Despite an earlier 3-0 victory over
,
met their end in the
2026 LCK Road to MSI after being reverse swept by
in round two of the bracket. After failing to convert what appeared to be a clear-cut path to advancement into a showdown with
, Dplus KIA were ultimately edged out by KT in a dramatic comeback victory. Following the defeat, head coach
Kim "cvMax" Dae-ho took to the
post-match press conference to express his discontent.
Unfortunately for the 35-year-old coach, the comments made there would become the catalyst for a rather unpleasant situation for both himself and the organization. DK
have not directly confirmed the words that sparked this reaction. However, it has been
speculated by fans that the remark that sparked the controversy was one where the head coach referred to the team suffering a reverse sweep as having performed
“foreplay” during the first two game wins, without completing the
“climax” of a third game win—all of which he accompanied by rather expressive hand gestures.
While the exact measures to be taken by Dplus KIA remain unclear, the team has assured fans that it will immediately implement measures, including “strengthening internal media communication guidelines” as well as “regular professional training on responsible media engagement and effective communication practices,” among other steps.
Mixed Reactions
It comes as no surprise that anything involving cvMax remains a controversial topic among fans. A historic figure in the LCK, the coach has built his reputation over the years, notably for his strict approach, which has often drawn criticism. This is not the first time he has been called into question, as he was previously involved in a
major scandal during his time at Griffin, where he was accused of verbal abuse, extreme emotional pressure, and even physically aggressive behavior—though these incidents date back to 2019.
While cvMax has largely moved away from those accusations in recent years, former LCK talent Maurits "Chronicler" Jan Meeusen recently
reiterated rumors suggesting continued concerns about his conduct, though the exact severity of these claims remains unclear.
In
Western spaces like Reddit, some fans took to forums to express their disapproval of today’s decision, with one user writing:
“Reading this ruling without context, you’d think he said a slur or something. Holy overreaction.” Under the interview video, Korean fans seem to have a completely different opinion, with one commenter saying,
“He's seriously a lunatic.” Western fan translators also
echoed the sentiment that:
“Checking Korean responses, a large group was concerned that he could be a bad role model and influence on his young team.”Others also took the quote in a more humorous direction, with some commenting that his analogy was actually a perfect description of the match’s end result: “Blue balls of death right there. It has to be painful to watch so many winning positions thrown away”.
Regardless of what one may think, Dplus KIA have promised not to let this happen again, and have assured that cvMax himself “fully recognizes the seriousness of this matter and is deeply reflecting on his words and actions,” while also emphasizing that the team will continue to “strive to become a more mature and exemplary organization, both on and off the field of competition.”
For now, the team will have to watch from the sidelines until the start of the LCK Rounds 3–4 on July 29th, where the squad will hope to make a push for Worlds after a disappointing first half of the season, narrowly securing a spot in the Legend Group by finishing fifth in Rounds 1–2.
