HLE Zeka: "I think it's harder to get to MSI than Worlds"

Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo spoke to Sheep Esports ahead of Hanwha Life Esports' MSI run as the LCK's first seed.

First MSI for Zeka. Credit: Grégoire "Aries" Bgz

"I don't think Kanavi is the type to get pressured just because it's a big tournament"

enters MSI 2026 as the LCK's first seed, a very different position from where the team stood twelve months ago. This year, with MSI being held on home soil in Korea,

Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo

is stepping onto the biggest international stage of his career for the first time.

In an interview with Sheep Esports, Zeka discussed what it means to play his first MSI in Korea, how HLE turned last year's disappointment into this year's improvement, and why he thinks

Kanavi

(Seo Jin-hyeok) is the one keeping the team's aggressive identity intact under pressure. He also shared a story about the Asian Games training camp that got him closer to

Faker

(Lee Sang-Hyeok) than ever before.

Zeka, this is your first MSI, and it's taking place in Korea. How do you feel, and how is your condition right now?

Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo: "First of all, since my first MSI appearance is being held in Korea, it feels really comfortable. Because we're in Korea, there's nothing inconvenient in daily life, so managing my condition and things like food have all been going well.

You've played in plenty of bigger tournaments and even won Worlds. But this is your first MSI, and it's a tournament you haven't won yet. Do you see it as a trophy you still need to add to your career, or are you approaching it like any other tournament?

Zeka: MSI used to be a tournament where only one team qualified, and I believe it changed to two teams starting two years ago. So in some ways, I think it's harder to get here than Worlds. Still, when you get a chance like this, you have to take it. But if you want the title too badly, you can make mistakes, so I'll trust our form. If we play well the way we always have, I think the championship will follow, so we'll just keep doing what we do.

Last year, you narrowly missed out on MSI, but this year you're representing the LCK as the first seed. For anyone who hasn't followed Hanwha Life's matches from last year's Road to MSI until now, what do you think has been the biggest change with last year’s team?

Zeka: Last year at Road to MSI, we even got reverse-swept, and that loss really hurt. From that point on, last year as a whole felt like it didn't go well, so the road to get here was really tough. Thinking back on that, I think we prepared much better for this year's Road to MSI. This year, I think our goal is to show a very strong version of ourselves right around this point in the season.

I heard you recently had a camp with the Asian Games players. What was the atmosphere like? Was it a bit awkward at the start, or was it fun?

Zeka: Honestly, the players all knew each other individually and were already close, but a lot of different people came in on the coaching staff and analyst side, so in terms of the atmosphere and everyone getting closer, I think it was really good. The mood was good too.

Zeka: Well, honestly, with the other players, I already had some kind of relationship, but with Faker, it was the first time I really talked with him a lot. I sat next to him and played games with him too, so I think we got a lot closer. Compared to before, or compared to the very beginning, I think we're closer now. A funny story? I use two mouse pads, and Faker and

Keria

(Ryu Min-Seok) asked me why. I told them using two makes it smoother and feels better. Then Faker and Keria said two seemed pretty good, and I think they said they'd try using two from now on. I don't know if they're still using two now, but that's one story I remember.

I saw you and
Lee

Gumayusi Min-hyung
joking around. Gumayusi kept teasing you, saying he always makes MSI while Zeka never does, things like that. But now you've both made it. So who do you think is more excited for this MSI?

Zeka: Since it's my first time, I think I'm a little more excited. But honestly, I think we're both looking forward to it, and we both have a huge desire to win. If those things come together well, I really hope we can win it together this time.

HLE is known as a very aggressive team that takes a lot of fights. But at tournaments like MSI, where a big title is on the line, players tend to feel more pressure and often end up playing more passively. In those high-pressure situations, how do you think you can maintain that aggressive style?

Zeka: Of course, when you play at a big tournament, each player can feel psychological pressure. But I think the player who leads that for our team is

Kanavi (Seo Jin-hyeok)

. I don't think Kanavi is the type to get pressured just because it's a big tournament, so with that focus on fighting, I think our team will just play well the way we always do."

"I don't think Kanavi is the type to get pressured just because it's a big tournament"

Zeka, this is your first MSI, and it's taking place in Korea. How do you feel, and how is your condition right now?

You've played in plenty of bigger tournaments and even won Worlds. But this is your first MSI, and it's a tournament you haven't won yet. Do you see it as a trophy you still need to add to your career, or are you approaching it like any other tournament?

Last year, you narrowly missed out on MSI, but this year you're representing the LCK as the first seed. For anyone who hasn't followed Hanwha Life's matches from last year's Road to MSI until now, what do you think has been the biggest change with last year’s team?

I heard you recently had a camp with the Asian Games players. What was the atmosphere like? Was it a bit awkward at the start, or was it fun?

You said you wanted to get to know the coaches and others better during that time. Were there any funny stories from that period you can share with us?

I saw you and Lee Gumayusi Min-hyung joking around. Gumayusi kept teasing you, saying he always makes MSI while Zeka never does, things like that. But now you've both made it. So who do you think is more excited for this MSI?

HLE is known as a very aggressive team that takes a lot of fights. But at tournaments like MSI, where a big title is on the line, players tend to feel more pressure and often end up playing more passively. In those high-pressure situations, how do you think you can maintain that aggressive style?

Autor

Grégoire "Aries" Bgz

I saw you and
Lee

Gumayusi Min-hyung
joking around. Gumayusi kept teasing you, saying he always makes MSI while Zeka never does, things like that. But now you've both made it. So who do you think is more excited for this MSI?