With Nam “
” Dae-geun now representing Nongshim RedForce and Kim “
” Tae-yoon joining BNK FearX following their controversial trade, the last series of LCK Season Week 7 had a different atmosphere.
secured a 2-0 win over NS, highlighted by Taeyoon’s post-match celebration that drew significant attention. We later spoke with Jeon “
” Eo-jin about this victory, Naafiri’s pick, and the team’s current form.
You won 2-0 today. Can we get your thoughts on the victory?
Jeon "Raptor" Eo-jin: "There was a bit of a storyline going into this one, playing against Nongshim, so I thought it would be a fun match. It was fun. I just think it's a shame we took so long to close out Game 1.
Still, it's a win today. What do you think were the key factors behind the victory?
Raptor: Our laners all played well, which made things a lot easier. In Game 2, we kept our composure even though the early game went badly, and I think we found the right angle for the comeback.
You managed to get your revenge from Round 1. What did you focus on in preparation for today's match?
Raptor: We gave a lot of feedback on the things that weren't working in our previous matches. The mindset going in was that if we just fixed those things, we could win.
As you mentioned, you seemed to struggle a bit in the mid game of Game 1. Can you tell us what kind of feedback came out before heading into Game 2?
Raptor: We talked about how we couldn't close out the game and discussed what we could do to finish it properly, and then we prepped for Game 2.
In Game 2, the lead went back and forth, and you pulled off a comeback like you said. At what point do you think FearX firmly took control? When did you feel the momentum shift?
Raptor: At the fourth dragon fight. The enemy team was all lined up in front of us, so we were in a really good position. Once we won that fight, I think that's when it swung in our favor.
As you mentioned, there was a close battle in the early game. How does the team try to work through a situation like that?
Raptor: Top was in a pretty rough spot at that point, but jungle was still okay. And our mid and bot were playing well, so we tried to play around mid and bot.
In terms of shotcalling, how do you try to navigate those situations? What kind of calls are you making?
Raptor: When we're behind early, I think the most important thing is buying time. So the call was basically to stall things out and drag it to a dragon fight.
One of the fans wrote "Raptor, tear them apart" on the cheer board today. Which teamfight do you think was the one where you really tore into them?
Raptor: Hmm, I can't really think of one specific teamfight where I popped off, but since I was playing Naafiri, I think I did bit pretty well.
"Raptor, tear them apart" BFX fan cheering sign
We haven't seen Naafiri in a while, but you pulled it out as a surprise pick today. Was there a specific reason or background behind that decision? And how would you rate Naafiri as a champion in the current meta — what tier do you put her in?
Raptor: Due to recent patches, I think that made Naafiri a lot more viable. I think we could see a lot more of her going forward.
So you'd rate Naafiri's tier pretty high?
Raptor: Hmm, I'd say she's solid as long as priority picks are banned out.
You faced Diable for the first time as an opponent today after being on the same team for a long time. How did it feel playing against him? What was it like going up against him in-game?
Raptor: He was definitely aggressive, so it was pretty intense. At first, I went in purely wanting to win, but then when it was over and we did the handshake, I felt kind of... yeah. It was like that.
Did you happen to catch Taeyoon's celebration today? It was quite a fiery one. As a teammate, what do you think when you see a celebration like that? And are you planning any celebrations of your own?
Raptor: I'm not really the type to do celebrations, so I probably won't do one myself, but it's fun to watch, and he looks super confident out there. I like seeing it.
Your next match is against Hanwha Life Esports, who many consider a title favorite. What do you think is the key point the team needs to focus on to take down an opponent like that?
Raptor: We still feel like we have a lot of gaps in our fundamentals, even now. So the plan is to fix all the things we've been giving feedback on, and go in believing we can win. That's where our focus is right now.
The team had a rough start to the season, but your form has been climbing steadily. How far along would you say FearX's team synergy is at this point?
Raptor: I'd say about seventy percent. And when we hit our peak, I think we can beat anyone.
A lot of international fans are cheering you on from far away. Any message for them?
Raptor: Thank you to all the fans who always support us from far away. We'll make sure to win the next one too. Thank you."
