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Deft Reportedly Set to Join Nongshim RedForce for 2027 LCK Season
10 Oct, 2026, 16:45
|Last updated: 10 Oct, 2026, 16:45
After two years away from profesional League of Legends due to military service, Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu looks set to return to the LCK. According to a report by LEC Wooloo, the legendary AD carry will join Nongshim RedForce for the 2027 season in a move that very few people will have seen coming.
Deft to Replace a Young Star on Nongshim
Having competed at the top level for over a decade, Deft is easily one of the most decorated players in League of Legends esports history. Though it was rumored he might be looking to return to the LCK after completing his mandatory military service, his move to Nongshim is certainly a surprising one.
Earlier this year, Nongshim acquired one of the most promising young AD carries in South Korea, Nam "Diable" Dae-geun, immediately after he was benched by his former team for disciplinary reasons. Less than half a year later, Nongshim look ready to move on from Diable.
Despite boasting a strong roster on paper, Nongshim just didn't manage to look competitive in the LCK 2026 Season, failing to qualify for playoffs altogether. Clearly, changes needed to happen.
In Deft, the team will be getting a tried and true winner who has risen to become a World champion, an MSI champion, an LCK champion, and an LPL champion at different points in his career. They will also be getting, however, a player who has not competed in two years.
If there is any truth to the saying "form is temporary, but class is permanent," then it looks like Deft will have the chance to prove it soon enough.
As for Diable, it will be interesting to see who, if anyone, will be willing to take a chance on one of the most mechanically gifted AD carries in the region before the start of the 2027 LCK Season.
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Featured image credit: Lance Skundrich/Riot Games
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