Chovy interview sparks backlash after Brazilian co-streamer mocks his “choking” reputation with popcorn gesture

The second day of competition at the First Stand has already sparked controversy following a post-match interview. After ’ victory over in the opening match of the day, Brazilian co-streamer Gustavo "Baiano" Gomes interviewed Gen.G’s star midlaner on-site—an interaction that quickly drew widespread attention.

As Chovy joined the stream of the former CBLOL player, Baiano welcomed him by placing a bucket of popcorn between them during their brief exchange. The popcorn was meant as a slang in Brazilian Portuguese, referring to a player “cracking under pressure.” Many perceived the gesture as disrespectful toward Chovy, mocking his long-standing reputation for underperforming in high-stakes matches at Worlds.

Baiano further fueled the backlash with a since-deleted tweet in which he thanked Chovy for the moment, as well as “for the three titles for Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok.)” The incident was widely criticized by fans, particularly within Korean communities, where some called for Baiano to no longer be allowed to conduct player interviews.

In response to growing concerns, Gen.G Esports CEO Arnold Won Hur stated that he had not been informed in advance of what would take place during the interview. He explained that the organization had simply agreed to the interview without knowledge of its specifics. Facing significant backlash, Baiano later issued an apology during his stream, claiming he had personally reached out to both Arnold and Chovy to apologize.

Arnold Won Hur confirmed this in a post on X published Wednesday, clarifying that “we were clear to him that he crossed the line,” acknowledging that the situation went beyond acceptable banter, particularly given the language barrier. He also noted that Baiano had apologized for his tweet and that the team would now move forward and focus on the remainder of the tournament.