GE Tigers: Going indie in South Korea

It's hard not to like the GE Tigers. Through the first half of the Champions season they have styled on the competition in impeccable fashion, dropping only two games. That is, if "impeccable fashion" can account for the pink cat ears they've recently worn to the OnGameNet studio. Their ascension to the top of Korea is a huge surprise. Not only were they not part of the mass China exodus of Korea's best players and former champions, but were in fact rejects of Korea's dominant Korean e-Sports Association (KeSPA) teams, and are comprised mostly of former NaJin players and Incredible Miracle's Song "Smeb" Kyung-ho.

RAG-TAG BAND

The team was originally organized as the HUYA Tigers, named after a Chinese streaming company, then later registered under Duowan Korea's GE Entertainment subsidiary. But in contrast to many of the superstars who joined China’s LPL, the Tigers' players decided that their best prospects were closer to home. Coach Jeong "NoFe" No-chul, a former jungler for NaJin Shield said, "GE Entertainment decided to sponsor a team centered around GorillA [Kang Beom-hyon]. With GorillA at the center, they found three other players that were all quite close friends, and then reached out to myself and Smeb to round the team out." "I don't think there's anything better than forming a team with like-minded friends," said GorillA, formerly Shield’s support. Duowan’s bet seemed risky. All of the players were rejected or passed over by other Korean teams for one reason or another. But perhaps it wasn't such a wild wager after all. It's worth remembering that, though the general consensus was that most of Tigers' players weren’t the best in their roles, they still boast Champions finalists amid their ranks. The evidence of their capabilities were well represented in 2014, with GorillA’s performance a highlight during both the Korean Regionals and Worlds. It was just a matter of finding the right circumstances for this special group of players.

VETERAN STRENGTH

In particular, finding the right circumstances helped Smeb significantly. Even in his eyes, the new start with GE Tigers was a massive boost to his capabilities. "I've been a professional player for a long time," he said. "Admittedly, my level of play had stagnated a bit; I could feel it myself. Right before joining the GE Tigers, I was hit with a fresh wave of motivation. It's been a natural growth since I joined the team, especially with the help of my great coaches and teammates." NoFe largely credits the more intimate nature of the team with their success. "I think it's the trust that our players have with each other, along with the confidence to be able to actually enjoy tournament settings." Though the Tigers are thriving in their independence, they are still heavily influenced by their past careers under KeSPA teams, especially when it’s time to face former teammates. "NaJin e-mFire definitely comes to mind, since we went through so much together," said GorillA. "I don't know if I consider them as rivals, necessarily, but the match-up inevitably motivates both teams to really fight for it."

UNDERDOG RALLY

The mass roster transfers to China didn’t fail to affect the Tigers too. Coach NoFe admitted that his players were also tempted by offers from abroad, but he believes that the preseason transfers might ultimately be of benefit to the Korean scene. "I'm inclined to think that [the transfers] has a positive effect on the scene," said NoFe. "China is also a region that has been on a steady climb towards the apex of global League of Legends. I believe watching these great Korean players perform in China can be a motivating factor not only for current professionals in Korea, but also amateurs who want to enter the scene." With thanks to William "Chobra" Cho for the translations.

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