It’s that time of year once again. The annual event where the top professional League of Legends teams fight to prove themselves. This is the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds).



For all pro teams worldwide, Worlds is both the ultimate stage and the ultimate goal. The phrase pro players often say is “I want to enter the Worlds”. This ambition brought together 24 teams from all around the world. Among them, there are three teams representing the LCK.



It wasn’t easy, but we were able to meet three coaches from Longzhu Gaming, SKT T1, and Samsung Galaxy, the top teams in the LCK. Though they took some time to consider the offer, they eventually agreed to have an interview when they heard others were joining at the same time. The talk was quite entertaining. As they often see one another, we were able to have conversations with various topics regarding Worlds in the comfortable atmosphere. Let’s have a look at what they think about Worlds this year after the busy Summer Season.



▲ Woobeom “EDGAR” Choi from SSG, Donghun “Hirai” Kang from LG, and Byeonghun “cCarter” Choi from SKT in respective order

Q. We would first like to know how you guys are doing. We have only a few days until Worlds. How have you been?



Hirai: Resting, although we couldn’t rest as much as we expected because of a number of shoots and interviews. We’ll begin practicing properly since we don’t have much time until Worlds.



cCarter: We finished our vacation around early September. We then took part in events that we had a couple of months ago, and we are focusing on practice now.



EDGAR: It seems that we all are in a similar situation. We also took some rest after qualifiers, and then did interviews, events, shoots, and so on. Now, we are scrimming really hard.





Q. How do you feel about participating in Worlds? SKT and SSG have experienced it before, but it’s the first time for Longzhu.



Hirai: First of all, we have high expectations. This stage was our goal after all. It’s a dream come true for us. We do, however, have concerns. Both SSG and SKT are strong teams and have experienced Worlds a number of times, so I would like to ask them for a favor regarding some things that we are concerned about. These two gentlemen here can help me out, although I doubt they would give me advice (laugh). Sharing is caring for us Korean teams, you know.



(laugh) Do you have anything that you could advise on?



EDGAR: It’s us who need advice.



cCarter: We get cursed if we advise the No.1 team (laugh). Like, who do you think you are, advising the No.1? We also learn from Longzhu’s matches every day.



Then, how does SKT T1 feel about this year?



cCarter: We’ve been very apprehensive since the Summer Season Round 2 this year. We even thought that we wouldn’t make it to Worlds. We talked a lot with our members as well, worrying whether it’ll probably be the same as the circumstances in 2014. We were lucky that it turned out alright in the end.



We were desperate last year, and it’s the same for this year as well. Players were desperate, and coaches were even more desperate, because we didn’t want to face the same nightmare we had in 2014.



SSG climbed the ladder by defeating KT twice. The team managed to participate this year again. What determination do you have for entering Worlds?



EDGAR: I think we are not so different from last year. We were in the group of death in the round of 16 last year, and this year is also quite tough. The difference from last year is that the pro teams from other regions became much scarier. That’s what concerns me to some extent.





▲ EDGAR said that this time will be difficult for the team

Q. You mean to say that the quality of participants has increased compared to last year. Do you have any particular participant or player in mind?



Hirai: Although we didn’t compete against all teams, TSM visits South Korea for off-season training every year and we often practise together. And I feel that TSM became much more solid. I realized why they are the best in the NA region. It feels as if the gap is closing every year, and the gap between LCK and other leagues became much narrower than before this year. We shouldn’t make a mistake in the match.



In truth, we didn’t think much about it until the groups were organized. Then, we thought that it was such a relief not being in the same group as TSM. There’s not only Bjergsen, who is always praised for his skills, but Hauntzer is pretty amazing too, and Doublelift has phenomenal damage dealing skill in both the laning phase and teamfights. Biofrost and Svenskeren are also excellent. I was surprised to see the 10k gold difference in the NA Finals. It seems like their 2nd hayday. TSM is one of the teams that we are looking out for the most.



EDGAR: No one in the team is bad, no one. Well, you wouldn’t make it to the No. 1 spot if you have a bad player. There’s no one like that in Longzhu, right?





▲ Of course, Longzhu became No. 1 because they have no bad players

cCarter: Most teams who are No. 1 in their own region seem pretty good. Not only TSM, but G2 also does not receive many compliments in South Korea, but I could see their skills improving when I saw them at MSI. EDG was the same. All three teams from China had close fights, and it is incredible that they have made it out of that intense situation. All the No. 1 teams in the regional leagues are the real deal.



EDGAR: All three Chinese teams are strong. And TSM’s performance would surely threaten Korean teams. The Chinese have their homeground advantage, which is quite scary too. To add more on TSM, I think they would never fail from the round of 16 this year. In terms of players, Uzi, and Zven from G2 stand out in my mind.



Q. Any threatening players from the Korean teams?



EDGAR: Faker, of course. He’s showing his best condition in solo-ranked. The current meta does not favor mid laners influencing the game, but that doesn’t apply to Faker. It makes me wonder how a mid laner can change the game so much. He’s really good, and I think he did really well in the finals as well.



LG’s players are also great; they are the LCK winning team after all. In fact, we are the problem here. Our bot duo is not even on the power ranking, and it’s kind of strange to be 3rd (laugh).



Hirai: As a matter of fact, SKT didn’t have much time to rest until the Summer Season. However, they have always returned to their original condition after the break. The fact that SKT couldn’t rest after all those leagues - the Spring Split, MSI, Rift Rivals, and Summer Season - actually favored us to win the LCK.



But they have rested well now. So… you’ve been to Saipan, right?



cCarter: Yeah, Saipan (laugh).





Hirai: Just by looking at how they are doing in solo-ranked, I can see that their potential has gone up compared to the Summer Season. It’s scary to be honest, because I know that SKT after the break is totally different. Even though SSG didn’t perform as much in the end, they have also shown their potential in the qualifiers. I always think that it would never be strange to see them winning the Worlds. Personally, I do not wish to meet these two teams until we climb up high enough. Foreign teams are scary, but Korean teams are scarier in my opinion.



To be honest, I don’t think it would be bad if these two teams are eliminated. If they drop out in quarter and semifinals… (other coaches laughing) Trust me! We’ll carry!



Well then, is there any player that bothers you from each others’ team?



Hirai: Faker, but SKT’s bot duo is also quite vigorous nowadays. Their skills have been topnotch from the beginning. Even though attention is mainly focused on Faker, I believe that the bot duo will play a big part in the end. SSG’s bot duo is incredibly good too. Though they are not on the power ranking, they always do their job and that’s why the game is favored towards them. CuVee always serves his purpose, and I hope Ambition will be exhausted when we meet (laugh).



cCarter: Both teams are appraised for their skills, but I think they are even better than their appraisals. Their actual skills are even better than expected. And that’s why it’s a bit of a burden to face Korean teams. I hope we avoid them well.



Hirai: I hope we avoid each other well and meet in either the semifinals or finals. It will surely be a close fight if we fight. It will be a matter of who makes a mistake or not, and a bit of luck as well.



cCarter: In terms of players, all of them are really good, but the mid laners on both teams seem to be much better than how the media portrays them. The same goes for Crown, and despite people saying that BDD is out of his league or whatever, he still has the potential to become much better. I admit that Faker is good, but it’s still troublesome to encounter these other players.



Hirai: I think cCarter’s concept today is being humble. He says everyone’s much better than how you see. Is that your concept today? (laugh)



EDGAR: That’s one way of avoiding criticism (laugh).



cCarter: The top and bot of Longzhu have been in the limelight, but BDD is no less than them. SSG’s CuVee is highly appraised, but so is Crown.





▲ cCarter being very "humble" during the interview

Q. You must have been very thorough in selecting your Sixth Man. Can you tell us how you will utilize the Sixth Man?



EDGAR: For us, Ambition and Haru’s playstyles are completely opposite to each other, but they have good synergy in practice at the same time. When one practices hard, the other follows him. The team’s playstyle also changes completely depending on who plays jungler. Haru’s potential is increasing nowadays as well. Haru shows his ability through solo-ranked points. When he reaches the top, he dominates in scrims, and vice versa when his points drop. He was showing off when he reached 1200 points during the Spring Split, but his performance became worse when the points dropped.



On the other hand, LG decided to bring Rascal to the team. Is there any reason for that?



Hirai: First off, I don’t really like this six-man roster. Although the match is run by 5 players, the whole match is made by coaches and other players all working together. But, only 6 players are allowed to join. The most irritating factor is other players’ feeling of deprivation. They would have felt it, and I’m really sorry about that. It’s not that Rascal is superior to other players.



The reason we’re bringing Rascal is not only his potential, but because he’s the one who is dedicated to making a good atmosphere for the team. He was chosen because of his energetic attitude that fills the whole team with vigor. But, I still feel bad about it whenever the topic is brought up. I would definitely bring everyone if I could.



cCarter: I have mentioned it many times before, but I wasn’t going to use the word Sixth Man. It’d be much better to call him one of our teammates instead of a sub player or Sixth Man, just because he does not participate in the match. It’s a bit disappointing that even Riot’s official roster uses the word sub.



We thought so much about the roster, and we didn’t discuss it much with the players because they would feel deprived. The selection process heavily relied on their experience. Of course, there was criticism. Many say that Untara was not selected because he didn’t do well in the finals or whatnot, but players don’t think about it that way at all. The result was made solely based on their experience with major tournaments and other internal factors. It surely is a disappointing matter for others who could not join us.





▲ They don’t like the word Sixth man and sub

Q. Worlds this year will be held in China. Are you worried about food and accommodations?



Hirai: Food is what I’m worried about the most. I tend to be cautious with food, so that players don’t get sick when they eat something.



Speaking of which, we heard that there are players who failed to maintain their health because of food.



Hirai: We are preparing so that we won’t run into any problems, no matter where we have matches.



It must be great for you, having a Chinese staff member.



Hirai: Yes. He prepares as much as possible whenever we request something. We are lucky in that sense.



cCarter: Can we be part of that? (laugh) You helped us a lot last year, and I was hoping if you could help us again this year…



Hirai: And you guys won last year (laugh).



cCarter: Food would be the most difficult thing. Accommodation doesn’t really bother us much, but the food is definitely something we need to worry about. It was a bit troublesome in MSI as well. Players who used to stay in China are alright, but those who are not familiar with Chinese spices seem to worry about it.





Blank would have no problem with that.



cCarter: Yes, Blank even orders what he wants. Faker and Wolf, on the other hand, can’t really stand the spices. Even the pizza we ordered last year had this scent. It was from Pizza Hut though.



Hirai: Even the burgers at Burger King have that scent too. We need to sort out the menu. Making a list of things that players can eat without much problem, for example.



EDGAR: Korean food up there isn’t Korean either.



cCarter: That’s right. We ordered kimchi pork, but it wasn’t what we thought it was supposed to be. The food is localized in China, so their appearance and taste are nothing like what we expect. We are considering various options for food.



Hirai: Eating and sleeping are crucial, you know.



Doesn’t SSG pack a lot of food when they go overseas? Ramen and stuff like that. It seems that SSG needs to be cautious with accommodations too. That includes Crown as well.



EDGAR: Crown is quite sensitive, so we may need to be quite careful about the accommodations. In terms of foods, Ambition is extremely sensitive with spices, so he usually can’t handle it. Food is important. CuVee, on the other hand, eats anything. I should get some advice from Hirai. He is quite knowledgeable about China. It wouldn’t be too bad if I use him in that sense (laugh).



Hirai: First of all, I don’t usually eat Chinese food (laugh).



EDGAR: Well, there’s the answer.



Hirai: I am quite sensitive about accommodations and food as well, so players usually follow my standards. I try it out first and let them eat it if it’s okay to me.





▲ Hirai tries out the food first and then recommends it to players

Q. Let’s change the topic to Worlds. The groups have been confirmed for three teams. Are you satisfied with the current group?



cCarter: EDG’s bot duo was really scary when we met them last year. Not only the bot duo; the mid laner is concerning as well. Scout has been in his best condition. If we watch the Chinese teams’ matches, it is difficult to find a bad one. Scout is really strong if he doesn’t get nervous, and he seems pretty calm this year. Of course, they are not as frightening as last time, but they are still a team to be wary of. I met Cheolroh “NoFe” Jung at the wedding a few days ago, and it’ll be boring when I see him again (laugh).



Hirai: But, you win every time whenever you face the others. Such an attitude (laugh).



LG will face Immortals in Group B. The team with Flame and Ssong.



I am very surprised every time I see Flame showing his excellent skills. But, I still think we will win. Their playstyle is quite similar to ours as well. And, I don’t really know about Gigabyte Marines. They play like they have nothing to lose. We may lose our pace if we stick to our original playstyle. On the other hand, we seem to have a lesser burden compared to the other two teams. They have Chinese teams with them in the same group.



It will be difficult for SSG as well because of G2 and RNG, who both improved dramatically compared to last year. The stage is their homeground too. The whole audience will likely cheer for the Chinese teams, which will be quite stressful too. Well, best of luck!



cCarter: WE must come to Group B…



(laugh)



SSG was placed in the group of death, unfortunately.



EDGAR: This time will be much more difficult than ever before. G2 has improved a lot compared to last year, and RNG has Uzi, who has almost no weakness. It’s hard to win the game when the ADC is bad nowadays, but both Zven of G2 and Uzi of RNG are good. The fights will become more and more difficult. I somehow envy Group B.



Hirai: But, you know, our group has a number of variables such as Immortals and Gigabyte Marines. On the other hand, I think SSG doesn’t seem to lose against RNG or G2.



cCarter: WE in Group B…



Hirai: Isn’t it very likely that WE will be placed in Group B? It’s almost confirmed, I think.



It will be either Fnatic or WE.





▲ cCarter desperately wanting WE to join Group B

Q. Do you have any team in mind from the Play-In stages that might join the same group?



cCarter: Probably C9. I contacted Reapered and asked him to have a drink with me no matter if we meet in the same group or not. But, I think we will meet. C9 would be good, giving us a chance to meet Impact as well.



It will be quite entertaining to see 1907 Fenerbahce in Group B, or have a South Korea-Japan rivalry with a Japanese team.



Hirai: They’d be more than welcome! The Japanese team, welcome! Rampage, welcome! But, I think WE will be the one joining the group. Otherwise, C9. Fnatic is not how they used to be so I don’t really know. Hong Kong Attitude may have a chance.



Everyone thinks Fnatic, C9, and WE are strong participants. SSG’s group will surely become the best group of death with another NA team - C9.



EDGAR: It would be C9 or a team from the Play-In Group D. Well, we are already out of our luck in terms of the group and have given up on it. We just need to do our best.



Hirai: SSG would never lose when you look at their playstyle. They have a steady and solid late management playstyle. I feel that they will still win even in unfavorable circumstances.





▲ We are out of luck anyway

Q. EDGAR mentioned before that a team with a strong ADC is likely to win, and it is probably due to Ardent Censer. Which meta do you think is going to take precedence in Worlds?



Hirai: To be honest, I think Riot intentionally leaves Ardent Censer as it is now. In the end, a team with a good ADC would be able to win even in unfavorable circumstances. On the other hand, the game would end quite quickly if the bot duo collapses. The game will be led by a solid bot duo. All three Korean teams have solid bot duos, so it doesn’t really worry me much. Foreign teams somehow have a gap with their bot duo’s capability, and that’s where the result will be decided. TSM is a dangerous opponent with their bot duo, and same with Chinese teams.



EDGAR: I thought Ardent Censer would get nerfed at some point, but it didn’t.



Hirai: There is a difference of performance between leagues, and I think Ardent Censer is left as it is to make comebacks possible. It’s kind of strange though, as it overturns the tide in a situation where it is not supposed to happen. I think the same will happen in Worlds.



Is there any way to prevent the Ardent Censer strategy?



Hirai: Ban the support champion who uses Ardent Censer.



No, not like that. SKT must have something in mind. Wolf used to use Blitzcrank very aggressively in the past.



cCarter: Just blow the game early.



Hirai: You would lose eventually even if the game drags on.



cCarter: Even when you watch Challengers, everyone just goes for Ardent Censer and ADCs bring Doran’s Shield. The game seems to not be entertaining anymore with Supports always going for Ardent Censer first.





▲ Strong ADCs would bring victory to the team

Q. What do the players think about the groups?



EDGAR: All of us think that it will be difficult. But, the bot duo is always confident, so I don’t worry too much about it. They even said that they want to face the team with a strong bot duo. It feels good to hear that as a coach, because it’s concerning to see players depressed. To be honest, I believe that our bot duo is the best in the world, even though they are not on the power ranking.



Hirai: I think of SSG very highly too. They have proven themselves in qualifiers as well. But, it’s strange that they are usually underestimated even if they do really well. The reason why they do not seem to lose in the Group Stage is because they usually do well.



EDGAR: Our bot duo’s condition is very good right now. Better than ever. All they need to do is avoid making mistakes. Everyone admits that our group is deadly. You can already guess which team will make it in a couple of groups, but ours cannot be predicted like that, which will make the games more entertaining to watch.



When we talk about confidence, we shouldn’t exclude Longzhu. Bdd, Khan, and Cuzz seem to be more than confident.



Hirai: Yes, confidence without any grounds (laugh). They think that they will win thanks to how the groups have been organized, but they do feel pressured to win no matter what at the same time. The key is going to be how we handle this pressure, especially for Bdd and Khan. They will need to control their pace.



EDGAR: Gigabyte Marines seems to like fighting so much when I watch their matches.



Hirai: Exactly. I am worried that we might lose our pace to them because they like engagement as much as we do.



cCarter: We had a bit of pressure last year, with the scrim leak being one of the reasons for that. But, it’s not as bad this year. It doesn’t mean that we have no pressure at all, but it seems that players are not really as pressured.



Hirai: These two guys already have experience with international leagues, and we always watched it on TV. I think that’s why we are more pressured than ever, which will probably make us overreact.



EDGAR: I believe that this year will be the most exhausting year ever. There’s a chance that the finals will not be exclusive to Korean teams anymore.





▲ The gap between Korean teams and others is almost closed

Q. Is there any match that you would like to watch the most? Among the best of 5 matches, that is.



cCarter: G2 vs TSM without a doubt. Three Chinese teams and Korean teams in addition to that. We once fought with the Chinese team in MSI, and the atmosphere was just incredible. People were roaring when even a single ward got destroyed.



Hirai: Although it’s not too probable, I wish that 4 teams from each region make it to the semifinals. This will be both entertaining and beneficial for promotion as well.



EDGAR: The finals between SKT and a Chinese team. It would be fun to watch it, as if it’s a follow-up match to Rift Rivals. Chinese teams have enough motivation to win against SKT, and this would make the match very entertaining for viewers.



Q. Speaking of fun to watch, we forget about the matches of the NA and EU. Who do you think is the strongest out of all NA and EU participants?



EDGAR: TSM in NA. No doubt.



Hirai: To be honest, they are somewhat superior to G2.



EDGAR: G2 is the team with surprises, after all.



Hirai: It’s true that G2 is not doing that well in global leagues, but they’re not showing their full potential right now. Even so, I still think TSM is stronger.



Two coaches voted for the NA. What about you, cCarter?



EDGAR: That’s only for the No. 1 spot.



cCarter: Objectively speaking, TSM. It has to be TSM. I can almost assure it. TSM’s potential is gradually surpassing other NA and EU teams. Comparisons to G2 aside, TSM is on top of the other 5 participants from the NA and EU. They are no less skilled than any of the best Korean or Chinese teams.



Hirai: Hauntzer nails it all the time. You instantly realize why he’s the best top player in NA. His plays just give me chills everytime I watch. The jungler’s movement is also impeccable, making me wonder how the coach makes a call for his move. Bjergsen is by far the best without a doubt. Doublelift is also excellent in teamfights, and I’ve been watching Biofrost since before he joined the team, and he has improved so much.



cCarter: Doublelift will do just fine as long as he doesn’t throw or attempt an unreasonable play.



Hirai: He used to sometimes make an irrational play, but it looks like he is controlling it now. He will be alright unless he plays too recklessly.



cCarter: A couple of questionable calls happened last year as well. But, they will be one of the scariest teams without these mistakes.





▲ All three coaches voted for TSM

Q. You’ve been talking about various teams until now. We would like to hear good things about your own team as well.



Hirai: Cuzz started his career last year and entered the Summer Season without enough scrims. He would probably be the one who started his career in the worst condition among all participating players. Even so, he has improved so much in a single season. He is still improving regardless of the ranking. I believe that he will become an excellent player with a bit more effort. Bdd is okay as long as he doesn’t overreact. For Khan, people say that he’s not good with tanks, but his plays with tanks are just a bit worse than with damage dealers; that does not mean that he’s as bad with tanks as everyone imagines. Of course, he may need to prepare a couple of surprise picks and counters. There’s nothing to point out about the bot duo. They are just doing fine. GorillA has improved quite a lot from last year, and is in his best condition as the No. 1 support.



cCarter: I personally don’t care about the power ranking, but players seem to be somewhat concerned about it. Faker would be one of them. He’s very ambitious, and I believe that drives him to maintain his potential. He also put a lot of effort in the power ranking last year, and was motivated by it. We can probably call ourselves “SKT’s TSM”. Although it may sound like a joke, what I feel is amazing about TSM is their steady maintenance of their skills. We are doing the same thing, and that’s what makes me so proud of the team. People often say that we have become slack and are not practicing as much as we used to, but we keep practicing internally. It’s not an easy job, but I appreciate players who continue to follow us with that.



EDGAR: Our strength is teamwork. If you have a look at the power ranking distribution, you would realize that SSG is not placed No. 3 in the LCK. I believe that our excellent teamwork led us to become the No. 3. The amount of practice for each player is immense, and the bot duo is doing really good nowadays. Good enough for us to have high expectations. What’s great is that their determination is brilliant. To be honest, they can simply ignore the coach’s words, and yet they have strong determination and do the feedback process really quickly. I always emphasize teamwork, and they have been keeping with my advice so far. This is our strength.





▲ Hirai showing his strong affection for the team

Q. Don’t you coaches also have ways to prevent a jinx right before major leagues? I heard that LG started performing well since Hirai lifted his fringe.



Hirai: Actually, I cut my hair pretty bad. That’s why I had to lift the fringe, and we strangely started performing really well and winning games. That’s why I started to keep my fringe lifted up. It’s a kind of like a good luck charm.



cCarter: I used to do many things to prevent jinxes before, but there’s no more left. There are still a couple of things that bother me, but there’s no mandatory behavior that I must do. Well, I had so many weird anti-jinx rituals really - which foot to step on the ground first in the morning, and which sock to wear first…





▲ So many jinx prevention habits came and went away

EDGAR: You can just make it up whenever you feel the need (laugh).



Hirai: I also have those small rituals. As long as they are not tough things to keep, it makes you feel good when you do them, you know.



EDGAR: I broke a lot in the past. There’s only one left that hasn’t been broken until now, and it’s been a year so far.



Hirai: Wow! Can you tell us what it is?



EDGAR: No, unfortunately. I can’t reveal this as it is related to another person.



Q. This will be the last question. Your goal is to win, of course. Would you tell us about your plans and determination for Worlds?



EDGAR: First off, the goal is to do our job without any regret. We climbed and fell so many times during the season, and after we hit the bottom, players thought, “Ah, I should’ve done more”, and “I should’ve slept less and played more”. The goal is to make them not think that way. We made a number of mistakes in Rift Rivals, and we would like to avoid it this time and show that the Korean team is the best.



Hirai: I don’t think that we are better than other countries just because we play in the LCK. The gap has been nearly closed worldwide. The goal should, therefore, be to not drag our feet and get excited too much, and maintain our firm resolution. We should think that we still have a long way to go and play the games with that mindset. We are still an inferior team, after all.



EDGAR: Wow, we lost to the inferior team, then.



Hirai: We will prepare with the notion that winning Worlds is the end of the promotion stages.



cCarter: Worlds is every team’s final stage for that year, and everyone dedicates themselves so hard for a year to enter this league. I don’t expect this year’s result to be as good as the last Worlds. The goal is to maintain our original resolution. We should not be over-confident, we should learn things, and fix the parts we lack.



Hirai: cCater’s style of doing interviews is formality itself (laugh). Allow me to learn from you.



cCarter: Since we were defeated by LG, we will learn from them, and make it to the finals. I don’t expect us to do well without any struggle this year. I would love to see our players standing on the finals stage. We’ll do our best.



Hirai: Please, write good things about me!



EDGAR: I’m a little bit afraid because Hirai and I often get cursed many times.



Hirai: You don’t get cursed many times.



EDGAR: I do, and you and I can be the 1st and 2nd in terms of getting blamed (laugh).



Hirai: Jihoon (the coach of KT Rolster) must be in the middle of us.



(laugh)



EDGAR: Come on, I wouldn’t be doing this job if the result wasn’t satisfactory.



Hirai: Pfft, you know and play LoL more than any of us.





▲ Two coaches were quite afraid of the interview

Q. Do you have any last words to share with us?



cCarter: I saw an article on Inven before. It was about a comment by Clement Chu regarding Rift Rivals, and I was shocked because everything he said was a lie. I’m sure EDGAR would already know, but there’s nothing true in his context, from the beginning to the end. He said that he got into the league server and saw us not scrimming and just playing around, but it wasn’t as if he came into our room and saw it for himself. Korean teams had been scrimming constantly. I don’t really understand what made him say that. He said that Korean teams went out during the night, but the practicing room was closed at night.



EDGAR: The internet was cut off at 10 o'clock. We couldn’t practice anymore after 10.



cCarter: Yes, and we had to go back to where we were staying. All other teams from different regions went out for food and rest at that time as well. We also did the same thing because we couldn’t practice anymore, and he falsely accused us, as if we didn’t practice at all and just hung out. So we’ve been preparing to make a complaint via the executive office in case he comes to Worlds as an official caster, but it seems that he’s not coming this time. His whole statement does not have any truth at all.



But from the fans’ perspective, they tend to believe his words as they think of him as one of the members who sees the whole situation. We couldn’t say anything back because we didn’t win. The other related members of KT and MVP who participated in the league together also became quite furious about it. I just wanted to point that out. It just didn’t have any truth.





▲ cCarter expressing his anger towards Clement Chu’s statement during Rift Rivals

Okay, we will definitely add that to our interview.



EDGAR: Uhm… I would like people to praise rather than blame. Although I say this every time, please share good words with players.



Hirai: This is the first time for us.



EDGAR: Well, you must have a lot of pressure.



Hirai: It is not for Pray and GorillA though. As a person who watched Worlds on stream, I was really shocked by the chatroom and community. It’s really scary too. We will really put forth our best effort. Please cheer for us. Really, I don’t care for myself, but the players do. It may affect their performance, and they are still young. To be frank, everyone wants to win when they go up on that kind of major stage. They are dedicating everything they have and I would like people to praise them a lot.



