Lee Sin master InSec officially retires from pro League of Legends

Olivia Richman Published 09/03/2019

Although Choi “InSec” In-seok is sad about his retirement from League of Legends, he ends his career knowing he made an impact not only on his fans, but on the very game he played.

InSec is known for his innovative mastery of jungle champion Lee Sin. InSec became so associated with the champion that there is an in-game strategy named after him: The InSec Kick. It’s a move that uses Lee Sin’s mobility and Dragon’s Rage ability to kick an enemy into his teammates’ waiting arms.

Reddit users mourned the legend’s retirement, but also recalled his genius play style. It was agreed that, even for those who never played Lee Sin, InSec had defined the champion’s role in the game.

InSec’s retirement came as a shock and disappointment to not only the League of Legends community, but also to InSec himself. He recently stated in a revealing interview that he wanted to continue his pro gaming career in South Korea, especially after playing in the KeSPA Cup 2018 with Winners, but mandatory military service in Korea cut his dreams short.

“Of course, I feel regretful about this. I still feel sorry about having to make this decision solely due to the circumstances rather than by my own will,” InSec said.

The 25-year-old had a long career in pro League of Legends, having started playing for CJ Entus in 2012. After leaving CJ Entus, InSec had three goals for himself as a pro: Win against his former team, make it to Worlds, and win the LCK. InSec was able to complete the first two goals, but never quite made it to the third, making his retirement all the more painful for him.

InSec moved to Europe in 2018 to play for Origen. While it was a chance to further his pro career, the move was soured by his father falling ill with cancer around the same time. His father gave him permission to go to Europe, and InSec made the difficult decision to chase his dream.

InSec’s father passed away on May 1, the same day that InSec was supposed to arrive back home to visit him. The airline had made a mistake, forcing InSec to take a flight the following day. This situation filled InSec with an unbearable guilt.

“I felt immensely guilty about not staying at his side, at his deathbed. I thought that this came to be because of my own greed. After that, I couldn’t bear to look at League of Legends at all. After his funeral, I literally did nothing but stay in my room,” InSec said.

InSec did resume his career temporarily, but will now step away for good.

While the road to becoming a pro was full of hardship for InSec, it was also where he solidified himself as an exceptional player with an eye for uncommon strategies. He will now be focusing on streaming on KakaoTV.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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