T1 Keria: "We won 2-0 today [...] but there's a lot to improve on"
Following T1's victory against DNS, Keria spoke in an exclusive interview with Sheep Esports about the team’s development, and his relationship with Peyz.
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Credit: Grégoire "Aries" Bgz/Sheep Esports
"G2 is a team I have a lot of memories with… I like G2"
Today, you used winter skins for both Rakan and Milio. Spring has already started—was there a particular reason you used winter skins?
Ryu "Keria" Min-seok: “First of all, I like autumn and winter, and in League, the winter series skins all came out really pretty, so I've been using them a lot.
Please share your thoughts on the victory.
Keria: We won 2-0 today, but still, I think there were a lot of areas we were lacking, so there's a lot to improve on.
How would you evaluate today's match overall, and what do you see as the key to the win?
Keria: Honestly, I don't think it was clean overall. I think there were a lot of games where we didn't play well—games where we underperformed, but we still managed to win, and I think we won because we played well around our comp's concept, so yeah.
You previously told the team to play more aggressively. If you had to pick a moment today where you played aggressively, what would it be?
Keria: Well, in Game 2 for example, the bot duo played Lucian-Milio, and the game was looking like if botlane didn't play aggressively, we'd just lose comfortably—that was the way the game was going, that whole game. So from botlane, we just kept trying to play aggressively. I was on Milio, but I told Peyz to play aggressively, saying "let's go, let's go," and to focus the game around bot, and I think we kept playing confidently and aggressively.
This season, T1 is the only team that has picked Lucian. Including today, you've used it twice. Do you see the botlane meta differently from other teams, or was it just a comfort pick because you're used to it?
Keria: I think it depends on the situation and the draft, but for now, with Lucian, we've been picking it on blue side, and the idea is to secure strong picks for top side. Then in botlane play around 50-50 in lane while still having good value—it's one of those champions you pick with that in mind, like Lucian-Nami or Lucian-Milio. So basically, it's a pick that makes top side feel good while also not being bad for us either.
There was a change to the support gold penalty not long ago. How do you think this change could affect the support meta?
Keria: Honestly, I don't think it has that big of an impact. Ah, really, I think it has no impact at all. It might have some impact in solo queue, but in competitive, I don't think it has any impact whatsoever.
You recently received a G2 Rudy “SkewMond” Semaan jersey— correct? Since we're a European media outlet, do you have any message you'd like to send to Skewmond?
Keria: More than SkewMond specifically, G2 and I go way back—we've competed in tournaments together and filmed a lot of content together, and when I went to Europe for Worlds, I even borrowed their practice room to use. So G2 is a team I have a lot of memories with. I hope we meet a lot at international events again this time, have great matches. And also, yeah, I hope we can exchange greetings. Yeah, I like G2. [laughs]
Previously, a video of Keria teaching Peyz about their synergy was uploaded. At that time, the score was 3 out of 10—where would you rate it now?
Keria: Well, the quiz questions back then were pretty difficult, so it wasn't easy, and if we did it again now, I think we'd score about 7 out of 10.
Lastly, since we're a global media outlet, is there anything you'd like to say to your international fans?
Keria: There are so many global fans who support us. I'm really grateful for that, and this time there were tournaments in Hong Kong and Brazil with First Stand events and all, but I couldn't go, which I feel really bad about, and not being able to see the fans in person was disappointing. But since there are still many international events left, I'll do my best so I can perform in front of global fans at international events.”
