Piglet

Early Life and Path to Pro

Before his career in League of Legends, Piglet was a semi-professional StarCraft player. His family strongly opposed his ambitions to become a professional gamer, leading him to lie about quitting the game while secretly practicing at PC bangs. Initially, he felt his skills were insufficient and gave up on the pro dream. His interest was reignited after seeing League of Legends played on television. When the South Korean servers for the game opened, he dedicated himself to practice. He received offers from several teams but chose to contact only SK Telecom T1, joining their newly formed SK Telecom T1 #2 squad in February 2013 after passing a tryout.

Rise to World Champion with SK Telecom T1

Piglet's professional debut came in the OLYMPUS Champions Spring 2013. His rookie team, placed in Group A with established squads like CJ Entus Blaze and MVP Ozone, surprised the scene by finishing top of their group. They swept NaJin Shield 3-0 in the quarter-finals but fell to MVP Ozone in the semis, ultimately securing third place by beating CJ Entus Frost. Shortly after, the organization released its first team and renamed Piglet's squad simply SK Telecom T1.

In the HOT6iX Champions Summer 2013, the team again topped their group with a perfect 3-0 record. After a quarter-final sweep, they faced their nemesis MVP Ozone once more, this time securing victory. In the final, they faced KT Rolster Bullets in a series described as among the greatest in the game's history. SKT executed a reverse sweep to win 3-2, securing a spot in the regional finals. There, they beat KT again to earn Korea's final seed for the Season 3 World Championship.

At Worlds in Los Angeles, SKT lost only one game in the group stage to Chinese team OMG. They swept Gamania Bears 2-0 in the quarter-finals and won a hard-fought 3-2 semifinal against NaJin Black Sword. In the grand final against China's Royal Club, Piglet and SKT did not drop a single game, claiming the world title and confirming their place in history.

Continued Dominance and Departure from Korea

The success continued into 2014 as SKT won the OGN Winter tournament undefeated. In a post-match interview, Piglet famously cried, believing his rival AD carry Imp had outperformed him. The team faced internal issues when support Poohmandu stepped down, replaced by Wraith. SKT struggled to get out of groups in the Spring and Summer domestic seasons but maintained international dominance by winning the All-Stars event undefeated. Poohmandu returned for Summer, but most players slumped in form. The team's season ended with a loss to Najin in the regional qualifiers, missing the World Championship.

In 2015, after the disbanding of sister teams, SKT released Piglet, opting for Bang as their starting AD carry. Piglet received offers from nearly every team around the world but none from Korean teams, partly due to a reputation for toxicity that contributed to his release. He shocked fans by joining North America's Team Curse, which soon rebranded to Team Liquid, a team known for consistently finishing fourth.

The North American Chapter with Team Liquid

Piglet's transition to North America in 2015 was challenging. His limited English contributed to poor early results, leading to his temporary replacement by Keith. He returned after week seven, and the team scraped into the playoffs. There, they swept CLG 3-0 and took a 2-0 lead against Cloud9 in the semifinals, poised for their first finals appearance, but were reverse-swept. They broke their infamous 'fourth place curse' by beating Team Impulse 3-2 for third. In the Summer split, Piglet established himself as the region's best AD carry as Team Liquid finished first in the regular season. However, they fell short of qualifying for Worlds, losing 3-1 to TSM in the semifinals and then in the regional qualifier to Cloud9.

The 2016 season brought significant roster turmoil. Top laner Quas was suspended and kicked, IWillDominate planned to retire, and support Xpecial was kicked. Replacements included rookie players Lourlo and Smoothie. After a rough start, further changes brought in jungler Dardoch and support Matt. The team rallied to a fourth-place finish in Spring, with Piglet touted as one of North America's best players. They swept NRG in the quarter-finals but lost a close 3-2 series to CLG in the semis, a final game decided by a deceptive double-teleport play.

In Summer, Dardoch was suspended for clashing with the coach and Piglet. After a poor start without him, Dardoch returned and Piglet voluntarily moved to Team Liquid's Challenger squad. The main team had a rough end to the regular season, missing a chance at third place. The academy team, with Piglet, reached a decisive fifth game in a qualifier but lost after Piglet accidentally locked in the champion Rammus. They lost another game five to Echo Fox, ending their season without promotion to the LCS.

Struggles and Relegation Battles

For the 2017 season, Team Liquid made high-profile signings, including jungler Reignover on a large contract and mid laner Goldenglue. Piglet returned, but the team performed poorly in the regular season. Piglet's form declined, and Goldenglue struggled. During IEM Katowice, Team Liquid benched Goldenglue and moved Piglet to the mid lane. They won their first series with Piglet mid but failed to meet expectations. The team later brought in Doublelift, but Piglet, Matt, and Reignover continued to struggle. Team Liquid placed ninth and was forced into the promotion tournament, where they nearly blew a 2-0 lead against GCU before Piglet stepped up in Game 5 to secure their LCS spot.

The organization made no roster changes for the Summer split, angering fans. The team continued to perform poorly but later acquired Dardoch from CLG and LCK veteran Mickey. Though they could not avoid the relegation tournament, they secured their LCS status with a 3-0 win over eUnited and a reverse sweep against Phoenix1.

Final Years and Retirement

In 2018, despite rumors of a return to the LCK, Piglet stayed in North America to play for Clutch Gaming's Academy squad. Due to family issues, the team failed to make the playoffs in the Spring split with an 8-10 record. During the Summer split, Piglet remained on the academy team but played several games for the main roster in July. The academy team finished 10-8, earning the 4th seed for the Academy Championship Series, but lost 2-3 to FlyQuest Academy. In December 2019, Piglet announced his retirement from professional League of Legends play. He later transitioned into a coaching role, serving as a coach for T1 Academy.

Legacy and Playing Style

What Piglet is remembered for is tied to his explosive performance as part of the 2013 SK Telecom T1 lineup that won the World Championship. He was known for his aggressive, high-mechanical skill as an AD carry, capable of carrying games single-handedly. His emotional vulnerability, displayed after the OGN Winter victory, showed a deep competitive drive. His move to North America was one of the first major high-profile transfers of a Korean world champion to the region, setting a precedent for future imports. While his time in NA was marked by team instability, internal conflicts, and fluctuating results, his peak performances demonstrated a world-class level of play. His career arc, from world champion to a player battling in promotion tournaments, remains a story in esports history.