If you were to ask us who had been the most impressive Korean import in the NA LCS this season, We have to say that I'm most impressed with Sangwook "Ryu" Ryu and Donghyun "Arrow" Noh; both in Phoenix1 as the mid laner and AD carry respectively.



After 2 years in Europe with H2K, Ryu moved to NA LCS with P1. Arrow joined Ryu in P1 after leaving KT Rolster. The two managed to place the team in 3rd place after playoffs during their first split with the team. In fact, Arrow was so impressive that he managed to get the Split MVP even without his team being placed first in the split.



We visited P1 Team House in Los Angeles to meet the two Korean players and hear what they have to say. How were they successful in NA LCS? Who is the Best Mid NA in Ryu's eyes? What does Arrow think about Xayah? Why is Rengar so cute? We asked everything and they answered everything. Let's dive in.







Inven: Long time no see! We haven't seen you guys in P1 House before. Please introduce yourself to your fans.

Arrow: Well, uh... Hello, I'm Arrow, and I'm doing great in the States. (Pause) Would this work? And, uh, I'm doing my best to gain weight.

Ryu: Geez, what should I say?

Arrow: Just say that you are still dying every 5 seconds.

Ryu: Hello, this is Ryu, and I'm still dying every 5 seconds. Please stop watching that game.



Inven: Now that the Spring Split is over, are you content with how you did this split?

Arrow: More than I thought. My goal was to at least make it to playoffs and possibly finals if we get a chance. Still, I'm content with placing third in my first split. I've got the split MVP too.

Ryu: My first goal was just to get to the playoffs. I was satisfied with how I did at first, but after losing in semis...It was more disappointing than I thought.



Inven: What's living abroad like? Any difficulties?

Arrow: Difficulties...I don't know what to say. There were things that I needed to get used to, like having to talk with foreigners. Despite the cultural difference though, living with your teammates were not much different from Korean teammates.

I don't think it was that difficult. I did have some trouble with English at first...but it didn't take long before I got used to it.





Inven: Are there things that you haven't got used to yet?

Arrow: None that I can think of.

Ryu: I've been in Europe for 2 years, so it was pretty much the same. It's certainly better here since the meals are better, and we have a Korean chef and coach.



Inven: Are there any other differences compared to Europe?

Ryu: We didn't have a team car in Europe, so we had to take Uber. Also, my teammates didn't like to leave the team house. In here, our manager takes us everywhere that we want to go.



Inven: Then did you mostly stay inside while you were in Europe?

Ryu: Well, In the weekends, I just went...

Arrow: went where?

Ryu: to Casino.

Inven: (Laughs) You sure know how to work hard and play hard.

Arrow: Don't tell me you blew through a month's worth of salary.

Ryu: I have a good self-control as long as it doesn't have to do with eating. I never got addicted to anything other than eating.

Arrow: It's a good thing that drugs are taken instead of eaten...





▲ Do dive, Arrow!

Inven: Why did you dive into the pool?

Arrow: That pool used to be dirty. Then in that fine day, our caretaker cleaned the pool up, so it looked really tempting. Also, was that the day that we lost all the scrims?

Ryu: We lost the match the day before.

Arrow: Yeah, we lost a match, I had nothing to do, the weather was fine and the water looked so clean... So I just dived in. It was colder than I thought.



Inven: Did you do some sightseeing while you were here?

Arrow: We've been here for four months now, but we were holed up most of the time. We did go to Koreatown and Six Flags.

Ryu: Sounds about right.

Inven: What is Six Flags?

Arrow: It's an amusement park with too many roller coasters.

Inven: Is that the place with the scariest roller coaster in the world?

Arrow: Do you know what it's called? I don't think we've tried that. We wanted to try an easy ride, but turns out that we were queued up for a ride that you ride upside-down. We almost died that day.

Ryu: they told us that it was an easy one. We were fooled.



Inven: What did you do in Koreatown?

Arrow: Nothing special. We had some Korean food and went to noraebang to sing.

Inven: Did everyone go to the noraebang together? Who was the best singer?

Arrow: Yep. We've all went there once.

Ryu: We were all terrible singers.

Arrow: I just sang the one that I could sing well. It's a bit embarrassing to sing something that I can't sing...

Ryu: I just looked at the popular song list and pick a song from there. I get stuck if the list outdated or missing.

Arrow: I remember Stunt singing both Chinese and English songs.

Ryu: I don't think they liked noraebang though.

Arrow: Other than that...midnight snacks?

Ryu: We just ate and ate.

Arrow: We often go out for an exercise at eight, but there's a fast food joint within 15 minutes of walking. So we just kinda sit in there. We went to a pizza parlor once too. However, I'm actually putting in more effort now - I didn't skip exercise for 5 days now.



Inven: Why are you putting in more effort on exercises now?

Ryu: Well, my body was getting strained so much that I thought I could die from it. In Europe, I could at least maintain my bodyweight, but in the States, I became too fat.

Inven: Did you put on a lot of weight?

Ryu: Yep, but the exact amount is secret.

Arrow: Secret? I gained 7 kg.

Ryu: Fine. I gained 10 kg. It's crazy. Everyone is gaining weight.

Arrow: P1 feeds us too well. You know one of those chicken wings? Guess how many chicken wings we eat when there are four of us.

Inven: Chicken wings? For four? 20?

Arrow: 20? (Laughs) Come on, that's not even worth a snack.

Inven: 60?

Arrow: Close enough. We ordered 80, and we ate them all. They weren't enough, actually.

Inven: So that's like 10 chickens losing their wings per person...

Ryu: Though, I've been controlling myself after I started to exercise regularly.





Arrow: I want to go to Hollywood if we have time.

Ryu: Well, I'm content with just seeing that Hollywood sign as we pass through the area.

Inven: It would be nice if you could try putting your hands on one of those handprints.

Ryu: Oh yeah. I saw that in a Korean variety show.

Arrow: There's a KPOP concert called KCON coming up in LA, so I want to go there if we have time. I really want to see TWICE.

Inven: Seriously? Is TWICE coming?

Arrow: Dunno. Maybe one day.



Inven: Are there any players that you feel particularly friendly with?

Ryu: Our top laner, Derek "zig" Shao is really...pure. Pure and kind hearted.

Arrow: I mean, I'm sitting literally three steps away from water, but I have to say "Derek, water!' He would be like "ARGH" but he still gives me a glass of water anyways. To be fair, he does sit closest to the faucet...

Ryu: He is just sitting at the wrong spot. I thought he was scary at first. His hair makes him look like a warrior too.



Inven: Then what about the player that you felt most menacing at first?

Ryu: Well, Zig again. He is the tallest, and his haircut gives out that vibe.

Arrow: Rami "Inori" Charagh used to grow a beard, and he really looked different with the beard. His beard grows back really quickly too. It was astonishing.





▲ zig is nice once you get to know him.

Inven: Both Ryu and Arrow are often considered as the best English speakers among non-native Korean players. How did you learn to speak English?

Sophie (P1's English teacher): I've met Arrow while he was still in Korea, and he talked to me in English from the start. Arrow enjoys speaking English a lot. Usually non-native speakers are afraid of speaking English incorrectly, but Arrow isn't like that at all.

Arrow: (Gloats)

Inven: Kinda like Changsuk "GBM" Lee?

Sophie: Sure. That might be why he is learning fast.

Arrow: I'm actually more amazed at Ryu. I studied quite hard at school, so I knew some English beforehand. However, I'm pretty sure Ryu didn't study anything while he was at Europe.

Ryu: (Laughs)

Arrow: So, that means his English was just built up naturally from his two years in Europe. It's more astonishing. He doesn't know how to explain sentence structures and grammar, but he can speak English pretty well too.

Sophie: It feels like he is an Korean-American. He looks natural.

Inven: Is that true, Ryu?

Ryu: Well... it's actually a hit-and-miss.



Inven: Then I guess it must be easy for you communicate in English.

Ryu: Kind of. It's sometimes hard to explain in detail.

Arrow: There are some Korean phrases often used in a game that can be translated differently depending on the situation. I have to explain in detail for those phrases.





Inven: How much can you explain in English? There are situations when you need to explain in detail.

Ryu: I do explain in detail, but they are sometimes understood differently. Being able to communicate is one thing, but fully understanding the. Though, I can't deny that there are times when I cannot explain things in detail only because I have to speak in English.

Inven: So players in NA act differently compared to those in Korea?

Ryu: That's right. I have to explain longer in English than in Korean. I think using Korean is easier for communicating strategies in game.

There's this phrase "각이야!" - "Gak-iya!" - in Korean. (Note: It's the same word that Faker used, often translated to "I got him") That phrase not only involves the person saying it, but his teammates too as they will check whether it's really safe for the player to go for the kill and whether they'll need to help the player.

Here in States, I just say "I can kill him!"; this results in my teammates understanding it as me being able to get a solo kill without any help or backup. There are many implicit meanings behind Korean phrases, so that might be why Korean teams are better at making plays.



Inven: How's playing LoL in NA server like?

Arrow: Matchmaking is terrible. In KR server, the lowest rank that I've seen as a Challenger in a match was someone on D1 promotion series. But in NA, not only I've seen D5 but even someone on P1 promotion series.

Inven: I wonder how they feel about it.

Arrow: (Laughs) They take it pretty well, saying things like "LOL", "Are you a pro for real?". But I guess they must be annoyed too. It's shouldn't be fun getting matched against someone in a few leagues above you.

Ryu: It can get pretty annoying if those people start being toxic.



Inven: Now that you've played against different players on your lane, who do you think was the most challenging to play against?

Ryu: C9 Jensen and TSM Bjergsen. They are just good. Their micro is good and their teamplay is good. Also, you know how they both come from Europe? Speaking as someone who used to play in EU, I think mid laners from EU are pretty good - Especially Danish mid laners who are very good at being aggressive.

Inven: Then what about ADC?

Arrow: To be a good ADC, you just have to make no mistakes while catching the enemy's mistakes. Wildturtle is really good at catching mistakes while not making his own mistakes.

Sneaky is also pretty good, but I think Wildturtle is better. I think C9's bot lane works because Smoothie can cover for Sneaky's weakness. Other teams are really dependent on champions.



Inven: TSM's Hauntzer mentioned how Korean top laners in NA LCS are not as good as people think they are. What are your thoughts on his comment?

Arrow: I think it has to do with communications. Top laners have to play well with the jungler and use Teleport well. Micro is important too, but it only gets you so far if you communication isn't up to par. I'd say that Korean players are better at micro, but Hauntzer is not only good at micro but also at communicating with NA teammates. I think things might change when Korean players start to communicate better in English.

Ryu: I agree with Arrow. Of course, we have to keep in mind that TSM is a strong team overall.



Inven: What are your thoughts on Xayah and Rakan?

Arrow: I don't think Rakan is good. He is squishier than I thought, and his abilities are awkward too. His abilities may look good, but they aren't that great because they are too easy to avoid. His ultimate does look okay, but what happens usually is that Rakan would die trying to close the gap before touching an enemy. I think you'll need to Flash in to use it well.

Xayah looks decent, but she'll need to have her ultimate buffed a bit. It feels like the cooldown is too long. I do expect to see her soon in a match somewhere, however.

Inven: Then what about the synergy between Rakan and Xayah?

Arrow: Um...recalling? I hardly got a chance to see them play together.

Ryu: In my opinion, champions with good mobility and are annoying to play against are often overpowered. Like Ahri, LeBlanc and Kassadin. Rakan seems decent. I've played against Rakan a few times and I got killed against him a few times. He is hard to kill in return too. Xayah looks good as well.





Inven: Are there any surprising picks that you expect to see in MSI?

Arrow: Galio?

Ryu: Top Galio, Mid Galio...Kassadin might get picked too. Wait, he might have already been picked...Orianna could appear too. Splitpushers like Kass and LB can work too.



Inven: Korean teams often dominate international tournaments. What would EU and NA teams need to improve in order to have defeat the Korean teams?

Ryu: I think Korean teams are often better prepared compared to other teams. You know, like in drafts. That's the main reason in my opinion. It's not just about coaches, but players also need to have deeper champion pool.

Inven: Are champion pools that different?

Ryu: By far. As far as I can see, Korean players can pull their own weight with any champions.

Arrow: Korean players can play adequately with any champions, but players here won't even think about champions that they don't feel right.



Inven: It's hard to see Ivern in LCK, but he is pretty popular in NA LCS. Do you have any idea why?

Arrow: I don't know. I think Ivern is pretty good. Didn't he appear once in LCK? It might be because Ivern isn't too good at jungle skirmishes.

Ryu: I think his shielding is pretty good, as long as you don't fall behind from in the early game.

Arrow: I'm pretty sure Korean teams have tested Ivern a lot in scrims, but they must have thought of him to be not good enough.

Ryu: It could be that Daisy is focused down too easily in Korea.

Arrow: In NA, Daisy survives for a long time in a teamfight. I don't think Ivern will work against Korean teams who'll just focus down Daisy as soon as she appears.

Inven: Then do you think there is a chance for Korean teams to have difficulty against Ivern?

Arrow: He is really good when you use him to his fullest. His jungling routes are impossible to predict.

Ryu: Ivern's shield is really annoying. He even builds into supporting items, so it's hard to kill him. He goes well with champions with strong laning.







Inven: Arrow recently did an AMA on Reddit. How did you come to do it?

Arrow: They asked me whether I wanted to do an AMA on Reddit a week before, so I just did it. I replied all by myself, so I couldn't answer all of the questions, but I really tried my best. It was fun.

Inven: What about you, Ryu?

Ryu: Maybe next week? They asked me to do it, but I didn't answer yet.

Inven: What questions do you expect?

Ryu: Well, Zed? (Laughs) "How do you feel about dying every 5 seconds?"

Inven: Do you die every 5 seconds even in NA?

Ryu: I get surprised when I see it from time to time in highlight reels.

Inven: Have you thought about the answer as well?

Ryu: I'll just say no comment. (Laughs)



Inven: How much support does P1 give to the Korean players?

Arrow: Food is great, thanks to our cook; we have an English teacher; our translator knows a lot about LoL. Everything is great. They even got us a cat when we asked for one.

Ryu: I really wanted a cat.

Inven: What's his name?

Ryu: Rengar. It was chosen after a vote. He is super cute. I often see him sleeping next to me when I wake up in the morning.





▲ Ryu's favorite jungler cat, Rengar.



Inven: When will you visit Korea next time?

Ryu: After the Summer Split.



Inven: Thank you very much. We'll wrap this up with a final comment from you guys. Fire away!

Arrow: Thank you for reading this far! I want to thank my fans for cheering for me, and remember to say that #YouAreMyMVP. I'll do my best to get another MVP in Summer and continue doing well until the end of time. Thank you!

Ryu: Why do we have to do this again? (Laughs) First, thank you for cheering for me, and I hope that we'll see you in the Worlds!