TL;DR
- NS RedForce leads LCK standings with 10-3 record, surprising established teams
- Veteran jungler Peanut provides crucial leadership for young talent development
- Team employs calculated late-game strategy rather than early aggression tactics
- Gen.G’s recent losing streak created opportunity for new leadership emergence
- Five remaining series will determine Worlds qualification and playoff seeding
With merely three weeks remaining in the 2021 LCK Summer Split regular season, Nongshim RedForce has emerged as the unexpected frontrunner in the championship race. Their current position defies preseason predictions and demonstrates the volatile nature of professional League of Legends competition.
Through thirteen matches completed this split, NS RedForce has accumulated ten victories, positioning them ahead of South Korea’s most established esports organizations. Holding a one-game advantage over second-place Gen.G, the team is positioned for a remarkable postseason campaign that could culminate in qualification for the prestigious 2021 World Championship. This achievement stems from exceptional team coordination and sophisticated meta-game comprehension that belies their newcomer status.
This represents only the organization’s second competitive split in the LCK, following their respectable sixth-place debut during the spring season. As one of the league’s newest franchise members, expectations remained modest for NS RedForce entering the 2021 campaign, though this perspective is rapidly evolving. The squad’s composition combines promising emerging players with the seasoned guidance of jungler Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, whose leadership has proven instrumental in developing raw talent. Peanut’s reputation as an elite playmaker continues to grow as he discovers an environment where his strategic talents can truly flourish.
The rapid ascent of NS RedForce to LCK leadership occurred with little warning. Gen.G had maintained pole position for an extended period, but recent performance shifts have dramatically altered the competitive landscape. While Gen.G struggles through a two-series losing skid, NS RedForce maintains impeccable form, currently riding a five-match winning streak that includes impressive victories against championship contenders DWG KIA and legendary organization T1.
The developing roster faces five critical remaining series where maintaining current performance levels becomes essential for securing top playoff positioning. Current evidence suggests NS RedForce achieves success through meticulously coordinated gameplay and remarkable consistency across all positions. Unlike teams built around singular superstar performers, this squad demonstrates the power of unified team execution, with statistical evidence showing they rank second in total eliminations league-wide, with contributions distributed evenly across all roles. Their kill-death-assist ratio also places second among all LCK teams, trailing only the statistically dominant Gen.G roster.
Observers analyzing NS RedForce’s gameplay might not immediately recognize hallmarks of a championship-caliber team. This perception gap arises because they avoid explosive early-game domination in favor of methodical, safety-focused approaches that extend match duration to secure victories. This strategic philosophy mirrors approaches previously employed successfully by DWG KIA during their championship runs, as well as the strategic foundations that built T1’s historic legacy.
The upcoming challenge against Liiv SANDBOX presents a significant test case, as they appear capable of challenging the current LCK leadership position.
Friday night victory????#NONGSHIM #NSTOGETHER #LCK pic.twitter.com/ozkoLePQ2h
— NS RedForce Global (@NS_RedForce) July 23, 2021
Professional analysts note that NS RedForce’s success stems from several key strategic differentiators. Their draft phase prioritizes scaling compositions that leverage late-game power spikes, while their mid-game transition focuses on objective control rather than aggressive skirmishing. This calculated approach minimizes risk while maximizing victory probability in extended engagements.
Common strategic errors that emerging teams often make include over-prioritizing early kills at the expense of map control, or failing to adapt draft strategies to opponent-specific weaknesses. NS RedForce demonstrates sophistication in both areas, consistently adapting their approach based on scouting intelligence and meta developments.
Nongshim RedForce represents one of the LCK’s newest competitive entities, having joined the league for the 2021 season. The organization earned one of the coveted franchise positions through rigorous evaluation, with their competitive performance validating that decision. The lineup features predominantly developing players who represent the next generation of Korean esports talent. Under veteran jungler Peanut’s guidance, NS RedForce appears to possess the necessary components for a surprising deep playoff run.
- Top Lane – Lee “Rich” Jae-won: Known for aggressive laning and exceptional teamfighting positioning
- Jungle – Han “Peanut” Wang-ho: Veteran leadership with sophisticated pathing and objective control
- Mid Lane – Kim “Gori” Tae-woo: Consistent lane performance with exceptional roam timing
- Bot Lane – Seo “deokdam” Dae-gil: Reliable damage output with impressive teamfight survival instincts
- Support – Kim “Kellin” Hyeong-gyu: Vision control specialist with exceptional engage timing
Action Checklist
- Analyze team coordination patterns through VOD review of objective fights
- Study draft phase strategies and champion prioritization trends
- Track player performance metrics across multiple splits for development analysis
- Compare statistical performance against league averages for context
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Nongshim RedForce is topping the LCK with three weeks left Analyzing Nongshim RedForce's surprising LCK 2021 Summer Split dominance and strategic gameplay approach