On Jul. 27, in the 2023 LCK Summer Split, Hanwha Life Esports defeated Nongshim RedForce 2-0. Hanwha Life Esports was quick and strong, as they finished both games within the 30-minute mark. Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo had a great performance in the match playing Tristana, and was voted Player of the Game for both games. He joined Bae Hye-ji for a post-match POG interview.
You’re now ranked 2nd in the POG standings. How do you feel?
Today, we secured a clean 2-0 victory with a unique team composition, and I’m delighted. With only a few matches left before the playoffs, it’s crucial to improve our gameplay.
Four consecutive match wins and eight consecutive set wins. The atmosphere must be great. How is it?
The team atmosphere is excellent. Grizzly is timid and adorable, making it enjoyable to tease him.
In the first set, we saw Grizzly repeatedly gank the mid lane. Did you keep calling for his help, or was it a strategic decision?
When we formed that composition, the strategy required prioritizing Tristana. Although Grizzly made a mistake, it was understandable. After the game, he blamed himself, but I want to say he did well.
When you killed Azir during the laning phase, did you expect Azir to reach level 6 later in the game?
I was aware that Maokai passed through the mid lane and gained experience, but whether Azir reached level 6 or not, I believed we could secure the kill.
It should be great that the youngest player frequently and successfully ganks mid, and it seems that you’re looking after Grizzly well. A word to him?
I may seem younger than him, and he kind of feels like an older brother. He is reliable and does well during the games. I’m thankful for that.
You seem to excel with all AD champions. Do you prefer mages or AD champions?
I’ve been playing AD champions a lot in solo queue since a long time ago, so I have confidence with them. The current meta allows for the frequent use of such champions, making them quite useful. My preference varies depending on the meta.
Have you seen the HLE YouTube video of the eye examination? Many captures of you wearing glasses have been turned into various memes. Are you aware of this?
When do they use those memes? [Laughs] It seems like the images turned out well. If fans use them frequently, I’ll do my best to perform even better.
▲ Sad Zeka (Left), Mad Scientist Zeka (Right)
Your next opponent is DRX, and you’re going for a 5-game winning streak. Any thoughts on facing them?
DRX played well even in unfavorable situations today. They seem determined to make it to the playoffs, and we are just as committed to giving our all. We’ll do our best.
A message to the fans?
Thank you to all the fans who support us. We’ll do our best to reach new heights.
HLE Zeka: “With only a few matches left before the playoffs, it’s crucial to improve our gameplay.”
