Viper joins Hanwha Life Esports ahead of the 2020 LCK Summer Split

TL;DR

  • Viper reunites with Lehends at Hanwha Life Esports for 2020 LCK Summer Split
  • Griffin releases entire roster amid LCK franchise model transition
  • Tarzan attracts global interest with strong LPL team connections
  • Ucal represents high-value mid-lane talent despite team struggles
  • Young Griffin players demonstrate exceptional market mobility potential

Professional bottom laner Park “Viper” Do-hyeon has formally signed with Hanwha Life Esports in preparation for the upcoming 2020 LCK Summer Split competition period.

This strategic acquisition marks Viper’s professional reunion with former Griffin teammate Son “Lehends” Si-woo under a new organizational structure. During their 2018-2019 competitive tenure, Viper and Lehends established themselves as one of the most dominant bottom lane partnerships within the LCK ecosystem. Their synergistic playstyle and coordinated teamfighting capabilities made them particularly formidable during objective control scenarios.

The 2020 competitive season presented significant challenges for Viper’s professional development. Griffin encountered substantial difficulties throughout the regular season format, ultimately failing to secure qualification through the Summer Promotion tournament pathway. The organization, originally celebrated as a rising talent from Challengers Korea, returned to lower-tier competition after demonstrating consistent LCK performance across two previous seasons.

Despite Griffin’s collective performance decline during the spring split, analytical metrics consistently positioned Viper among the team’s most effective performers, alongside standout jungler Lee “Tarzan” Seung-yong.

Strategic team building considerations suggest organizations should prioritize established player synergies when constructing rosters. The Viper-Lehends reunion demonstrates how previous successful partnerships can accelerate team cohesion and performance outcomes.

I worked with him like only 10days(big XD) but I realized so easily that he is the top class ad carry. Smart, open minded, easy to work with. I wish u best luck broo!
https://t.co/Udf8s1eESt

— Kim “Wadid” Baein (@WadidXD)
May 18, 2020

Griffin’s organizational direction remains uncertain as management evaluates future competitive participation. The team faces potential dissolution considerations, particularly given Challengers Korea’s scheduled discontinuation coinciding with the LCK’s transition to a franchise operational model. Griffin leadership has yet to formally declare intentions regarding participation in the newly structured league system.

Earlier this month, Griffin management confirmed the organization’s decision to release all contracted players from their obligations. This talented cohort of young professional players possesses significant potential to secure positions with new organizations rapidly.

Common organizational mistakes during franchise transitions include delaying roster decisions until market opportunities diminish. Proactive teams that identify and acquire promising talent during organizational shakeups often gain substantial competitive advantages in subsequent seasons.

Where are the rest of the Griffin players going?

Lee “Tarzan” Seung-yong represents one of the most sought-after professional talents in the current esports transfer market. Numerous international organizations across multiple competitive regions have expressed serious interest in acquiring Tarzan’s services. Recent offseason speculation strongly connects him with the LPL region, specifically with 2018 World Championship winners Invictus Gaming.

Tarzan’s potential acquisition would involve replacing current junglers Lu “Leyan” Jue and Gao “Ning” Zhen-Ning, both reportedly transitioning to alternative teams within the LPL ecosystem.

Advanced player evaluation techniques emphasize assessing jungle pathing efficiency, objective control decision-making, and early game tempo establishment. Teams seeking to maximize Tarzan’s impact should develop strategies that leverage his exceptional map control capabilities and counter-jungling proficiency.

Ucal

Son “Ucal” Woo-hyeon has re-entered the professional player marketplace, with Hanwha Life Esports among organizations requiring mid-lane talent reinforcement. Ucal maintains recognition for his characteristically aggressive playstyle and exceptional mechanical execution capabilities.

Despite his relatively young age of 19 years, Ucal has consistently demonstrated capability to compete effectively against the LCK’s premier mid-lane competitors. Ucal represents a valuable strategic asset likely to receive rapid acquisition offers from competitive organizations.

Optimization strategies for integrating aggressive mid-laners include developing coordinated jungle-mid synergy, establishing vision control priorities for roaming opportunities, and creating draft strategies that enable early lane priority.

Teams evaluating Ucal should conduct comprehensive analysis of his champion pool flexibility, teamfight positioning patterns, and communication style compatibility with potential new teammates.

The Griffin roster dispersal provides valuable lessons for esports organizations regarding talent evaluation and acquisition timing. Successful team building requires balancing immediate competitive needs with long-term player development potential.

Practical team construction approaches include establishing clear role responsibilities, developing complementary playstyle combinations, and creating organizational cultures that foster continuous player improvement.

Common mistakes in player acquisition involve overvaluing recent performance without considering contextual factors, underestimating the importance of communication dynamics, and failing to align player strengths with strategic system requirements.

Organizations should reference comprehensive guides like our Class Guide to understand how different player types contribute to overall team success.

Action Checklist

  • Analyze player synergies from previous successful partnerships
  • Evaluate talent acquisition timing during organizational transitions
  • Assess player-team compatibility across multiple dimensions
  • Develop integration strategies for aggressive playstyle players
  • Create player evaluation frameworks incorporating contextual performance factors

No reproduction without permission:Games Guides Website » Viper joins Hanwha Life Esports ahead of the 2020 LCK Summer Split Tracking Griffin's roster dispersal and analyzing player destinations with strategic insights for esports enthusiasts