Peanut Announces Departure from League of Legends After Worlds 2025

Peanut Announces Departure from League of Legends After Worlds 2025

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

20 Sep, 2025, 15:14

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Last updated: 20 Sep, 2025, 15:24

Earlier today, Hanwha Life Esports took on KT Rolster to decide who the first finalist of the LCK 2025 Season would be. Much of the attention at LoL Park in Seoul, South Korea, did not center around Summoner's Rift, however. During the match, Han "Peanut" Wang-ho announced that he would be entering into military service at the end of this year, marking the end of his 10-year-long career in LoL esports.

A Legend of the LCK Departs

As soon as he became eligible for competition by turning 17 years of age, Peanut made his debut in the LCK (then called SBENU Champions) for NaJin e-mFire in 2015. His talents in the jungle would not go unnoticed, with the player making the jump to ROX Tigers for the following season.

Playing next to legends of the LCK such as Smeb, Kuro, PraY and GorillA, Peanut and ROX Tigers would turn into one of the best teams in the league that year, finishing 2nd in Spring before taking the LCK trophy in Summer. That, however, was only the beginning.

Over the course of the following decade, Peanut would be recognized as one of the best junglers in the league year in and year out, getting to play for names as big as SK Telecom T1 and Gen.G. A legend of South Korean League of Legends, Peanut has managed to lift a total of eight LCK trophies in his career, as well as two international trophies (MSI 2017 and First Stand 2025).

Trophies aside, here's a look at some of Peanut's other standout achievements:

  • 2000 LCK kills (first jungler to achieve the feat)
  • LCK MVP x1 (Summer 2021)
  • LCK Finals MVP x2 (Spring 2017, Summer 2022)
  • LCK 1st All-Pro Team x2 (Summer 2021, Summer 2022)

Peanut First Stand 2025 trophy
Peanut is no stranger to the feel of a trophy in his hands. (Credit: Moon Suwon/Riot Games)

Peanut & Worlds 2025: Out with a Bang?

Despite his long and illustrious career, Peanut has never managed to win the biggest tournament of them all: Worlds. With Hanwha Life Esports already qualified to Worlds 2025, this year's event offers Peanut one final chance to earn the elusive title of World Champion before his departure.

Hanwha Life are in hot form after sweeping T1 and KT in back-to-back series, which means it's now or never for Peanut and the rest of the squad. Before heading to Worlds, though, the team will want to focus their efforts on the LCK finals ahead for the chance to give Peanut a proper sendoff from the league.

Regardless of how the player departs, though, Peanut's levels of achievement can be matched by only a small number of players, and his presence in the LCK will no doubt be missed moving forward.

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest League news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Christina Oh/Riot Games


Read more: 

T1 vs Gen.G Preview: Keys to Victory with Elimination on the Line

New Worlds 2025 Details Unveiled: New Trophy, Anthem Performer, and More

Asia Invitational: New League of Legends International Tournament Announced

 

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