Buzz
GAM and TW Emerged as the Sternest Replies to VCS's Query on the Recruitment of South Korean Mercenaries
It's well-known that since LCK teams have dominated the League of Legends world, or when champions of major international tournaments (MSI, Worlds) have showcased Korean players, Korean stars have been the epitome of excellence. Their professional imprint is evident through their playing style, training regimen, and lifestyle. Additionally, Korean ranks are deemed as the standard for selecting potential players. In summary, players from the LCK are always rated higher than the general standard of the LoL community.
In the case of these players, the majority of those who must venture abroad fall into the category of being 'unable to find career development opportunities' at home. Classic examples include Scout, Doinb, TheShy... There are also those who seek to conquer new challenges like Ruler, Deft, Peanut... but they are in the minority. And certainly, this formula cannot be applied to Korean imports competing in smaller regions (VCS, PCS) or wildcard regions.
Recently, following LOUD's loss to GAM Esports and then CBTC Flying Oyster's loss to Team BDS, all teams utilizing Korean imports in the Play-In stage of the 2023 Worlds have returned home. These players themselves also did not leave much of an impression, if not to say they were completely outperformed by opponents in the same position. For instance, Crocs were completely defeated by Levi and were one of the direct reasons why LLL couldn't execute the game plan in Game 2.
Not long ago, the media manager of CERBERUS Esports shared the reason why VCS couldn't recruit quality Korean imports. According to them, the delay comes from the labor permits for these players, which take a considerable amount of time. Next is the salary issue. And finally, the skill level of these imports. Not to mention the cultural integration, language... of the imports. CES is the pioneer in using Korean imports (Poss and Leash). And in reality, the 'War Dogs' failed with these two imports.
Top-tier Korean players almost always opt for the LPL. This region not only meets the requirements in terms of skill level and salary but also offers opportunities to participate in international tournaments and build reputation. Only players who have no other options would consider smaller regions like PCS, CBLOL... Therefore, the skill factor is crucial. The performances of teams like LLL, CFO... at the 2023 Worlds are the most recent and prominent evidence.
Meanwhile, names like GAM, BDS, PSG, and especially TW have shown that success doesn't necessarily require the use of imports. Because low-quality imports not only fail to elevate the host team but can also drag down other team members.
