After a surprising defeat to GAM Esports from Vietnam, Team Liquid’s League of Legends team has reached the end of their journey at the 2023 World Championship. As the year comes to a close, Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon, the talented jungler, faces important decisions for his career in 2024.
If Pyosik decides not to extend his contract with Liquid, he will become a free agent during the upcoming offseason. This grants him the freedom to choose whether to stay in North America, return to Korea, or explore opportunities in another region. Despite not achieving great success with Liquid, Pyosik revealed how he gradually grew fond of playing in NA over the course of a year.
In an interview with Korizon’s Ashley Kang, the 23-year-old admitted that he initially had reservations about playing in NA and only joined Liquid because he had no other options. However, as time went on, he began to appreciate what made the region an appealing place to play: a focus on player happiness.
“I realized that NA does a lot of creative activities to foster team bonding, both in-game and outside of it. My perception of NA changed after spending a year here,” Pyosik explained. “In terms of overall happiness, NA has been the best out of the four years I’ve played professionally.”
Ultimately, Pyosik’s perspective on the LCS expanded throughout the season, leading him to realize that NA wasn’t as bad as he initially believed. Nevertheless, he remains deeply disappointed with his performance at Worlds, especially considering his improvements in shotcalling, communication, and game knowledge. Pyosik also acknowledged that Liquid’s rookies faced immense pressure after struggling against LCK teams in practice, which may have affected their on-stage performance.
Looking ahead, Pyosik faces significant choices for his career. During the upcoming offseason, he can either continue playing in the LCS as a top candidate for jungle positions or take the risk of moving to the LPL or LCK, where securing a starting position on a competitive roster might be more challenging. Regardless, he has ample time to contemplate his options before free agency begins.
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Source: DOTESPORTS
