Following a dream run in the 2024 season that saw T1 defend their Worlds title and claim the first-ever Esports World Cup, the team entered 2025 with a major roster change: top laner Zeus departed for Hanwha Life Esports, prompting the team to sign Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon as his replacement.
The Zeus-Oner-Faker-Gumayusi-Keria lineup—popularly known as ZOFGK—has been one of the strongest League rosters T1 has ever assembled, and all eyes were on Doran to maintain that same level of synergy. Given his flashy outplays and strong carry potential, stepping into Zeus’s shoes was no easy task. However, the transition was made smoother by T1’s players, who helped Doran feel comfortable both on and off the stage.
“Since I was joining T1 as a new player, you know the existing players made the first move, and they just approached me first. I just remember that happening often,” Doran said in an interview with Dot Esports. “Everyone was just approaching me and then making me feel comfortable, (it) really helped me get adjusted and settle well within the team.”
As T1 focused on building synergy with their new top laner, the LCK Cup marked their first event of the year. It also acted as a qualifier for the First Stand Tournament, where teams had to adapt to the Fearless Draft format. T1 put up a solid performance in the group stages, but they were knocked out in the playoffs by Hanwha Life Esports, who later went on to win FST 2025.
The Korean powerhouse also tested a promising rookie, Shin “Smash” Geum-jae, during the first round of the LCK Split. T1 finished third in the standings, behind Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports, ending the round with seven losses. During a LCK Spring Split match against KT Rolster, Doran had an unfortunate moment when he lost his life to the Krugs while playing Gwen, a blunder that quickly turned into a viral meme. Naturally, we had to ask the Krug Lord himself how he feels about the nickname.
“I know a lot of international foreign fans might not know me, and just being able to get myself known out there, I think that’s really good thing and I am happy about that,” Doran said. During MSI, the League broadcast team also gifted him a small Krug pet in the post-match presentation.
Despite the memes, T1’s CEO Joe Marsh quickly stepped in to bring back their star ADC, Gumayusi, replacing rookie Smash in the lineup. Fans hoped the move would breathe new life into the team—and it did.
The road to MSI 2025 was all about redemption, especially overcoming their struggles against HLE. T1 rose to the occasion and secured their spot at the tournament. While Gen.G dominated the LCK Spring Split with a flawless 18-0 record and carried that momentum into MSI, T1 also found their stride on the international stage. Fueled by their signature international buff, they stayed in the winner’s bracket all the way until a close game five loss to Gen.G in the decider.
“Right in this moment, I can only remember what happened in game five. We had that early advantage during that game, but because we felt so rushed to make a decision, I think it actually ended up flipping against our favor,” Doran said, reflecting on what went wrong for T1 in the upper bracket finals match. “So, I think in the end, I am not quite satisfied with my own performance.”
T1 and Gen.G had to dig deep into their champion pools in game four when Canyon locked in a surprise Zed jungle pick. But according to Doran, it wasn’t much of a shock. “Overall, we actually had their pocket picks figured out, so nothing really caught us off guard. I don’t think we were behind at any point in the draft during the series,” he said.
Doran also mentioned that Fearless mode doesn’t give anyone a real edge since everyone plays under the same conditions. That said, he believes it’s still crucial for pro players to have a deep champion pool to stay competitive.
He also praised Gen.G, noting they’re a team that “always strategizes very well around their own playstyle and macro.” However, in the series decider, T1 couldn’t break past what the yellow tigers had prepared for them. T1 went on to defeat Anyone’s Legend to earn a rematch with Gen.G, but the defending MSI champions came through once again. Gen.G not only earned another MSI title but also became the third team ever to win back-to-back MSI championships, doing so without dropping a single series.
Doran began his career as a promising rookie with Griffin, sharing top lane duties with Sword and even making it to Worlds in his debut year. Since then, he’s claimed three LCK titles with Gen.G and one with HLE, but an international trophy still remains out of reach. Doran came just one match short of making history with T1—but the wait goes on.
T1 finished third at the Esports World Cup 2025, falling short of defending their title. It was another missed opportunity for Doran to lift an international trophy. Now, all eyes turn to Worlds 2025 in Chengdu, where he’ll look to help T1 become the first team in League history to win three consecutive World Championships.
