Former Griffin support Lehends joins Hanwha Life Esports in LCK

Hanwha Life Esports has secured a significant upgrade to their support position by signing Son “Lehends” Si-woo for the upcoming LCK competitive season. The acquisition was first reported by Fomos journalist “Kenzi” through social media channels.

Lehends joins HLE during a period of massive organizational restructuring, arriving shortly after he and his former Griffin teammates entered free agency. While Griffin demonstrated superior performance throughout the 2019 League of Legends Champions Korea season compared to HLE, the organization now faces potential expulsion from the league following numerous player contract disputes that came to public attention.

HLE concluded the 2019 regular season in ninth position, falling well short of qualification for the World Championship. However, the 2020 LCK Spring split beginning in January offers renewed hope for competitive relevance.

The organization has undertaken a comprehensive roster reconstruction. Lehends will team up with Jeon “Zenit” Tae-gwon, Lee “CuVee” Seong, Kang “Haru” Min-seung, and Kang “Tempt” Myung-gu. With the exception of Tempt, who has remained with HLE since 2018, every other player represents a new addition to the squad, all arriving from prestigious regional organizations including T1 and KT Rolster.

Esports analysts project HLE’s revamped lineup possesses substantial potential to ascend the LCK standings and potentially secure one of Korea’s three coveted spots at the 2020 World Championship. Meanwhile, Lehends’ previous team Griffin confronts an entirely different trajectory, as Riot Games Korea appears poised to remove the organization from league participation entirely.

Despite Griffin finishing the regular season in first place and qualifying for Worlds where they reached the quarterfinals, Riot Games has mandated a complete organizational overhaul covering ownership structures, management personnel, and implementation of equitable player contracts for any future competitive endeavors.

With no progress on these requirements and no announcements regarding new player signings, the 2019 season likely represents Griffin’s final competitive appearance. HLE now aims to capitalize on this power vacuum by recruiting players with proven international tournament experience.

The contrast between these two organizations’ trajectories highlights the volatile nature of professional esports. Teams can rapidly transition from championship contenders to organizational collapse due to management missteps, while previously struggling squads can quickly rebuild through strategic acquisitions.

For aspiring professional players, this situation underscores the critical importance of contract transparency and organizational stability when evaluating team opportunities. Understanding an organization’s financial health and management practices can be as important as assessing competitive potential.

Lehends launched his competitive career in 2016 and rapidly joined Griffin during their formative stages. The team was competing in the 2018 Champions Korea Spring tournament when their new lineup began systematically defeating opponents, ultimately reaching the LCK summit by 2019’s conclusion.

Despite his relative youth, Lehends contributes the championship experience and professional dedication that HLE requires for their own underdog success narrative.

His transition to HLE represents a strategic career move that provides stability while maintaining competitive aspirations. For players navigating similar transitions, maintaining consistent performance while adapting to new team dynamics represents a critical success factor in professional esports careers.

Successful roster integration requires both individual skill adaptation and team synergy development. Players joining new organizations should prioritize communication with new teammates and coaching staff to accelerate the adaptation process.

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