LoL: Rich, Juhan, ucal and Head Coach Ssong join DRX in the LCK

To recover from a thoroughly disappointing 2024 season, DRX are making a fresh start. After finishing ninth in both splits of the season, the 2022 world champions announced on Friday the addition of three players: toplaner Lee “Rich” Jae-won, jungler Lee “Juhan” Ju-han, and midlaner Son “ucal” Woo-hyeon. The organization also confirmed the return of Head Coach Kim “SSONG” Sang-soo, who famously led DRX to their world championship victory two years ago.

Juhan was also part of DRX's roster during their 2022 Worlds campaign, as a substitute for Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon. He played just over ten matches across Summer 2022 and the victorious Worlds run before again being put in contention for the jungle position within the club for 2023, this time with Kim “Croco” Dong-beom. His role in 2025 remains uncertain, as he will again share the jungle role with Bae “Sponge” Young-jun, whose contract was renewed earlier this week.

The three recruits are all returning to the LCK after stints abroad. Juhan departed DRX for more consistent playing time in 2024, landing first in the LVP with GIANTX Pride. There, a strong split (finishing 3rd) earned him a promotion to the main LEC roster. However, GX struggled to achieve success, finishing sixth and logically falling to G2 Esports in the first round of the Season Finals.

Rich left South Korea in 2022, first joining Victory Five in the LPL, where he achieved a commendable 3rd place in Spring. He then moved to North America for the 2023 LCS Summer, playing two splits with Dignitas before being replaced by Eric “Licorice” Ritchie as DIG restructured with a veteran lineup. Both splits ended in a similar fashion: early playoff exits and a 5th-place finish.

Lastly, ucal has spent the past three years in the LPL with ThunderTalk Gaming. Despite his loyalty to the organization, the midlaner struggled to achieve meaningful results, never finishing higher than 9th place in any split. However, ucal is the only one of the three new players to have won the LCK. That triumph came back in 2018 when he played for KT Rolster alongside some of the biggest names on the South Korean scene: Song “Smeb” Kyung-ho, Go “Score” Dong-bin, Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu, and Cho “Mata” Se-hyoung.

Top: Lee “Rich” Jae-won
Jungle: Bae “Sponge” Young-jun/Lee “Juhan” Ju-han
Mid: Son “ucal” Woo-hyeon
ADC: ?
Support: ?

Head Coach: Kim “SSONG” Sang-soo