MSI 2026 Team Preview: Hanwha Life Esports Chasing a Debut MSI Victory

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By:Devin Morris
The MSI 2026 Logo

With T1 and Gen.G Esports dominating the MSI representation, Hanwha Life Esports debuts this year. They missed out last year after getting reverse-swept by Gen.G Esports and then swept by T1 in the Road to MSI. Hanwha Life Esports enter MSI as the LCK first seed and are one of the favorites to win the tournament. Can they achieve victory in their MSI debut as they did with First Stand last year?

Hanwha Life Esports’ Roster

HLE qualified for MSI as the LCK First Seed
Image of HLE qualifying for MSI, courtesy of LoL Esports
  • Korean Top Laner – Choi “Zeus” Woo-je
  • Korean Jungler – Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok
  • Korean Mid Laner – Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo
  • Korean Bot Laner – Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyung
  • Korean Support – Yu “Delight” Hwan-jung

Hanwha Life Esports made two roster changes for 2026. They brought in Gumayusi to replace Park “Viper” Do-hyeon, who went to Bilibili Gaming. It is the second year in a row that Hanwha Life Esports has picked up a former T1 player. Zeus joined in 2025, replacing Choi “Doran” Hyeon-jun. The other change was bringing in Kanavi from Top Esports to replace Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, who is on military service. Kanavi is the only player on this roster to have won MSI, doing so in 2023 with JD Gaming. However, there are three World Champions: Zeus, Zeka, and Gumayusi.

The Debut MSI Victory

Hanwha Life Esports, as an organisation, has never qualified for the MSI. Even their form roster, ROX Tigers, never made an appearance at the mid-season tournament. They came within one game last year, after 2-0 up against Gen.G Esports in the Upper Bracket of Road to MSI. They would go on to lose six consecutive games, missing out on MSI at the hands of Gen.G Esports and T1. They did not mess up in 2026, winning at the first opportunity. After a mostly dominant Regular Season, which saw them only losing three series, they defeated T1 3-1 at the Road to MSI. Their LCK dominance came after they finished 10th in the LCK Cup.

Their success and rise came on the back of playing around the Kanavi’s aggression. After the 10th-place finish, many called for Kanavi to dial back his aggression. For the Regular Season, he dialed it back slightly. However, the change came with the rest of his team buying into his calls. They lived off the aggressive playstyle, looking to fight for every inch of the rift.

Key Player – Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo

Champions Played in Spring 2026

  • Aurora (11)
  • Ahri (8)
  • Ryze (7)
  • Orianna (6)
  • Yone (4)
  • Cassiopeia (4)
  • Annie (3)
  • Ziggs (2)
  • Viktor (2)
  • Sylas (2)
  • Twisted Fate (2)
  • Azir (2)
  • Taliyah (2)

Peak Zeka

Zeka has been a difficult player to judge. He has always been a terror on melee champions like Akali, Sylas, and Yone. However, he has often struggled with the rest of the mid lane champions. He is still one of the best LCK mid laners, but rarely competes with Chovy, Bdd, or Faker for the mages. The 2026 Regular Season has seen a step up from Zeka. Aurora is his most-played champion and probably his strongest ranged champion. His Ryze has also seen significant improvements. Kanavi might be the driving force behind Hanwha Life Esports’s aggression, but Zeka is a pivotal piece. His laning phase and general gameplay allow Kanavi the space to take over the map.

Hanwha Life Esports’ Expectations

HLE beat T1 in the LCK Road to MSI to qualify for MSI
Image of HLE beating T1, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

Hanwha Life Esports comes into MSI as one of the more dominant teams. They stormed through the Regular Season and destroyed T1 in the Road to MSI. They, along with Bilibili Gaming, are everyone’s first choice from their regions to win the entire tournament. They will also likely have an easier first series than Bilibili Gaming. Since they added a double-elimination bracket in 2023, the winning team has never dropped down to the Lower Bracket. They could be an advantage for Hanwha Life Esports.

An Expected Easier Matchup

Hanwha Life Esports, as the LCK first seed, will start in the Bracket Stage. They will be in pool 2 for the draw. Their potential opponents are FURIA or Team Secret Whales. While neither team is a pushover, they should be a weaker opponent than T1 or the team that knocks T1 out of the Play-Ins.

More LoL Esports Content

Below is all the previous LCK content on the Total Apex. You can expect more MSI articles in the following weeks.

Devin Morris is a Gaming Writer and Esports Editor for Total Apex Media. Devin is a gaming fanatic from little old South Africa. Devin has had a passion for gaming and writing from a young age. Devin's early favorites were Age of Empires, FIFA and Need for Speed games. As Devin grew older he moved into more competitive gaming, focusing on Overwatch, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics. Devin also sinks way too many hours into Destiny 2!

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