While the 2023 Worlds Finals are coming up soon, the LCK teams are getting ready for an explosive offseason. How are the lineups shaping up? Let’s take a look at the confirmed roster moves and the most important rumors going into the LCK 2023/2024 offseason.
It’s important nothing that the LCK has introduced salary regulations which will inevitably impact some organizations during the roster-building process. Nonetheless, we should still see some great lineups, with the addition of some new faces from the Challengers League.
Image Credits | League of Legends Champions Korea LCK
LCK 2023/2024 Roster Shuffle Breakdown
Fredit BRION
All players had their contracts expiring at the end of 2023 and only mid laner Karis and top laner Morgan extended their contract. Former IG jungler gideon has joined BRO, alongside Envyy after his stint in the LPL and Effort who extended his contract.
Top: Morgan (contract re-sign)
Jng: gideon
Mid: Karis (contract extension)
ADC: Envyy
Supp: Effort
DRX
From stars to rags, they say. DRX went from being world champions in 2022 to fighting in the bottom half in 2023.
During this offseason, contracts expired for Croco, FATE, and BeryL, only leaving Rascal and Paduck as the returning members for 2024. In the other three roles, DRX brought up three rookies from their Challengers team.
Top: Rascal
Jng: Sponge
Mid: SeTab
ADC: Paduck
Supp: Pleata
Nongshim RedForce
Nongshim RedForce is one of the few teams that has already a roster on their hands, as all players are still under contract at least until next year. ADC Jiwoo had his contract extended until 2025.
Unless the team wants to shake things up with a roster move, this should be the 2024 lineup.
Top: DnDn
Jng: Sylvie
Mid: FIESTA
ADC: Jiwoo
Supp: Peter
KT Rolster
After a bitter end to their Worlds 2023 run, KT is going through major roster changes. Bdd is the only returning member, with Pyosik, BeryL, and Deft reuniting following their 2022 Worlds run. Rookie top laner PerfecT has been promoted from the academy team.
Top: PerfecT
Jng: Pyosik
Mid: Bdd
ADC: Deft
Supp: BeryL
Kwangdong Freecs
Just like Nongshim, Kwangdong Freecs should have most of the roster locked for next season. The organization made some headlines when support player Jun was reported to join Fnatic in 2024 and will continue with the other support player Andil.
Top: Dudu
Jng: YoungJae
Mid: BuLLDoG
ADC: Taeyoon
Supp: Andil
Liiv SANDBOX
Liiv SANDBOX are looking to make some changes to its roster. They brought up top laner Clear from LSB Youth and extended jungler Willer’s contract until 2025.
The team has picked up a new bot lane with Hena and former Astralis support JeongHoon. It will be interesting to see how the player will behave after his stint in the LEC.
Top: Clear
Jng: Willer
Mid: Clozer
ADC: Hena
Supp: JeongHoon
Hanwha Life Esports
Hanwha Life Esports have gone big yet again. The organization extended both Zeka and Viper’s contracts until 2024. Jungler Grizzly is contracted until 2025 but the organization decided to bring in Peanut from Gen.G.
He’s not the only player, though, as Doran and Delight have joined him in HLE. While they might not be the undisputed winners of the off-season, this is a great roster with immense potential.
Top: Doran
Jng: Grizzly
Mid: Zeka
ADC: Viper (confirmed renewal for 2024)
Supp: Delight
Dplus Kia
After a disappointing Worlds run, Dplus KIA have rebuilt its roster around ShowMaker. Young rookie Lucid has been brought up from the Challengers team, alongside three veterans of the caliber of Kingen, Aiming, and Kellin.
It might not be a top team right off the bat, but it definitely packs a punch and Lucid will be the key to DK’s success.
Top: Kingen
Jng: Lucid
Mid: ShowMaker
ADC: Aiming
Supp: Kellin
T1
While there was the initial impression that the team wouldn’t stick together going into 2024, things have changed abruptly after the title win at Worlds 2023.
T1 has officially re-signed every player that had a contract expiring this year, meaning that the defending roster will stay together once again.
Together with the return of head coach kkOma, the 2024 season is looking bright for T1.
Top: Zeus
Jng: Oner
Mid: Faker
ADC: Gumayusi
Supp: Keria
Gen.G
Gen.G come from disappointing Worlds 2023, especially given the expectations set. Going into this offseason, though, Gen.G has gone even bigger.
Gen.G has built arguably the strongest Korean top-jungle-mid with Chovy, Canyon, and Kiin. In the bottom lane, Peyz will team up with the returning Lehends, following his stint on KT Rolster.
With these moves, Gen.G would be, alongside T1, the undisputed winner of the roster transfers.
Top: Kiin
Jng: Canyon
Mid: Chovy
ADC: Peyz
Supp: Lehends
Read next: LCS 2023/24 Free Agency & Roster Transfers
LCK 2022/2023 Free Agency Roster Shuffle
LCK 2023 Roster Shuffle – New wave of talent enters the league
In the last few years, the LCK has been relying on established veterans with years of experience to compete in the teams. While it guaranteed a certain level of play, these types of players had a downward trend in performance, and it was proved by the top-performing teams. DRX and T1 fielded a large number of young talents that were eager to show themselves to the world, pairing them with a few veterans that would have a leadership role within team.
It’s evident that other teams have also caught up to this, and many organizations have decided to part ways with most of the players they had during the 2022 season.
Now that the transfer window is officially open and most players had their contract expired, some teams will have to decide on what kind of roster they want to field in 2023. Here is the breakdown of each team and their intention with the roster.
Fredit BRION goes for full rebuild
Starting off our list, we have Fredit BRION. The team had a mediocre season, ending both spring and summer split in 9th place. While Hena was supposed to be the only player to remain, he recently terminated his contract, which means BRO will have to completely rebuild its roster. It is still not sure which players the org will want to lock, but it’s probably going to be a roster of young talents, likely coming from the Challengers League.
Top: ????
Jng: ????
Mid: ???
ADC: ????
Supp: ????
Nongshim RedForce (confirmed roster)
Nongshim RedForce were quite fast with their roster build this offseason. In fact, they are the only team who have confirmed their lineup.
The entire 2022 roster of veterans like Canna, Bdd and Effort is gone. To replace them, NS promoted its whole Challengers League team, who recently won the second Korean division. The goal with this roster is to improve the players both individually and as a team, with the hopes of aiming for playoffs or Worlds towards the end of the year. They might have a slow start but it will be interesting to see what they can bring to the table later into the season.
Top: DnDn
Jng: Sylvie
Mid: FIESTA
ADC: vital
Supp: Peter
𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆.
𝑨 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑵𝑺 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝑪𝑲 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆.
📺NS RedForce Youtube https://t.co/jMcd3orTEq pic.twitter.com/ryJbyuhcV5
— NS RedForce Global (@NS_RedForce) November 22, 2022
KT Rolster – one player left to confirm
Just like BRO, the team has parted ways with most of its roster apart from its ADC Aiming and jungler Cuzz. The marksman player was a great contributing factor to KT’s run toward the end of the 2022 LCK Summer Playoffs and Regional Finals so he’s likely staying as a starter. Cuzz had a decent season and is a solid player to build a new roster around, especially considering his experience.
While VicLa is still under contract with the organization, according to Travis Gafford, the Korean mid laner is set to join FlyQuest in North America. In his stead, KT picked up former Nongshim’s mid laner Bdd.
In the top lane, KT signed KDF’s former top laner Kiin. Regarded as a top-tier top laner, he has received offers from various teams but eventually signed with KT. The only position left is support, which is rumored to go former Gen.G’s support Lehends.
Top: Kiin (confirmed)
Jng: Cuzz (contract until end of 2023)
Mid: Bdd (confirmed)
ADC: Aiming w (contract until end of 2023)
Supp: Lehends (source: JHYooHoo)
Kwangdong Freecs – roster of young talents for cvMax
KDF made some big announcements in the last two days, parting ways with the whole 2022 roster, including its franchise player Kiin, who had stayed with the organization for five years.
That being said, the org also announced two very interesting pick ups already. The first is ADC Taeyoon, former DRX’s substitute player for Deft, while the other is YoungJae, Gen.G’s former substitute jungler. The second one has been hyped up as one of the rising talents in the LCK so keep an eye out on him next season. There are no major rumors regarding the rest of the lineup and it will likely depend on how the top teams settle the rosters.
Image Credits | @KDF_LoL
Top: ????
Jng: YoungJae (confirmed)
Mid: ????
ADC: Taeyoon (confirmed)
Supp: ????
Liiv SANDBOX – budget roster incoming
LSB had such a great Summer Split, only for it to end bittersweet after missing out on Worlds when losing to DRX in the Regional Finals. What’s even worse is that the whole lineup is set to leave the organization due to their sponsor’s financial problems.
Top laner Dove, jungler Croco and most importantly, bot laner Prince are now free agents on the market. Prince and his stellar performance last year cannot be unseen so, just like Kiin, he will be a top player that teams are looking to lock. The latest rumor is that he might join NA and become the starting ADC for FlyQuest.
While Clozer and Kael are still contracted until 2023, there also might be a chance they leave. No one has been confirmed as of yet.
Top: ????
Jng: ????
Mid: ????
ADC: ????
Supp: ????
Hanwha Life Esports – winners of the offseason?
HLE has been acting behind the scenes on something big, and oh boy, they have maintained the expectations. After an underperforming season at the bottom of the standings, the org is planning on going big in 2023.
The team already confirmed the arrival of former world champion ADC Viper, which will likely mean that other top-tier players will come in. In the jungle position, Clid will make his return to the LCK after the stint on FPX. Together with them, Scout is set to leave EDG after 6 and a half years on the team.
#HLE #Official #Announcement
Welcome back ‘Viper’
>>Full Text: https://t.co/1H63Eay1MR pic.twitter.com/qpwScYaX0e
— Hanwha Life Esports (@HLEofficial) November 22, 2022
In the support role, rumors say that it will be someone between BeryL and Lehends, with the first being the more likely move.
Top: DuDu (confirmed)
Jng: Clid (rumored)
Mid: Scout (source: JHYooHoo)
ADC: Viper (confirmed)
Supp: BeryL/Lehends (source: JHYooHoo)
DWG Kia confirms a Worlds-winning roster?
DK parted ways with top laners Nuguri and Burdol, as well as ADC deokdam and made one of the best upgrades they could have gotten. For the top lane, DK was in contact with Rascal but ended up going for Canna who was teamless after he parted ways with Nongshim RedForce.
Regarding the ADC role, instead, DK got the best pickup possible after Ruler. After the contract with DRX expired, Deft went on to sign with DK and will be the starting bot laner for the 2023 season. Aside from the rumored roster from HLE and T1, DK have put together three of the most experienced and best players in the world. If Canyon and ShowMaker were scary enough themselves, Deft’s arrival will take DK’s potential up a notch.
Top: Canna (confirmed)
Jng: Canyon (confirmed)
Mid: ShowMaker (confirmed)
ADC: Deft (confirmed)
Supp: Kellin (confirmed)
T1 waiting for Faker to re-sign
The legendary organization seems to be the only LCK team to make zero changes going into 2023. After losing the Worlds Finals, all the players will be hungrier than ever.
All the players have contracts running until the end of 2023, with the exception of Faker, who however should be re-signing soon. It’s hard to believe the org or the player will want to part ways with each other.
Top: Zeus (confirmed)
Jng: Oner (confirmed)
Mid: Faker (contract expiring)
ADC: Gumayusi (confirmed)
Supp: Keria (confirmed)
Gen.G – Can Peyz match Ruler’s legacy?
Despite having some major changes down in the bot lane, Gen.G seems to be ready for the 2023 season. The org lost Ruler who announced free agency, as well as Lehends, who is set to join another team. In their stead, Gen.G have promoted its ADC from the Challengers team Peyz and brought in support Delight who previously played on BRO.
Image Credits | @GenG
As for the other three positions, Gen.G have extended the contracts with Peanut and Doran, while Chovy had already his contract running until next year. With two new young talents coming in, we’ll have to see whether Gen.G is still going to be fighting for the top of the LCK.
Top: Doran (confirmed)
Jng: Peanut (confirmed)
Mid: Chovy (confirmed)
ADC: Peyz (confirmed)
Supp: Delight (confirmed)
DRX – from stars to rags
At last, we have the 2022 world champions DRX. While fans are expecting to see the roster together, the situation took a bad twist for the organization in a matter of hours. All players except Juhan have had their contracts expiring, meaning that they are all free agents.
Deft already has left and went on to join DK. All the other players seem to have increasing interest from other teams. We already mentioned how BeryL was under HLE’s radar, as well as Zeka reportedly interested in offers from the LPL. It’s expected to be the same case for Kingen and Pyosik, even though there are no rumors about their next destination currently.
Top: ????
Jng: ???? / Juhan
Mid: ????
ADC: ????
Supp: ????
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