Gumayusi fears missing out on the Asian Games

HLE, being a leading powerhouse in the LCK, has not met expectations this season. Despite acquiring three-time champion AD Gumayusi and LPL star Kanavi during the transfer period, many fans expected HLE to become stronger. Yet as the season progressed, many noticed that HLE’s current league results are even worse than last year’s.

AD player Gumayusi and jungler Kanavi have frequently made serious mistakes during matches, causing HLE to fail to win any games against strong LCK teams. Even against the bottom-ranked teams, HLE has often stumbled. Recently, Xiaolübu expressed self-blame in an official HLE video. Gumayusi feels his recent form is off and fears that HLE’s poor performance might affect his chance to be selected for the Asian Games roster. (Zhu Kai once revealed in a livestream that the LPL’s Asian Games roster must be submitted by February, so the LCK region will likely follow the same deadline. Given HLE’s current league standing, it’s indeed difficult for Xiaolübu to make the cut.)

Gumayusi’s criticism of Hongmi sparks heated discussion

In this official video, besides lamenting his decline in form, Gumayusi also criticized HLE coach Hongmi’s problematic BP decisions during match voice comms. The issue arose in the crucial HLE vs. T1 match, where during the BP phase, Gumayusi suggested banning T1’s support player K’s Bard. However, HLE coach Hongmi ignored this advice and instead allowed T1 to pick a perfect lineup with mid Orianna, jungle Nocturne, and support Bard.

Hongmi’s refusal to follow Gumayusi’s suggestion upset many HLE fans. After all, as a former T1 champion AD, Gumayusi surely understands what his ex-teammates excel at. But Hongmi insisted on his own way. Coupled with HLE’s recent vague BP strategies, many LCK fans protested under HLE’s official posts, urging management to replace Hongmi with a new coach. (What do you think is the cause of HLE’s poor results — player performance or Hongmi’s BP decisions?)

Kanavi’s dark history spreads throughout LCK

Kanavi, known as a top “super hero” jungler in the LPL, has many curious if the stricter competitive atmosphere in LCK would change him. However, many LPL viewers found it amusing that Kanavi hasn’t changed at all in LCK. Instead, leveraging his special relationship with coach Hongmi, he brought the LPL’s “chaotic fighting style” into the LCK, and even Kanavi’s various scandals have now circulated widely within LCK.

Viewers familiar with Kanavi’s matches know he was called the “F6 master” in LPL, frequently abandoning teammates to chase kills, creating memorable F6 moments. After returning to LCK, Kanavi’s bad habit remains unchanged. Because he loves initiating F6 so much, many LCK teams have set traps around F6 to catch him. Even LCK official commentators have joked about Kanavi, saying they’ve seen dragon and baron teamfights but never a teamfight centered around F6.

Conclusion

Kanavi enjoyed “forcing” teammates to invade enemy F6 in LPL, and surprisingly, after returning to LCK, he still commands his teammates despite his age. Whether HLE can win matches now depends largely on Kanavi’s mood. Seeing Kanavi continue this “super hero” style in LCK helps explain his performances in LPL — he’s not pretending; he genuinely enjoys countering F6. (Do you think Kanavi will lead HLE to a championship in the future?)