T1 announced this Saturday, July 26, that Ham “
iZu” Woo-Joo has
re-signed with the South Korean powerhouse through 2027. A member of the team since late 2023, the Duelist has become one of the stars of the roster thanks to his playstyle and the team’s recent results. T1 currently sits at 2-1 in their Omega group in Stage 2 of the
VCT Pacific, aiming to qualify for the
VALORANT Champions Paris — which would be a first in the club's history.
Best known for its legendary presence in League of Legends esports, T1 has been a bit more reserved in
VALORANT, with only two
Masters appearances so far, but they did claim an impressive victory in 2025. In fact, this year has been by far the best for the South Korean team. Even before the season began, they secured a title at the Red Bull Home Ground World Finals. That momentum carried into the Kickoff event, where they placed second and qualified for Masters Bangkok. There, they went on to win the tournament after an incredible lower bracket run, capped by a 3-2 victory over G2 Esports in the grand final.
However, back in South Korea, home to the VCT Pacific, T1 struggled to stay on track. After a strong start with three wins in the group stage, the team suffered four straight losses, missing out on qualification for Masters Toronto. That disappointment carried over into the Esports World Cup qualifiers, where they finished 5th-6th, well outside the qualifying spots for Riyadh.
Regardless,
iZu is likely a key pillar for the organization’s future success, and T1 seems to recognize that. He was the only player whose contract was set to expire in 2025, while his teammates were already locked in through 2026 — and even 2027 for Kang “DH” Dong-ho, the promising rookie promoted from the academy squad. The club clearly intends to continue developing this roster for the remainder of this season and into the next.
