DK ShowMaker: "The fault is on us veterans. It's hard to perform at your first Worlds, Lucid and Moham did well"

Heo "ShowMaker" Su, mid laner of Dplus KIA at Worlds 2024, after being eliminated from the tournament.

I was expecting a lot more than last year [...] I'm very sorry, we keep failing to deliver"

After a tragic loss to Weibo Gaming, Heo "ShowMaker" Su and his team have been eliminated from the 2024 League of Legends World Championship. As the only major Eastern team eliminated, Dplus KIA must now regroup ahead of the 2025 season and learn from their mistakes. In an exclusive interview, the team's midlaner gives a debrief on what happened at Worlds and offers a preview of what to expect for the team’s future.

What are your first thoughts following your elimination?

Heo "ShowMaker" Su: "I was expecting a lot more than last year. It's so sad that I, once again, ended up with a very disappointing result. I feel like I didn't play well.

What do you think caused Dplus KIA to underperform, especially after last year's results? What needs to change next year so this doesn't happen again?

ShowMaker: For the past two years we were not able to achieve a lot. I think there should be multiple reasons, but our Worlds journey just wrapped up. So nothing really comes to mind at this point, but it's the end of the year. So I think I want to take it slow and prepare for next year.

World 2024 Swiss Stage Final Bracket. Credit: Sheep Esports

Dplus KIA entered the World Championship with two inexperienced rookies, Lucid and Moham. Many criticized their performance, especially in the last match against Weibo. Do you think nervousness played a role in their performance, contributing to the loss?

ShowMaker: We are not the kind of players that get too nervous on stage, so I don't think that affected us too much. It's really hard to perform well at your first Worlds, so I think they've done well considering the circumstances. I think it’s more about the veteran players who were unable to be good leadership figures for them, it's on us.

Would you say that DK was at a disadvantage due to the Worlds meta? You usually play control mages like Syndra and Orianna, but you didn't seem comfortable on Yone today.

ShowMaker: We're all aware of the meta picks and the good picks right now. I think it's more because of our execution level and our macro play. It's not that we didn't have a good read on the meta; it's just that our League of Legends gameplay was bad.

How do you stay motivated after so many years of competing, especially following difficult losses?

ShowMaker: Based on my experience, this moment is the toughest to get through. It's really hard to process everything. But I think it takes time; things will get better eventually, and I'll be able to see everything more positively. Time is the best remedy. This year ends in failure for me, but I feel like I really need to get some good rest to refuel myself for next year.

Dplus KIA exit the stage after their elimination. Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

As a big football fan and a fan of Lionel Messi, do you aspire to become the "Messi" of League of Legends in your career?

ShowMaker: Messi is literally the GOAT, so I wish I could become someone like him in League of Legends. But realistically, it would be difficult to equal him. If I can become someone similar to Messi, it would be a big honor. So I will always just keep grinding and doing my best.

Do you have a final message for your fans and everyone watching Worlds to close off the tournament?

ShowMaker: To all the fans who supported us, I'm very sorry for our disappointing performance. For the foreign fans out there, I feel like they see me and our team as someone who makes it to Worlds very often, but we keep failing to deliver our best performance. If I get another chance next year, I will make it up for it. Thank you.

Do you have one last message for the EUW villains?

ShowMaker: This time, I didn't get a lot of chances to hang out with the villains, but if I get another opportunity next time, I will make sure to say hi to them."

Header Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games