In a display of strength, KT Rolster have qualified for the
Worlds 2025 Bracket Stage, leaving
Top Esports in their wake. Despite the loss, the
League of Legends Pro League (LPL) representatives march onward, with two more chances to join their Korean rivals in the next stage. In an exclusive interview, the Chinese team's head coach,
Yoon "Homme" Sung-young, sat down with
Sheep Esports to discuss the defeat against KT, the condition of his players, and cultural differences between East and West.
What do you think went wrong in your loss to KT Rolster?
Yoon "Homme" Sung-young: “First off, in game one, I let the opponent take too many good picks, and I could’ve drafted better. I feel really bad that I didn’t do my job well. Secondly, during teamfights, there were also a lot of issues with teamwork—I don’t think our players were on the same page, we made many mistakes. As long as we can fix those two issues, we’ll do better next time.
In past interviews, you mentioned that your team struggles under pressure on the international stage. Do you think that was an issue today?
Homme: I don’t think that was the case today. It was more about our teamwork and teamfighting. As long as we can perform better in fights and skirmishes, we’ll have much better results next time. We still have more chances and more days to prepare and play. As long as we do our best to prepare, we’ll be able to come back stronger. I’m sure all our players will give their best and work as hard as they can.
Many people have been blaming Fu "Hang" Ming-Hang for his performance against KT. What do you think affected his performance today? Could it be that he was under pressure, being the newest member of the team?
Homme: It could be. But he’s actually sick right now—he caught a cold, so that’s also why he was underperforming. He’s not feeling well, and I hope we can help him recover and get back to his best condition soon. There were also some communication mistakes that caused him to struggle. I believe he can play much better, and honestly, it’s more on me. If I had drafted better and not let KT get those strong picks, the outcome could’ve been a lot different. So I’d rather put the blame on myself.
Sheep Esports: Our best wishes to Hang—hopefully he recovers soon!
This year, you came back after taking a one-year break to focus on your family. What does it mean for you to be back on the international stage, and do you feel like you’re fighting to make your family proud as well?
Homme: Yeah, of course—my family is really, really proud. What I’m trying to do here is approach the game from a bigger picture. I want to give the players a stronger direction, and when they’re faltering, I’d like to be someone they can rely on to help them move forward. Since we lost today, I guess I’ll have to go back to the drawing board and prepare for the upcoming games. After that, we’ll be able to react to situations better.
There’s been a lot of talk about the gap between the LCK and LPL, and the LPL hasn’t won the World Championship in some time. With recent financial issues in the LPL, how important do you think it is for the league to win this year and turn things around?
Homme: This is especially true in China right now, and it’s been a while since an LPL team won Worlds, so it’s really crucial for one of the three LPL teams to take the title this year. I hope we can all work together to make it happen. Our team will definitely do its best.
Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun told Esports Insider that to be the best, you need to sacrifice your health and your soul to become a top player. Do you agree with this?
Homme: I can see that all the players are really eager to improve. They want to put in more effort, but there’s always a limit to your health and your capacity. Most players don’t really work out much, so their limits show. As a result, they can run into health issues, sometimes feeling unwell. To play better despite that, you push through the pain and keep practicing, which isn’t easy. But at Worlds, that’s what everyone goes through to try to win the Summoner’s Cup, and I have a lot of respect for the players who go through this process.
Do you think this is also why the LEC and LCS aren’t performing as well? Maybe they’re not working as hard?
Homme: I can’t really speak for them because I’ve never worked in those regions, but I assume there might be a cultural difference. Korea is a small country and everyone is always competing with one another. It’s a very intense society where everyone expects you to give your all. In China, there are also a lot of Korean ex-pro players and coaching staff leading LPL teams. At first, there was a lot of back and forth trying to find a middle ground, but in the end, they were able to adopt a lot of Korean training culture, which is why they’re quite similar. I can’t really say much about Europe or North America since I haven’t experienced them, but I’d guess it might also be a cultural thing.”
Header Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
