Superstar veteran Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu simply refuses to close the weight tome that is his glamorous League of Legends, teasing a possible return to professional play after he serves his compulsory military service for South Korea that starts next year.
Deft, now 27, has been a regular fixture in Korea’s domestic LCK competition and the international League stage since 2013. He ranks as one of the best AD carries to have ever touched the Riot Games title, solidifying his status as one of the all-time greats in 2022 when he led DRX on a miracle run all the way to the World Championship. That event was originally thought to be his “Last Dance,” though he squeezed one more campaign out in 2024.
Time’s caught up to the LCK superstar though, with one of League‘s most famous names now preparing to hang up his keyboard and report for military service; all Korean men are still required to serve for at least 18 months sometime between their 18th and 35th birthdays.
While many thought this meant Deft would call time on League though, it sounds more like it could just be goodbye for now, with the 27-year-old hinting he wants to return after his service.
“Ending everything with today’s loss feels too disappointing, so I think I might challenge myself again after completing my military service,” Deft declared on Sunday.
The AD carry then admitted he’s “not sure how things will turn out” as he prepares for a huge change over the next two years, but continued to speak to the fans at LCK Arena and then when posting goodbye messages on Instagram as if he would be seeing them again. “I don’t think I might be able to greet you guys for quite a while, so stay healthy and be happy, till we meet again,” he signed off after KT’s five-game loss.
When the time came for him to leave the LCK Arena stage, Deft remained composed and even smiled to himself as he gathered backpack and gaming peripherals. Finally, he left things with a bow to the many applauding KT Rolster and League fans.
Said Deft on his social media soon after: “I hope you guys always stay happy and healthy. Thank you so much… I look forward to the day I can return and greet you again.”
Any possible comeback wouldn’t happen until at least 2027, with Deft now having to train and serve in the military through 2025 and 2026. The Korean League star turns 28 in six weeks, meaning by the time he was looking to play again he’d be 30.
That’s not to say 30 is too old to play at a competitive level, with many esports stars now pushing through their late 20s and continuing to succeed even as their 40s loom. There would, however, be some doubts that Deft could simply settle back into the same rigmarole of the LCK and League‘s soon-to-be three international tournaments at the same incredible level the KT Rolster ADC has produced time and time over the last 11 years.
For now it’s all just questions though; in the next two years, Deft could decide he doesn’t want to play again, meaning this truly is goodbye to an unquestionable League icon.
Published: Sep 15, 2024 09:10 pm