A few days ago, Rushindra Sinha, the founder and CEO of
Global Esports, announced in a video on social media that the organization was shutting down its esports team, giving all five members of its
VALORANT roster the freedom to explore their options for next year. One of them appears to have already found a new home for the upcoming season. Global Esports duelist Go “
UdoTan” Kyung-won is set to join
Nongshim RedForce next season, sources tell
Sheep Esports.
Although Nongshim failed to secure a partnership slot, the team could still build a strong roster for next year, and UdoTan’s arrival is a clear sign of that ambition. A few days ago, the team’s Duelist Lee “Dambi” Hyuk-kyu announced that he was LFT for next season, suggesting that UdoTan is likely to replace him.
Nongshim RedForce are among the notable teams left out of the revamped partnership program for the 2027 season. After earning promotion to the region’s top division through Ascension, Nongshim quickly rose to the top of the competition, becoming the first team from Tier 2 to win a Masters event at Santiago earlier this year. Despite that title, a
VCT Pacific Stage 2 grand final appearance, and a playoff finish at
VALORANT Champions, Riot Games opted to favor other Korean teams, T1 and Gen.G Esports, in its new partnership program.
UdoTan, meanwhile, is coming off his best season yet with Global Esports. Having competed at several international events, his biggest achievement was winning Stage 2 with the team. He also earned the Finals MVP award after an impressive performance that completed a reverse sweep against none other than Nongshim RedForce.
With UdoTan joining the roster, the Korean organization is reaffirming its commitment to building a strong team. Nongshim will soon have to compete in an Open Qualifier to secure a place at Kickoff, the first VCT tournament of the season and a qualifying event for Masters Seoul. No information is yet available regarding the rest of NS’s roster or the futures of its current players.
