2026 LCK: Hanwha Life Esports Overcomes Nongshim RedForce – What’s Next for ‘GumaYushi’ Lee Min-hyung?

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‘Gumayusi’ Lee Min-hyeong offered a wry take on the win.

Hanwha Life Esports edged Nongshim RedForce 2–1 in a tight series during Round 1 of the 2026 LCK regular season at the Roll Park LCK Arena in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 22nd at 7 p.m. The victory extended Hanwha Life’s winning streak to five games and improved their record to 6–1, keeping them in second place.

After the match, Lee told reporters, “When we matched up against Nongshim, I could feel a particular matchup dynamic. I expected a tough game, and it was just that. After beating Gen.G our momentum was high, but we needed something to shake off the tension — this match provided the right kind of jolt,” he said with a smile.

He added, “In lane matchups, I don’t think Nongshim looked weak. We’re a team that likes to fight, and Nongshim also doesn’t back down, so the styles clashed. Our shotcalling got split at times, and lapses in focus cost us significant ground,” he said, pointing out areas to refine despite the win.

In Game 3, even after taking two inhibitors, Hanwha Life collapsed at the 28-minute Baron fight, where four players were picked off in a single engagement. Lee recalled, “Bottom lane went better than expected — Xayah scaled up a lot. With a Xayah–Lulu combo, I judged we shouldn’t lose. When we got aced 0–4 and surrendered Baron, I thought, ‘What just happened?’ but I still believed we could keep carrying.”

Breaking down the play, he said, “We started well. With Lulu’s ultimate and shield, my HP topped 2,500, and it vanished in a second. I think we underestimated their damage. We usually prefer to pull opponents into our fights, but being pulled into theirs was what cost us the game.”

Hanwha Life faces Kiwoom DRX next, followed by top-ranked KT Rolster. “The regular season is a marathon,” Lee said. “This is the point where players can start to feel fatigue. Managing player conditioning is crucial. We’re in a tight battle with KT Rolster for first place, and I want us to beat Kiwoom DRX to put ourselves in position to take the top spot.”

He added, “We have two Round 1 games left. Before we know it, Round 2 will begin and the MSI qualifiers will follow. We’ll stay focused and do everything we can to make it to MSI.”