Oner Replaced by Painter for T1 Homeground

The current jungler of T1 Academy, Kim "Painter" Eun-hoo, will step in for Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun ahead of the 2026 T1 Homeground, an event held as part of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) roadshows. He made his Tier 1 debut on August 8 in the match against Hanwha Life Esports, with T1 falling to a 1-2 defeat. 

Why is T1 Painter Replacing Oner?

Following the loss against Hanwha Life, T1 coach Im “Tom” Jaw-hyeon explained the decision, noting that Painter can contribute to the team through his shotcalling while also allowing his teammates to improve by watching and listening to him.

We made the change because we wanted to win. Painter also fills in a lot for the team in terms of shotcalling, and that was something we viewed very positively while watching our scrims. I also thought that the players playing alongside him could improve by watching and listening to him, while maintaining the fundamentals and establishing better direction in-game. There was also the aspect of motivation. For those various reasons, we decided to call him up.

According to the coach, this change is not related to any issue with Oner. The coaching staff will continue to evaluate both players through practice and official matches to decide who will play in the next matches.

T1 Painter's next match is scheduled for August 14 against Dplus KIA during the T1 Homegrounds. The event will take place at the KSPO Dome in Seoul's Olympic Park, and it will feature official LCK matches from August 14 to August 16.

T1 Painter Performance 

Known for his Pantheon, Painter made a very solid start to the series, helping T1 secure the first victory with an impactful 5/0/8 performance. However, it was difficult to carry that momentum into the second game, as Hanwha Life's experience and strength began to show, particularly in the bot lane.

In the final game, HLE dominated all lanes, giving them an early advantage that T1 struggled to overcome, ultimately securing the series for Hanwha Life. Despite the loss, T1 still leads the Legend Group. The top four teams from the group will qualify for the Season Playoffs.

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Featured Image Credits: Riot Games // LCK

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