The time when KT was the great rival of T1 in LCK is now enough far. Since the emergence of new powers, such as the DAMWON, SANDBOX and the old Griffins, the KTs have struggled to retain their aura. While Gen.G. managed to hang on, and even to regain its place as the dominant team, the KT team gradually stuck in the middle of the table. The 2022 season shows this quite well, with a seventh place in the regular season at the Spring Splitand an fifth place at the Summer, KT was no longer really playing the first places. However, this could well change in 2023, thanks to a good start to the transfer window.
It will pass or it will break!
The two new KT players will be Bdd and Kiin. The midlane veteran had the heyday of Longzhu, for Kingzone Dragon X (now DRX), but seems to have lost ground for a few years. If he hasn’t necessarily become bad, new names have established themselves in the LCK, and it’s been a relatively long time since his nickname has been increasingly rare in the top of the best midlaners in South Korea. Recruiting him is not not necessarily the hit of the yearbut it remains far from being a dubious operation.
The true KT masterclass lies in the recruitment of their toplaner: Kiin. It’s been years that Kiin made the heyday of the Freecs (at their level), and if the team has not sunk in LCK it is partly thanks to him. It is in particular him who started to popularize Aatrox on the toplane, a few years ago. It may be the player most seen joining a “SuperTeam”but if the mayonnaise takes with the other players, KT could well play the spoilsports in 2023.
KT, a real threat?
For the moment, the KT team is composed of: Kiin (top lane), Cuzz (jungle), Bdd (mid lane) and Aiming (ADC). It still lacks support, but big names are free agent: BeryL, Effort or even Lehends to recite nobody else but them. KT could therefore put together a team of veterans, who are all able to stand up to the best playerswithout necessarily being the big threats of the LCK (Kiin aside and again, this can be debated).
Even if a big name was recruited in support, it would not not necessarily from KT one of the favorites of the LCK, especially when you see the recruitment of teams like DAMWON, or the fact that T1 retains its players. But on the other hand, see the KT on the podium with their current composition would be unexpected but not surprising.