After a season of struggles, Huhi reflects on his team’s failures, his unique mid-lane style, and why he wants to be the best teammate instead of simply the best player.
SHANGHAI, CHINA -- ORIENTAL SPORTS CENTER. The stage is consumed by the swarms of people surrounding it. Counter Logic Gaming square up into champion select for the first game of MSI 2016 and find themselves in a pretty common spot: counter picking for their mid laner Choi “Huhi” Jae-hyun. For the first time in the game’s competitive history, mere months since the champion’s release, Huhi debuts Aurelion Sol to the world.
Jatt’s straightforward response to the pick just about sums it up: “Oh my god.”
While this game would not end in a CLG victory, their eventual run to the Finals of the tournament would prove that North America had what it takes to at least threaten at an international tournament, and more importantly, it would solidify Huhi not just as an Aurelion Sol player, but the Aurelion Sol player.
In many ways, Huhi’s affinity with the champion defines him as a player: it’s creative, unique, and speaks to a specific style and willingness to stray off onto the beaten path when searching for roads to victory.
As a French-born Korean who has lived in South Korea, Dubai, and now the United States, he grew up at least speaking the local languages of those countries, and this diversity also became a defining characteristic of his play.
When it comes to beating up enemy laners, Huhi sees the surprise factor as an edge he is willing and able to exploit.
“I like putting the enemy in an uncomfortable position, where they're less familiar, and then abusing that advantage,”
CLG Huhi
Tied for the most unique champion picks among mid laners in the 2018 Spring Split, with a champion pool that’s significantly less dense than any other player in his position, Huhi’s creativity and willingness to stretch his limits to extremes is what has moulded him into one of the NA LCS’ most enigmatic threats.
His champion pool reads like a laundry list of lost mid lane toys: Vel’Koz, Zilean, Zoe, Taliyah, Aurelion Sol, Twisted Fate, and even Jayce -- and that’s only counting Spring 2018.
This trend originated from his Solo Queue adventures, where he often plays fill and actively seeks experience in other lanes, especially with new champions to quote “not get bored.”
His enjoyment in playing new champions and trying things to alleviate some of the monotony that comes with the rigorous practice schedule of a professional player isn’t just a stress reliever but something he’s converted into a competitive advantage as well.
In the NA LCS, mid lane is defined by the technically excellent and precise play of two talented Danes: Bjergsen and Jensen.
While both have subtle differences in style, they are known for exceptional lane control, raw near-unrivalled mechanical talent, and game-defining playmaking.
They embody the superstar, selfish carry image that we have come to associate with the role at the highest level. They are both known for the crushing impact they have on a game when they are given the lion’s share of gold and the freedom to dominate the map.
If the team enables them, they will carry the game. This is an idea almost inverted by the team-centric mindset and roaming playstyle that’s become synonymous with Huhi.
In a lot of ways, Huhi defies all ideas of what we have come to expect from a conventional mid laner. He plays unconventional champions, he’s not known for dominant individual laning, and he’s significantly more selfless than selfish in a role that is historically more rewarding for singular carry-focused play.
While I think both these styles have merit, mid lane’s overall trends do lend itself more to playing greedier and trying to leverage your farm and gold leads into bigger opportunities for your team. In some ways, Huhi is doing more work than necessary by enabling his teammates over himself.
For me, his best look is when his laning and roaming pressure converts into self-made playmaking that in the past he accomplished with champions like Ahri, Taliyah, and of course his signature astral dragon. Huhi’s style is on average, higher risk, but high reward, as he looks to get more total wins on the map by playing to side lanes rather than just for himself.
Though he is good enough to win in a more traditional style, it would be most typical of Huhi to just keep playing his own way and prove everyone else wrong.
