Dplus KIA

Formation and Challengers Korea Beginnings

DAMWON Gaming was created on 28 May 2017 when the computer manufacturer Damwon acquired the existing Challengers Korea squad Mirage Gaming. The founding roster included top laner Parang, jungler Crush, mid laner TRY, bot laner BeryL, and support Hoit. The team started strongly in the 2017 summer split and added mid laner CooN, but ultimately finished fifth in the regular season. This result prompted a major overhaul. The organization brought in new talent, replacing Parang, BeryL, and TRY with Nuguri, Alive, and the rookie ShowMaker respectively. This new group did not find success at the 2017 LoL KeSPA Cup, leading to further changes with the arrival of jungler Punch and bot laner Veritas for the 2018 season.

Path to the LCK and Roster Development

In the 2018 Spring Split, BeryL returned to the team briefly as a substitute bot laner before permanently switching to the support role. DAMWON Gaming finished second in the regular season but suffered a first-round playoff loss to Ever8 Winners. Following this, Crush, Alive, and Veritas left the team. Their departure created an opening for bot laner Nuclear to join. The summer split marked the team's breakthrough. They dominated the regular season, losing only one series to Team BattleComics. This performance earned them a spot in the LCK promotion tournament, where they defeated that same Team BattleComics to secure promotion to South Korea's top league for the 2019 season.

Before the 2018 KeSPA Cup, the team signed rookie jungler Canyon, who made his debut in the tournament. DAMWON Gaming was eliminated in the second round by Griffin, finishing third to fourth. The organization also added experienced top laner Flame, who returned from competing in North America, and bot laner Aries from the recently relegated BBQ Olivers. These signings added depth as the team prepared for its inaugural LCK campaign.

Establishment in the LCK and First Worlds

DAMWON Gaming's first LCK season in 2019 saw them finish fifth in the spring regular season. They reached the playoffs but lost the third-place match to Kingzone DragonX, ending fourth. The decision not to use substitute player Flame during the playoffs drew criticism from fans. The team was part of the LCK squad that won the Rift Rivals 2019 tournament against China's LPL. Keeping their roster unchanged for the summer, they improved to a second-place regular season finish. They lost to SKT T1 in the playoff semifinals, finishing third. Their year-end performance secured a place in the regional finals, where they beat Kingzone DragonX to qualify for the 2019 World Championship play-in stage, achieving qualification for both the LCK and Worlds in the same year.

At Worlds, DAMWON Gaming topped their play-in group without a loss and beat Lowkey Esports to reach the main event. In Group D of the main event, they again finished first, ahead of teams like Invictus Gaming. Their tournament ended in the quarterfinals with a loss to G2 Esports. Later in the year, a revamped DRX team eliminated them from the 2019 KeSPA Cup in the quarterfinals.

Domestic and International Championship Run

The organization retained its full roster for the 2020 spring split, adding AD carry Ghost in February. They finished fifth in the regular season and fourth in playoffs after another close loss to DRX. As one of three LCK teams at the 2020 Mid-Season Cup, they did not advance from the group stage. Without making roster changes, the team found its peak form in the summer. They placed first in the regular season with only two series losses, earning a direct berth to the finals. On 5 September 2020, they swept DRX to win their first LCK championship.

This success translated to the global stage at the 2020 World Championship. DAMWON Gaming moved decisively through the group and knockout stages. In the grand finals on 31 October, they defeated China's Suning 3–1 to claim the world title. Mid laner ShowMaker's comment about the Shanghai library referenced the quiet arena after their dominant victory. In December 2020, the organization announced a partnership with Kia Motors and rebranded as DWG KIA ahead of the 2021 season.

The DWG KIA Brand and Sustained Excellence

For the 2021 season, DWG KIA promoted academy mid laner RangJun to share the role with ShowMaker. Top laner Nuguri departed for FPX and was replaced by Khan. The new lineup immediately won the 2020 KeSPA Cup in January 2021, sweeping Nongshim RedForce. They dominated the 2021 LCK Spring Split, ending the regular season 16–2. They swept HLE in the semifinals and Gen.G in the finals on 10 April to secure their second LCK title and a spot at the Mid-Season Invitational.

At MSI 2021, DWG KIA finished the group stage 5–1. In the Rumble Stage, they lost two games to Royal Never Give Up but still finished first with an 8–2 record. They chose MAD Lions as their semifinal opponent, winning a narrow 3–2 series. In the final on 23 May, they faced Royal Never Give Up again, losing another close series 3–2 to finish as runners-up. The team continued its strong form in the 2021 Summer Split, securing a 12-6 regular season record before defeating T1 3-0 in the finals to qualify for the 2021 World Championship.

Worlds Pursuits and Roster Transition

At the 2021 World Championship, DWG KIA started with a perfect 6–0 run in the group stage. They swept MAD Lions 3–0 in the quarterfinals. Their perfect tournament record ended in the semifinals against T1, though they won the series 3–2. In the grand finals, they faced Edward Gaming in a tightly contested match, ultimately losing 3–2 to finish as world championship runners-up.

The 2022 offseason saw major changes. Ghost and BeryL left the team, and Khan retired. To rebuild, the organization signed bot laner deokdam and support Kellin from Nongshim RedForce, and top laners Burdol and Hoya. The team finished third in the 2022 Spring regular season with an 11–7 record. They swept Fredit Brion in the playoff quarterfinals but lost 2–3 to Gen.G in the semifinals. In April 2022, DWG KIA announced the return of top laner Nuguri, while Hoya left the active roster a month later.

Recent Performance and Identity

In the 2022 Summer Split, the team's performance mirrored the spring, finishing fourth after a loss to T1. Their combined results granted them a place in the Regional Finals. There, they beat Liiv SANDBOX to secure the third and final Korean seed for the 2022 World Championship. At the world event, they finished second in their group, eliminating Evil Geniuses and G2 Esports. Their tournament concluded with a quarterfinal loss to fellow LCK team Gen.G. Through these campaigns, the organization maintained its identity as a consistent top-tier contender, evolving from its origins as DAMWON Gaming through its partnership era as DWG KIA to its current iteration as Dplus KIA.