A new rebrand for
DN Freecs, who will now compete under the name
DN SOOPers due to sponsorship reasons. Their main sponsor, Afreeca — the South Korean streaming platform — has rebranded as SOOP, and the team is following suit. This marks the fourth branding in the organization’s history. The team was first known as Afreeca Freecs from 2016 to 2021, then Kwangdong Freecs from 2022 to 2024, before becoming DN Freecs in 2025.
For the 2026 season, the team will introduce three new players to its roster. Lee “
DuDu” Dong-ju remains in the toplane and will once again be paired with 2022 World Champion Hong “
Pyosik” Chang-hyeon in the jungle. They will be joined by midlaner Lee “
Clozer” Ju-hyeon, who put together a solid 2025 campaign with OKSavingsBank BRION. The biggest additions come in the botlane, with Worlds finalists Seo “
deokdam” Dae-gil and Jeong “
Peter” Yoon-su joining from KT Rolster.
Branding in the LCK
Unlike European teams, which are often independent when it comes to naming (such as Karmine Corp, Fnatic, or G2 Esports), Asian teams — whether in South Korea or China — are usually tied to brands. Their names are closely linked to sponsors, and these teams serve as showcases for those organizations.
Hanwha Life Esports, for example, is owned by the South Korean insurance company Hanwha Group. For years,
T1 was known as SKT T1, in reference to the telecommunications company SK Telecom, and similarly,
KT Rolster refers to Korea Telecom. These teams often rebrand to reflect the promoted brand. The history of the Tigers is also an unfortunate example of the naming challenges teams face: first HUYA, then GE, followed by KOO, and finally they became ROX after losing their sponsor.
The same applies in China, where teams are sometimes branded after companies, such as Bilibili Gaming or Weibo Gaming. The model is quite different from what is found elsewhere in the world. The Asian ecosystem is therefore very distinct; these companies usually provide a more stable environment. The high level of play in the leagues and the substantial viewership also make them attractive to brands, which see a stronger return on investment.
Header Photo Credit: DN SOOPers
