems do you want to point out to your younger teammates, and what direction should the team take?

'Scout': I've been through many difficult times in my pro career, and I've always made it a point to identify individual issues and provide frequent feedback. I can still see the individual problems, and I keep bringing them up. The players receiving the feedback are aware of them, but the issue is that it isn't being executed well in-game. They need time to realize it themselves and put it into practice.

Q. Lastly, a word for the fans who are supporting you.

Head Coach Choi In-kyu = I am sorry for disappointing the fans with a 8-game losing streak. We will regroup and return to ensure we bounce back in the next match.

'Scout': The situation is very difficult due to the losing streak, but playing today, I felt that the team's direction finally started to align. I saw potential, so I feel more hopeful than before. Ultimately, the one who wins at the end on the big stages—like the playoffs or qualifiers—is the true winner, so I will focus on that and work to improve our performance.