T1 benches Faker and Teddy on LCK 2021 debut
T1 debuted with a victory in the 2021 LCK Spring split, but there were some big names missing from the starting lineup.
T1 took everyone by surprise on day one of the 2021 LCK when the team decided to bench jungler Moon “Cuzz” Woo-chan, ADC Park “Teddy” Jin-seong, and mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. Instead, the team went with rookies Choi “Ellim” El-lim, Lee “Clozer” Ju-hyeon, and Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong.
Ellin, Clozer, Gumayusi, and top laner Kim “Canna” Chang-dong started as T1 trainees and all fought their way to the starting roster. The average age for this iteration of T1 is just 18 years old.
The strategy paid off and T1 started its spring run with a victory over Hanwha Life Esports. The organization didn’t explain the reasoning behind the decision or gave any indication of whether or not Cuzz, Fake, and Teddy will be back.
In the match against Hanwha, the rookies shined, especially Clozer who had to face star player Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon in the mid lane. At times, T1 players were in control of the situation, making the right plays and moves on the map.
It’s unclear if T1 plans to roll with this roster for the remaining of the split or if it will be rotating players. T1’s next opponent is current world champion DWG Kia, so the rookies will get a chance to show what they’re made of.
What happened to Faker?
It’s not the first time that Faker has been benched by T1 and it probably won’t be the last as long as Clozer continues to perform. Despite being a part-owner of T1, Faker’s spot in the starting roster is not guaranteed. However, it doesn’t mean Faker will be retiring any time soon. Faker said several times that he will continue to play for as long as he can. Once he decides to retire, Faker will continue to work with T1.
T1 might still go for a different roster on its match against DWG Kia. The current world champions are a stronger team than Hanwha life and are already the favorites to take the title this season.
Where can I watch LCK 2021?
English speaking fans can watch the LCK 2021 through
LCK’s official Twitch channel.
Does Faker own T1?
In early 2020, T1 granted Faker partial ownership of the organization. Alongside Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg from Team SoloMid, they are the only players to be granted ownership of a team while actively involved in playing for those teams.
What is T1 Academy?
T1 Academy is the secondary T1 team. The T1 Academy roster competes in the LCK Challengers League. The 2020 LCK CL Spring Split starts on January 18.
Read Also
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, ...
League of Legends
Dplus sweeps Karmine Corp to win the 2026 LoL EWC grand final
Hannan Mundia
The League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026 grand final just concluded, where Dplus absolutely swept Karmine Corp to win it all. The League of Legends Esports World Cup may only have been taking place since 2024, but it has already become a key international event for fans and professional players. With a large prize pool and consecutive matches with little delay, fans have a blast seeing their favorite teams ...
Esports Betting
Dplus vs Karmine Corp: Best betting odds, picks for Esports World Cup 2026 grand final
Hannan Mundia
The League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026 grand final matchup has been determined, but which team will come out on top between Dplus and Karmine Corp? While there were multiple favorites going into the LoL EWC 2026, few assumed that Dplus and Karmine Corp would make it to the grand final. Both teams have showcased exceptional growth, but only one team can win the top prize. While Dplus is ...
League of Legends
League of Legends EWC 2026 group stage recap: G2 crash out as T1, Gen.G and HLE advance
Hannan Mundia
The League of Legends EWC group stage just concluded, and here’s a complete summary of everything that transpired in the two extremely eventful days. The League of Legends Esports World Cup is already making waves for all of the right reasons. While it isn’t nearly as long as the game’s esports fans are usually used to seeing, it’s still packed with awesome matches in which the best teams play each ...
