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Deft announces departure for military service next year

Deft announces departure for military service next year

League of Legends

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

28 Jul, 2024, 17:21

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Last updated: 9 Apr, 2025, 15:03

In a recent Korean interview after KT Rolster's loss at the hands of T1 in the LCK Summer Playoffs, Deft revealed he's planning on leaving the LCK next year to perform his military.

The legendary AD carry has had an incredible career in professional League of Legends. Debuting as a rookie in the LCK as far back as early 2013, Deft has been performing at a remarkable level for more than 11 years now.

The pinnacle of an astounding career for Deft came with his victory at the 2022 World Championship, the trophy every professional League of Legends player is after.

His team at the time, DRX, came into the tournament as South Korea's 4th seeded team. In remarkable fashion, the team completed their Cinderella run across the tournament from all the way in the play-in stage to ultimately defeating Faker and T1 in shocking 3-2 fashion in the grand finals.

Deft announces departure for military service next year

After trying for nearly 10 years, Deft finally got to lift the World Championship trophy in 2022 with DRX. (Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

The door stays open

After announcing his expected departure next year, Deft discussed the possibility of his return after completing his military service.

"If my skills don't decline when I come back, and if any team contacts me, I can always be a player again."

While the future remains unclear for what is certainly one of the most legendary players in the history of the game, there is no doubt that Deft and fans alike would be delighted to see him return once he felt the time was right.

For now, however, following KT's elimination from the LCK Summer Playoffs by T1 last Saturday (August 24th), Deft will still have one more chance to qualify for the 2024 World Championship through the LCK Regional Finals, starting September 12th.

For the latest League of Legends news, follow Strafe Esports. Also follow the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews with players and coaches.

Image source: LCK/Riot Games

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