From Rookie to Captain: EDward Gaming’s Koro1
Riot·3/5/2015, 11:39:15 PM·0 votes·3,828 views
Born in the wake of World Elite’s messy demise, EDward Gaming was given the oft-unlucky nickname of “superteam” at the start off Tencent’s 2014 LoL Pro League Spring. With former WE mainstays Ming “ClearLove” Kai and Feng “Fzzf” Zhoujun anchoring the roster, EDG acquired their qualifying LPL roster spot from the North American-bound LMQ Tian Ci. Rounding out the team was Positive Energy’s breakout star AD carry, Zhu “NaMei” Jiawen, versatile mid laner Ceng “U” Long, and top laner Tong “Koro1” Yang.
Previously known as “mindreader,” Koro1 came from RisingStars Gaming to EDG as an unknown. His only credential was a recommendation from his mentor, ClearLove. Now, in 2015 LPL Spring, Koro1 has not only blossomed into a formidable top laner in his own right, but was additionally named EDG’s team captain, exemplifying his growth as a player.
Meanwhile, EDG’s other rookie, Koro1, immediately came under fire for his inability to win lane. Often falling 20 to 30 CS behind his opponents in lane, Koro1 was pinpointed as a weak link on EDG. Where other Chinese top laners played a more aggressive carry style with smarter extended trading and itemization choices, Koro1 struggled until the mid-game. Once EDG began to group, he could make the most of his zone control prowess -- much like U in the mid lane -- especially on Trundle. This was not advantageous to EDG’s early game, but Koro1 fit perfectly into EDG’s developing style. Koro1 and U would control zones so that NaMei could finish off opponents in fights. Unfortunately, due to his poor laning phase, he was perceived as a liability.
While EDG has used 2015 LPL Spring to reassess and identify their team synergy, new team captain Koro1 has become a carry in a truer sense. No longer does Koro1 always fall behind his lane opponents, and he has shown prowess on a myriad of champions as the meta champion pool of top lane continues to grow exponentially. Five weeks into the season, he held an 8-0 record on Gnar, a 4-0 record on Rumble, and a 3-0 record on Lulu, while also boasting a 14.5 KDA on the Fae Sorceress.
Koro1’s newfound success accompanies EDG’s evolution as a team. Their primary focus remains overall map pressure as a unit of five while attempting to integrate two foreign players into the fold. In this transitory period, Koro1 has transformed himself from a mid-to-late game master of zoning into a top laner who can additionally hard carry his team if needed. At the beginning of the current Spring split, Koro1 dominated his lane opponents. Now, as Deft receives more of ClearLove’s pressure and EDG shifts their attention towards improving their teamfighting, Koro1 has now fallen into a comfortable zone between hard carrying and his 2014 AOE duties. His role on EDG has shifted, and while it’s no more or less important than what he was able to do for his team in 2014, his successes are far more apparent.
Previously, when discussing EDG’s much maligned top laner, the question was always whether Koro1 would ever be able to carry. In their dominant 2014 season, EDG didn’t need him to. They simply relied on him for peel and zone control, two duties that he excelled at, to help propel their team above the rest. Now, in 2015, audiences can finally look forward to seeing what Koro1 can do with more, and how EDG can sail with him at the helm.
The Birth of a “Superteam:” LPL 2014
A “superteam,” in the traditional sense, is a team of well-known superstars assembled in hope of forming a stronger unit. While the “superteam” label was assigned to them by others, EDG bucked the trend of a traditional superteam by signing two relatively untested players: U and Koro1. Coach, Ji “Aaron” Xing, and manager Huang “San Shao” Cheng expressed their dedication to creating a unified team of five.. Their acquisitions of U and Koro1 exemplified this mindset, placing synergy over infamy. U quickly proved to be both malleable and steady in the mid lane. He rarely lost lane, always going even or winning out slightly. While he did not crush his lane opponents, U’s true strength lay in his ability to control minion waves and zones for EDG. His most successful champions had large amounts of AOE and zone control like Ziggs and Syndra.
Meanwhile, EDG’s other rookie, Koro1, immediately came under fire for his inability to win lane. Often falling 20 to 30 CS behind his opponents in lane, Koro1 was pinpointed as a weak link on EDG. Where other Chinese top laners played a more aggressive carry style with smarter extended trading and itemization choices, Koro1 struggled until the mid-game. Once EDG began to group, he could make the most of his zone control prowess -- much like U in the mid lane -- especially on Trundle. This was not advantageous to EDG’s early game, but Koro1 fit perfectly into EDG’s developing style. Koro1 and U would control zones so that NaMei could finish off opponents in fights. Unfortunately, due to his poor laning phase, he was perceived as a liability.
Oh Captain, My Captain: LPL 2015
After EDG failed to reach the semifinals in the 2014 World Championship, the team received a steady stream of criticism, particularly for NaMei’s lackluster performance. In November 2014, Samsung Galaxy Blue star AD carry Kim “Deft” Hyuk-Kyu joined EDG, with fellow Samsung member Heo “PawN” Won-seok following suit that December. For a team so heavily focused on unity, bringing on two Korean members was a risky move.
While EDG has used 2015 LPL Spring to reassess and identify their team synergy, new team captain Koro1 has become a carry in a truer sense. No longer does Koro1 always fall behind his lane opponents, and he has shown prowess on a myriad of champions as the meta champion pool of top lane continues to grow exponentially. Five weeks into the season, he held an 8-0 record on Gnar, a 4-0 record on Rumble, and a 3-0 record on Lulu, while also boasting a 14.5 KDA on the Fae Sorceress.
Koro1’s newfound success accompanies EDG’s evolution as a team. Their primary focus remains overall map pressure as a unit of five while attempting to integrate two foreign players into the fold. In this transitory period, Koro1 has transformed himself from a mid-to-late game master of zoning into a top laner who can additionally hard carry his team if needed. At the beginning of the current Spring split, Koro1 dominated his lane opponents. Now, as Deft receives more of ClearLove’s pressure and EDG shifts their attention towards improving their teamfighting, Koro1 has now fallen into a comfortable zone between hard carrying and his 2014 AOE duties. His role on EDG has shifted, and while it’s no more or less important than what he was able to do for his team in 2014, his successes are far more apparent.
The Future of Koro1 and EDG
EDG now find themselves in sole possession of first place in 2015 LPL Spring, dropping only four games in total against Snake, OMG and King.
Previously, when discussing EDG’s much maligned top laner, the question was always whether Koro1 would ever be able to carry. In their dominant 2014 season, EDG didn’t need him to. They simply relied on him for peel and zone control, two duties that he excelled at, to help propel their team above the rest. Now, in 2015, audiences can finally look forward to seeing what Koro1 can do with more, and how EDG can sail with him at the helm.
