Esports
For fans of League of Legends esports, it should come as no surprise to see T1 continue their domination of the LCK in 2022. Let's take a look back at their phenomenal year.
It's been another stellar year for South Korea's top League of Legends team, who once again showed their quality across both domestic and international tournaments throughout 2022. With a lineup still led by living legend Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok, T1 continued to perform to an almost impossibly high standard, with only a select few teams able to give them a run for their money over the last 12 months.
Spring
Coming out of a turbulent 2021, T1 weren't looking like the sure bet they usually were heading into the first domestic season of 2022. Numerous coaching changes had thrown the team into disarray in the last year, and many doubted that they still had what it took to dominate as they had done previously. But it wouldn't take T1 long to prove the doubters wrong.
T1 wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring two wins in the opening week, against Kwangdong Freecs and Fredit BRION. Their first real test would come in Week 2 when they faced DRX, a rivalry that would go on to define much of the South Korean LoL scene in 2022. T1 brought the heat though, defeating their opponents in a 2-0 sweep. At this early stage, it appeared nothing could stop the champs.
Their dominance would continue throughout the Spring Season, as T1 picked up win after win. As the season approached its end, T1 were undefeated, boasting a record-breaking 100 percent win rate. With a historic season behind them, T1 went into the Playoffs with the confidence of a team that was untouchable.
And untouchable they were. The semi-finals saw T1 dispatch KDF in a clean 3-0 victory, advancing them to the final with Gen.G. Although Gen.G did manage to take one game, T1 ultimately dominated proceedings, with Ryu 'Keria' Min-seok's demonstrating some outstanding Nautilus hooks and Lee 'Gumayusi' Min-hyeong going deathless in the final game. T1 claimed a 3-1 victory and lifted their 10th domestic trophy.
MSI
Hot off their untouchable Spring run, T1 continued their momentum into the Mid-Season Invitational, adding a further six games to their historic win streak. Nothing lasts forever though, and the South Korean champs did eventually succumb to defeat at the hands of European bruisers G2 Esports during the Group Stage. T1's unbeaten win streak was therefore ended at a hefty 28 wins in a row, but that wasn't the end of their MSI campaign. T1 would go on to compete in the finals of the tournament where they claimed the runner-up spot, after nailing G2 3-0 in the semi-finals before a thrilling five-game showdown with RNG.
Summer
T1's historic Spring set the bar impossibly high for summer, but few fans could say they were disappointed by the team's efforts in the warmer months. Choi 'Zeus' Woo-je made a strong impression as T1 sailed past Nongshim RedForce and KT Rolster in their opening matches. Not to be outdone, Faker maintained his impeccable form, passing a significant milestone of 2,600 LCK kills.
T1 couldn't keep a clean sheet this time around, however, with Kwangdong Freecs exposing some cracks in their armour in Week 3. The sting of defeat didn't last long, however, as T1 promptly reset with a win over DRX. It wasn't long before T1 were back on another winning streak, ending up with an 83 percent win rate and a second-seed Playoffs spot.
Despite not nabbing the Summer Season top spot, fans were still hopeful that T1 could lift the trophy at the Playoffs. T1 achieved a scrappy win over DK, advancing to the Grand Final where they would once again take on Gen.G. Over three difficult rounds, T1 struggled to match their opponents' intensity, eventually succumbing to defeat. Despite the disappointment, few could argue that T1 didn't put in a fantastic overall performance in the second domestic season, as fans looked forward to their appearance at Worlds.
Worlds
It was no surprise to see the three-time world champions T1 dominate in the group stage of the League of Legends World Championship 2022. In a series of uncompromising performances, T1 took down EDward Gaming, Cloud9 and Fnatic to secure first place in Group A.
The quarter-finals saw T1 come face-to-face with old rivals Royal Never Give Up once more, but this time T1 emerged victorious after a patient and methodical performance. While their opponents managed to snatch some early kills, they were ultimately outplayed by T1.
T1's toughest test yet came in the form of another Chinese team – JD Gaming. This was no straightforward sweep, as JDG snatched the first game thanks to some savvy targeting of neutral objectives. But by Game 2, T1 had JDG's number. T1 flipped the script, gathering their own buffs and outplaying JDG in team fights. After three more hard-fought rounds, T1 emerged victorious.
Now, the stage was set for one of the most dramatic final showdowns in Worlds history – T1 vs DRX. Much of the hype leading up to the Grand Final was focused around two stars – the 'unkillable demon king', Faker and his schoolmate Kim 'Deft' Hyuk-kyu. Faker would be looking to secure his fourth Worlds trophy, while Deft aimed to end his long career with his first Worlds win. Which of these South Korean titans would end up lifting the trophy?
Fans were treated to five of the most intense rounds in League of Legends history as this all-important final series played out. T1 took the first game after some more patient and calculated play, but DRX struck back in Game 2, targeting Faker in the top lane. T1 opted for a tanky composition in Game 3, building up an unreachable gold lead before snatching the win to proceed to match point.
But in Game 4, the tables were turned once again. It was a quick and clean win for DRX, taking things to one all-or-nothing final round. Game 5 was predictably intense, with both teams remaining on an even keel for the first 25 minutes. But at the 40-minute mark, DRX secured the Elder Dragon, giving them the boost they needed to storm the base and end the game.
While it was disappointing for T1 fans to see their team fall at the final hurdle, one couldn't deny that DRX had one of the finest Worlds runs of all time, as the first team to come from the Play-In Stage to lift the final trophy. As for T1 themselves, it was another stellar year all told, as they added another domestic trophy to their cabinet, setting records in the process. Now, with the team's star confirmed to be staying for another three years, fans will be looking towards 2023 to see the kings reclaim their throne once more.
