T1 Releases Meteor, DH, Head Coach KDG After Valorant Champions Exit

T1 officially announced the departures of Kim "Meteor" Tae-oh, Kang "DH" Dong-ho, and head coach Kim "KDG" Dong-gun on November 2, 2026.

The organization's statement on KDG credited his work leading T1 to its first-ever Champions playoff appearance.

Meteor joined T1 after a career-defining 2024 campaign with Gen.G, where he was part of the squad that claimed the Pacific region's first-ever international Valorant title at Masters Shanghai.

He earned the Finals MVP award at Masters Bangkok 2025 as T1 claimed that international trophy.

His contract expired at the end of the current season, and T1 elected not to extend it.

Munchkin arrived at T1 in late 2025 carrying two seasons of top-level Gen.G experience.

His role shifted considerably after stax reclaimed the IGL position on the main roster, and with his contract set to expire at the close of 2026, his departure reads as the natural end of a second stint.

DH, the youngest of the departing players, came up through T1's academy system and logged two separate spells on the main roster during 2026.

Unlike Meteor and Munchkin, his contract runs through 2027, which makes his release the most structurally consequential move of the offseason.

His single season in charge produced T1's best-ever Champions result and a third-place finish at VCT Pacific Stage 2.

CheongGak first joined the organization's coaching staff in March 2023, later spent time away with Chinese side Wolves Esports, and returned to T1 as assistant coach in October 2024.

Three players are staying: stax, BuZz, and iZu, whose contract was already extended through 2027.

Manager Shin "Norman" Jun-ho stays as well.

T1 reached the playoff stage of Valorant Champions 2026 in Shanghai, eventually finishing 5th–6th after losses to NRG and G2 Esports.

The organization now needs a new head coach, at least two new players, and likely a new assistant coach.