Dambi Reportedly Set to Join Gen.G's VALORANT Roster Following Three Departures

Lee “Dambi” Hyuk-kyu is reportedly set to join Gen.G Esports for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour season, according to Sheep Esports. The reported move comes as Gen.G has confirmed the departures of Ha “Ash” Hyun-cheol, Kim “Efina” Nak-yeon and coach Jung “peri” Beom-gi following a difficult 2026 campaign.

Dambi's transfer has not been officially announced by either organization. His departure from Nongshim RedForce, however, was confirmed on November 3.

Dambi's Rise and Success With Nongshim RedForce

Dambi is coming off the most successful season of his career with Nongshim RedForce. The Korean duelist rose through the domestic tier-two scene with the core that competed for Sin Prisa Gaming, won VCT Ascension Pacific in 2024 and subsequently entered VCT Pacific under the Nongshim banner.

In 2026, Nongshim won VCT Pacific Kickoff before claiming the Masters Santiago title with a 3-0 victory over Paper Rex in the grand final. Dambi, known for his aggressive Neon play, was named the tournament's MVP.

Nongshim continued to perform well throughout the year, finishing third at the Esports World Cup, reaching the Pacific Stage 2 final and making the playoffs at VALORANT Champions Shanghai.

Why Is Dambi Leaving Nongshim RedForce?

Despite its successful season, Nongshim was not selected for the 2027-2028 VCT partnership cycle. Dambi announced on October 20 that he had permission to explore offers while continuing discussions with the organization. On November 3, Nongshim confirmed his departure in a farewell video published on YouTube.

Gen.G, meanwhile, retained its place among the eight partnered organizations in the Pacific. If the reported transfer is completed, Dambi would remain in the region's partnered circuit for the 2027 season.

Gen.G Confirms the Departures of Ash, Efina and peri

On November 3, Gen.G announced that the contracts of Ash, Efina and coach peri had expired. The organization thanked all three for their contributions but did not announce their next destinations.

Ash had been with the main roster since March 2025, when he was promoted from Gen.G Global Academy. He remained part of the team throughout the 2026 campaign before his departure.

Efina had a much shorter stint. He joined on July 9, 2026, alongside Raxcal, during the midseason rebuild. Previously active in Korean Challengers and with T1 Academy, he took over as Gen.G's in-game leader following Lakia's departure. On October 28, Efina revealed that he had been allowed to explore other opportunities ahead of his contract's expiration.

peri originally joined Gen.G in December 2024 and renewed his agreement during the 2025 offseason. His departure leaves another opening on the coaching staff as the organization prepares for next year.

What Could Gen.G's 2027 Roster Look Like?

According to Sheep Esports, Dambi would join a lineup featuring Kim “t3xture” Na-ra, who remains under contract through 2027, and Kim “Karon” Won-tae, whose contract extension was separately reported by the outlet on November 3.

The report also states that Kim “HSK” Hae-seong has extended his coaching contract through 2027, while Jung “Xiesta” Si-hwan, who joined Gen.G in February 2026, is expected to serve as a substitute.

If the move goes through, Gen.G would be adding a Masters-winning duelist and international MVP to a roster that already includes t3xture. That raises questions about how the team would divide duelist responsibilities and who would take over as in-game leader following Efina's departure.

Sheep Esports projects a 2027 core of Dambi, Karon and t3xture, with two starting positions yet to be filled. For now, that remains a reported lineup rather than an official announcement, and Gen.G has yet to confirm Dambi's signing or reveal its complete roster for VCT Pacific 2027.

Gen.G's 2026 Season

Gen.G entered 2026 looking to return to the level that saw the organization win Masters Shanghai in 2024, but the season got off to a difficult start. The team finished ninth to tenth at Pacific Kickoff and eleventh to twelfth in Stage 1, prompting changes to its roster.

Gen.G parted ways with Foxy9 and Kim “Lakia” Jong-min, while Kim “ZynX” Dong-ha was sidelined by a wrist injury. Efina and academy player Kim “Raxcal” Min-seok joined the lineup in July, with Efina taking over in-game leadership.

The changes initially paid off. Gen.G went 5-0 in the Stage 2 group stage and advanced directly to the playoffs, a significant improvement over its earlier results.

However, the team could not maintain that momentum. Gen.G lost 2-1 to Nongshim RedForce on August 27, with Dambi playing on the opposing side, before falling 2-0 to T1 on August 29. The defeats ended Gen.G's season without a place at Champions Shanghai.

Despite the improvement in Stage 2, Gen.G finished the year without an international appearance. The organization is now making further changes ahead of the 2027 season.

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Featured image credit: Riot Games

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