The faithful few shall be rewarded. Against all odds,
SK Gaming secured their first victory of the split against Team Heretics in the
League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) Summer Season. With another week of games still ahead, the German organization is now guaranteed at minimum a tiebreaker for playoffs qualification. In an exclusive piece, Korean support
Kim "Loopy" Dong-hyeon sat down with Sheep Esports to give a candid look into his time in the LEC, how this year affected him, and the
#LoopyNation trend.
How does it feel to beat Team Heretics?
Kim "Loopy" Dong-hyeon: "To be honest, I was really nervous before the match started. When we won our first game, we got much more comfortable.
How was the preparation before this match?
Loopy: Recently, our midlaner Abbedagge (Felix Braun) was sick, so we had to practice with substitute midlaners from other teams. I was worried about that going into our Heretics match, but Abbe was doing better, so it made our chances much better.
You’re in a good position for playoffs since, at worst, you’ll play a tiebreaker next week. How does it feel knowing you might finally reach them for the first time this year?
Loopy: It would be my first time going to playoffs in the LEC. I'm very excited! We didn’t get to practice best-of-fives yet, but I have confidence in my champion pool.
SK Gaming had many roster changes this year. How was it for you to deal with that and keep re-adapting to new players every split?
Loopy: It wasn't easy for me and our team. I believe our team this Summer is the best roster we've had this year. If we had started 2025 with this roster, maybe we could have had better results. We don't have much time now, so I'm a bit regretful about it.
How is it playing with Park "DnDn" Geun-woo in the toplane? Is it good to have another Korean on the team, and do you have a friendship with him?
Loopy: Before the split, I told our team I would prefer to have another Korean on our roster. DnDn is a really funny guy in general and really solid as a player. I really like him.
Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games
After Cho "Rahel" Min-seong left, Tim "Keduii" Willers mentioned he tried to spend a lot of time with you to help you feel comfortable since there wasn’t another Korean on the team. How is your relationship with him?
Loopy: Honestly, Keduii cared for me a lot, almost too much. I'm very thankful to him for being so kind to me. He's really funny.
How do you feel about Keduii being so tall?
Loopy: Actually, the first time I saw him, I got scared of him [giggles].
How do you feel about this year in the LEC overall? The first two splits were tough for SK Gaming. How was it for you mentally throughout the year?
Loopy: It's been a really hard year for me. To be honest, my mental state was not great this year, but I learned a lot about things outside the game. It will probably help me next year and in my life. I'm looking at it positively.
How was it for you to leave Korea last year and go abroad? Was it a difficult decision, since you first played in America and then came to Europe? Is it hard being far from home?
Loopy: Actually, when I left Korea at first, I was worried about speaking English and some other things. I'm happy now, I feel like I got used to things more.
Sheep Esports: Your English is really good!
Loopy: Really? Thank you [smiles].
How have you adapted to Europe and Berlin in general? Are you okay with the weather and everything?
Loopy: Yeah, I like Berlin weather because Korea is really hot and hotter than Berlin, so I like Berlin’s summer.
Recently, there’s been a movement called #LoopyNation on social media. Did you hear about it, and how did you react?
Loopy: I've seen the #LoopyNation. Today, I even saw their fan signs in the arena. When I first heard of it, people said it was to make me look bad, but I never thought of the LoopyNation negatively. The way I see it, it helped bring more attention to me, and it gives me a chance to change the minds of people who think I'm a bad player. I see it as a positive thing.
What do you see for your future as a pro player? How do you see yourself in a year or two?
Loopy: To be honest, my first goal is to make it to the LCK, but I'd love to stay in the LEC as well."
Header Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
