Ex-SKT T1 champion Bang announces retirement from LoL esports

Nicholas James Published 06/12/2021

Bae “Bang” Jun-sik, one of the most decorated players in League of Legends esports, has announced his retirement.

With two World Championships, two Mid Season Invitational titles, and four LCK playoff wins, few players will ever be able to compare to Bang. The veteran marksman player was a crucial part of T1’s resurgence on the international stage and spent time in North America in 2020 before returning to Korea in 2021.

Bang’s retirement means League of Legends losing one of its longest-tenured professional players.

Why is Bang retiring?

Bang appeared on the professional scene in 2013 on Najin Shield, the sister team to Najin Sword. He then spent a split of Champions on Xenics Blast before finding his way to the team that would cement his legacy as one of League of Legends’ titans.

Bang played 659 professional games over the course of his career, winning 61% of his games during that time. He first skyrocketed to success in the era of the classic Korean League of Legends, traditional compositions that choke enemies out on vision around objectives and slowly constrict them out of the game.

Bang was, in many ways, the quintessential AD carry of the age. A consistent, mechanically gifted player who turned stable laning into small advantages that snowballed into the mid-game, becoming a monstrous source of damage.

His most-played champion was Ezreal, followed by Sivir, and Ashe. These are exactly the sort of AD carries that Bang made his name on, consistent damage dealers with a touch of utility on the side. Bang functioned best as the reliable threat augmenting the ever-looming presence of Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok.

He was a part of the 2015 and 2016 World Championship roster, and placed second in the 2017 Worlds finals. During this era, the only marksman who could compare to Bang was Jian “Uzi” Zihao.

Bang’s later years involved time in North America on 100 Thieves, and Evil Geniuses, but neither let him find anything close to what he achieved during his time on T1. Bang announced his retirement today on social media, thanking fans for their support over the years and looking optimistically to the future. Bang’s legacy in League of Legends is well-secured, and he can rest easy as one of greatest names to touch the world’s largest esport.

Nicholas James

About Nicholas James

Nicholas James is a gaming writer with a passion for all things geekdom, as well as live theater. Nicholas is best known for covering League of Legends and other top MOBA titles, but his expertise covers numerous games across multiple genres. When not watching the LCS or playing the latest new release, Nicholas can be found doing some tabletop gaming and painting his favorite miniatures. Nicholas has also published with Hotspawn, TheGamer, Dexerto, Esports.gg and other industry outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

League of Legends

Caps To Be Announced As Third Inductee in the LoL Hall of Legends Hannan Mundia After Faker and Uzi were inducted into the Hall of Legends in 2024 and 2025 respectively, the European League of Legends player Caps will be the next to get the same treatment. League of Legends has been a cornerstone in the professional gaming scene for over a decade. In that time, a handful of players have managed to leave their mark for all future fans and fellow players to learn ...

Esports Betting

MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it Michael Hassall The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the ...

League of Legends

LCK 2026 Rounds 3–4 Preview, Schedule, Predictions, and More Hannan Mundia 2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are slated to start soon, and this preview highlights the schedule, our expert predictions, and everything else you need to know before watching. The LCK has been upside down recently. Teams that were considered absolute powerhouses are seemingly falling off, while previous underdogs have been causing upset after upset. 2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are starting soon, and the big question here is which team will reign ...

League of Legends

LEC 2026 Summer split preview, schedule, predictions, and more Hannan Mundia The 2026 LEC Summer split will be the deciding split to determine which teams can make it to the World Championship, and this preview aims to highlight everything you need to know about it. It isn’t a stretch to say that the LCK and LCP are the only two competitive League of Legends regions actually pulling their weight currently. The LEC did show potential at the start of the year, ...

League of Legends

How is League of Legends Classic different from the modern version? Hannan Mundia League Classic brings the classic League of Legends gameplay and design from when the game first came out, but how is it different from the modern version? The modern League of Legends mode is arguably in its best state in terms of popularity, with a study even reporting that playing LoL can improve brain function. Over a decade of gameplay and multiple marketing tactics by Riot Games have bumped up ...

League of Legends

Best Champions for every role in League of Legends Classic mode Hannan Mundia League Classic sees the return of League of Legends Season 3, but which champions were deemed the best during that time? League of Legends has gone through a lot of changes since it first came out. While the map and item-related changes naturally impacted the game's state, so did the many champion nerfs, buffs, and reworks. Multiple champions played completely differently in Season 3 than they do now. Since League ...

Valorant

OBS Game Capture isn’t working on Valorant and League of Legends? Here’s why and how to fix it Khizar Mundia Several reports suggest that OBS Game Capture is broken, with Valorant and League of Legends streamers only being able to broadcast a black screen. OBS has responded to the issue, confirming that it exists and also provided a way to fix it. Valorant and League of Legends are two of Riot Games’ most popular titles, and they are being streamed on streaming platforms by creators regularly. On July 21, 2026, ...