Dplus KIA secured a 2-1 victory against Hanwha Life Esports in the Legend Group of the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) regular season, Round 3, held at LoL PARK in Jongno on the 30th. After splitting the first two sets, Dplus KIA started the final set at a disadvantage but managed to overcome a gold deficit of over 7,000, once again proving their prowess as EWC champions.

The following is the full interview with 'Smash' Shin Geum-jae, who was named Player of the Match (POM).

Q. The momentum from your EWC victory continued today. How do you feel after defeating Hanwha Life Esports.

'Smash' = First of all, since we were facing MSI champions Hanwha Life in our first match of Round 3, I really wanted to win. I'm even happier that we managed to pull it off after such a tough series.

Q. As you mentioned, Hanwha Life has been looking strong recently, coming off their MSI win. What were you most wary of during your preparation?

'Smash' = We were cautious because Hanwha Life snowballs so quickly if they get an early lead. It was definitely tough once we actually fell behind in-game, but I'm glad we stayed composed and managed to turn it around for the win.

Q. In Game 1, your opponent used Camille, a highly mobile champion, to constantly pressure Dplus KIA early on. It could have been shaky—what kind of communication was happening within the team?

'Smash' = I felt that in terms of pick-ban, the opponent had a composition that needed to be aggressive early. I thought, 'If we don't make any mistakes early and play steadily, we'll be in a good spot,' so I kept Camille's movements in mind throughout the game. The other lanes held their ground well, which allowed us to gain a lot of advantages.

Q. Do you prefer traditional marksman matchups or non-marksman ones?

'Smash' = Personally, I've always liked traditional marksman champions, but with mages running rampant lately, it feels like marksmen have lost a lot of their 'rights' (laughs). In practice, you see all sorts of weird picks, but when it comes to actual tournaments, I find myself sticking to traditional marksmen, so I think it's important to keep practicing them on the side.

Q. So, do you have a variety of non-marksman picks prepared for yourself as well?

'Smash' = I'm practicing a lot of different things, though I don't think it's easy to just pull them out on the tournament stage. Still, I am preparing for various scenarios.

Q. The third set was intense. Hanwha Life had the momentum, but Dplus KIA turned it around after a teamfight and secured Baron.

'Smash' = We had a mishap during the level 1 invade, so it was a really bad start for the bot lane. However, we experienced many such disadvantageous games at the EWC, so everyone kept their cool and played well. Since the game went the distance, we knew anything could happen, and I think we executed that comeback well.

Q. You definitely seem to have developed a winning mentality, and the EWC victory must have had a major impact. How do the players feel about it?

'Smash' = I think we gained a lot of confidence by playing against so many strong teams at the EWC and ultimately winning. It's huge for us to have the confidence that 'we can win tournaments like that.' Also, the experience of coming back from many disadvantageous games in that tournament was a big help today.

Q. Your next match is against Gen.G Esports, which will be held as an LCK Roadshow.

Smash' = Gen.G is a very strong team, but since we were the last ones to beat them, I think we can win the next match as well. My mindset is that if we just play our own game well, we can beat anyone. I'll do my best to ensure we get the win.