Q: This year you served as a support at KT, what are your thoughts on this year?
BeryL : Whether in the Spring Split, Summer Split, or the global championship qualifiers, we should win the matches we can win. If that were the case, many things might have been different. It’s really regrettable that I couldn’t go to the global championship with my KT teammates. I think if we had gone, we would have performed well...
Q: You are a rollercoaster team, having been defeated by weaker teams and also defeating stronger teams?
BeryL : Losing to weaker teams is due to our lack of tactical design ability in the early game. From the practice stage, the design was not done well, although Heqigao provided a lot of help in researching strategies. As for defeating strong teams... GEN has hardly lost this year, and that is the result of our efforts to find GEN's weaknesses. This was also due to many ideas provided by Heqigao. Regarding HLE, if the opponent didn’t pick Dragon Lady, would we have lost? (laughs)
Q: You became a free agent on the 19th. You must have received many offers; why did you choose to return to DK?
BeryL : After the 2024 season schedule ended, I discussed next year's plans with my agency and even considered a non-player path. Ultimately, in the long run, I felt that continuing as a player would be better. I weighed various offers, and after considering all conditions, I believe returning to DK is the best choice.
Actually, I had many concerns, and other teams also offered very good conditions. I also consulted with my roommate Deft Heqigao and coach Liang Daren this year. Coach Liang frankly told me, 'In the sports world, only the resume and money remain.' (laughs) In the end, after discussing with my parents, I decided to go to DK. I want to achieve good results and end on a high note.
Q: When choosing your next team, what value do you prioritize the most?
BeryL : When I transferred to DRX in 2021, I also prioritized whether there was a chance to enter the global championship. I have played with ShowMaker Xu Xiu before and know he is an excellent player. When we met as opponents, his hero pool was extensive and difficult to deal with. Aiming has faced off against me since 2019, and I feel his strength has improved year by year. This year he is also DK's ace. It's really not easy to improve every year. I look forward to these aspects of him.
Q: Do you also see potential in Siwoo and Lucid?
BeryL : When I faced Lucid this year, although he is a rookie, I felt his fundamentals are solid. Siwoo debuted in LCK CL this year, but I heard his performance has been very good, which is promising. Khan Donghe is said to take on an advisory role; I played with Donghe in 2021, and he feels very comfortable privately but is very smart at work. I believe he will be a great help to Siwoo.
Q: DK's weakness is considered to be operations. Can you fill this gap?
BeryL : Operations cannot be completed by just one player; it requires all five together. When all five players look at the mini-map for 5 seconds, knowing where they should go, whether they should stay here, how to act, whether to move now or later, being able to calculate and act immediately is very important.
Q: What kind of team do you hope DK will become in 2025?
BeryL : I hope to become a versatile team. I believe a team that can handle various composition combinations is ideal. A team that can use early snowballing compositions, minimize losses in the early game to aim for late-game compositions, and balance both types is the best. As a professional player, one should be able to adapt to the meta.
Q: This year, due to the emergence of the Nest Bugs, the game landscape has changed significantly?
BeryL : When the Nest Bugs first appeared, their value was not significant, and players did not pay much attention. After a buff, their importance increased. Since MSI, lane swapping began, and I believe the biggest reason for lane swapping is experience. The experience gained now is more important than the gold from a defensive tower that has been weakened once. I predict that unless Riot Games adjusts certain aspects related to experience, lane swapping will continue to occur. The 'disadvantageous early lane situation' disappearing is decisive. At KT, Heqigao shared many tips based on past lane swap versions.
Q: Do you think the lane swap strategy will also be popular next year?
BeryL : I have considered various options, but ultimately it is difficult to change lane swapping. I think maybe in the first 3 minutes, when two people are eating the top lane minions, the experience gained could be reduced, but if that happens, players might swap again after 3 minutes. Or let the Nest Bugs not appear three at once but appear one at five minutes, and then one every two minutes afterward; I don't know what would happen. If such a significant change does not occur in the preseason, I believe lane swapping will also appear next year.
Q: What are your thoughts on watching this year's global championship?
BeryL : After watching the match between FLY and WBG, I feel that nothing is taken for granted. I generally don't like predicting scores and outcomes. Ah, during the FLY match, He Kui Ge said the ADC was very strong. I also felt that FLY's team had a high level of completion, especially the ADC's performance was outstanding.
Q: You are a two-time champion of the World Championship. Do you have any personal insights from the World Championship?
BeryL : It is indeed very difficult to perform at 100% strength at the World Championship compared to the league. Once you reach the top four stage, it's hard to achieve overwhelming victories in lane duels; generally, you push according to the champions' matchups. The later the game goes, the more advantageous those confident players become. I try not to think, 'I must win this match.' If I focus solely on that, I will feel like I absolutely cannot make a mistake. Therefore, I only focus on how to do my best. Even if the opponent is very strong, as long as I play confidently, they will also be influenced by my gameplay.
