League of Legends superteam T1 has finally returned with a dense 10-man roster for the 2021 LCK Spring Split. Even though Lee “Faker “Sang-hyeok has been labeled as the outstanding poster boy of the team, T1 has since recruited a young, bright-eyed battalion who are ready to conquer the league once again.

T1 had a bittersweet finish to their 2020 season. Despite winning the Spring Split with flying colors, Faker and the boys fell flat in Summer against teams like DWG KIA and Gen.G. During the LCK Regional Finals, the team had one last chance to qualify for Worlds, but failed to claim the third and final seed.

“We just got lost around the summer season,” said T1 jungler Moon “Cuzz” Woo-chan. “Everyone was down and it was difficult to practice.”

The 2021 introductory video showcased the entire ten-man T1 roster, and gave some fans some more insight on what’s really happening with the team. Faker and Park “Teddy” Jin-seong might be seen as the franchise players, but in this video, we’re finally able to see the various faces that make up the Korean squad.

T1 recently fielded a younger squad with the likes of Choi “Ellim” El-lim, Lee “Clozer” Ju-hyeon, and Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong along with new T1 support Ryu “Keria” Min-seok. Despite being less experienced, the team was able to bring home a 2-1 win against a refreshed Hanwha Life Esports.

Now sporting a mix of phenomenal rookies and the league’s best veterans, T1 is here to welcome a new generation in the more competitive league.

“With how many young players we have, I think we have a very friendly atmosphere, and it’s nice to see,” said Faker. “There are a lot more weirdos on the team so we’re all a little hyped up.”

Clozer, Ellim, and Gumayusi have had their fair share of LCK appearances as substitutes in previous years. The three will be joined by former Academy teammates Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon and Choi “Zeus” Woo-je.

'There are a lot more weirdos in T1' says Faker — Credit: T1

While Oner might just be a rookie, expectations are running high for the third T1 jungler. With both Cuzz and Ellim being the preferred and more experienced picks, Oner’s looking to practice his hardest so he doesn’t fall behind.

With the team stacking on all roles except support, the younger players are definitely feeling the pressure. Now that Clozer is the team’s second mid laner, he stated that the presence of Faker is one of good influence, keeping him in check with his motivation and practice.

When asked about the coaches, the players found hope in the ex-DWG coaching duo of Lee “Zefa” Jae-min and Yang “Daeny” Dae-in. As Zefa was a former T1 coach, his return after winning Worlds 2020 was a definite win for Faker.

“Coach Zefa is always very proactive about the game and that hasn’t changed,” stated Faker. “Coach Daeny is also very passionate about the game and he’s always trying new things with the players to find new directions of play.”

Showcasing a new and improved line-up, T1 is more than confident to dominate the 2021 Spring Split. Though the Korean league is known to have slower-paced gameplay and longer matches, Cuzz and Gumayusi were quick to point out that T1 2021 is way more aggressive.

As for Faker, he sees this season as a well-needed restart for T1 that will help bring T1 back to the top.

“As the new franchise system has been implemented, there are a lot of new teams, and we also have a lot of new players, so I’m looking at this year like it’s a fresh start,” concluded Faker. “Most importantly, I hope we win a lot.”

T1 will face rivals Gen.G on January 21 for Week 2 of the 2021 LCK Spring Split.

‘There are a lot more weirdos in T1’ says Faker