This is why T1 fans are so upset about a potential LS signing

On November 2nd, T1 support player Lee “Effort” Sang-ho unintentionally revealed what appeared to be the signing of Nick “LS” De Cesare as the organization’s new head coach. What began as an innocent oversight rapidly escalated into widespread harassment targeting both the player and the prospective coach. While Western audiences found the intense reaction puzzling, Korean fans remembered the turbulent history between LS and their community.

The roots of this conflict trace back to 2019 when LS joined bbq Olivers as a coach. The organization had recently been demoted from the LCK and was competing in Challengers Korea to regain their position. In a groundbreaking move, bbq recruited Swedish professional Sebastian “Malice” Edholm, making him the inaugural non-Korean competitor to join a Korean esports organization at the professional tier.

Malice’s inaugural professional match was planned for the spring season commencement but faced a 19-day postponement. Both Riot Korea and bbq Olivers imposed this suspension due to documented toxic conduct within the solo queue environment. Despite public expressions of remorse, the player persisted in displaying problematic in-game actions.

How Korean Solo Queue Culture Fueled the T1-LS Controversy

High-level Korean ranked play operates under fundamentally different principles compared to North American or European solo queue environments. Korean competitors demonstrate exceptional dedication to achieving the prestigious rank one position and approach every match with intense seriousness. The ranked ladder serves as a vital talent discovery platform, with organizations frequently recruiting players directly from these competitive queues. DRX jungler Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon represents a prime example, having been discovered through solo queue performance and making his LCK debut without prior professional experience.

Most Western teams conduct training camps in Korea specifically to access the superior practice quality available in its ranked system. Consequently, any player deliberately sabotaging these valuable practice sessions faces immediate condemnation from both professional competitors and the fan community alike.

Malice engaged in consistent harassment targeting both allies and opponents, frequently executed unconventional strategies, and generally rendered numerous matches unplayable for participants. Professional players documented his behavior through multiple stream reports, prompting LS to respond with vigorous defenses of his player.

“The glaring double standards demonstrated by Korean community forums and professional players regarding Malice over the preceding six weeks is absolutely unacceptable. If you’re seeking examples of borderline racist conduct or xenophobic attitudes, examine comments from players like Ruler concerning him,” LS stated in a tweet that has since been removed.

This social media post emerged following Gen.G’s ADC Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk reporting Malice with the remark, “This individual is abnormal. He barely qualifies as human, honestly.”

LS’s justification for Malice appeared grounded in the observation that his player wasn’t the sole individual in Korean ranked play exhibiting trolling or intentional game-throwing behavior. However, this perspective failed to adequately address the repetitive nature and severity of Malice’s conduct issues.

In one particularly notable incident, Malice encountered professional player Bae “Bang” Jun-sik and communicated in game chat, “Bang, do you possess self-loathing tendencies? Why would you partner with such an incompetent mid laner?” The referenced mid laner happened to be SK Telecom T1 substitute competitor Choi “Pirean” Jun-sik.

Despite Malice’s ongoing questionable in-game choices, LS maintained his defensive stance toward his player.

The Untara Confrontation: When Cultural Lines Were Crossed

The decisive moment for LCK enthusiasts arrived when LS launched verbal assaults against top laner Park “Untara” Ui-jin, a widely respected competitor within the Korean scene, who published video content highlighting specific instances of Malice’s disruptive gameplay moments.

“Did you derive satisfaction from misrepresenting a player’s conduct to generate YouTube viewership? Did you opt to skip the Spring season specifically to produce this type of content? Had this involved another Korean player, you certainly wouldn’t have created this video—you clearly took pleasure in targeting him specifically as a foreign competitor,” LS wrote.

Untara addressed the criticism during his live stream, indicating that had Malice offered a private apology, he would have removed the video content. He explained that Malice’s systematic abuse of ping systems and overall disruptive behavior represented a consistent pattern, which justified the attention it received. Based on Untara’s perspective, had the player been Korean, the entire situation would have been resolved internally through discussions with coaching staff.

Supporters quickly mobilized to protect Untara from the online attacks. Their rationale centered on LS occupying a position of authority as bbq Olivers’ coach. From their viewpoint, publicly accusing players of racial bias through social media channels constituted inappropriate professional conduct.

Carrying this substantial historical baggage, LS now stands reportedly positioned to join T1 as head coach, representing the most prominent organization in the Korean region and potentially globally.

T1’s fanbase has labeled LS as a disruptive influence and problematic figure. While these characterizations may have held validity during the 2019 incidents, they might not accurately reflect his current character. Individuals undergo significant personal development and transformation over time, and if T1 proceeds with this appointment, the organization undoubtedly possesses compelling justification for their decision.

Predicting whether T1 will finalize the LS signing or how this potential move might impact team performance remains speculative. The community must exercise patience until free agency commencement to discover T1’s final roster decisions and whether LS becomes part of the legendary organization.

Professional Insight: Organizational coaching decisions often balance past controversies against demonstrated growth and current strategic value. The intense Korean solo queue environment creates unique pressures that can exacerbate cultural misunderstandings between Western and Eastern competitive approaches.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » This is why T1 fans are so upset about a potential LS signing Exploring how Korean solo queue culture and past controversies shaped the T1-LS coaching drama