Jang #Nuguri Ha-gwon and Noh #Burdol Tae-yoon, two top laners for #DWGKIA, have departed the #LeagueofLegends squad today and are searching for new teams ahead of the 2023 season.

On DWG KIA’s roster this season, the two players have been sharing games, with #Nuguri starting top laner for the most of the year. Nevertheless, #Burdol took part in a number of important games, including the Regional Finals against #LiivSANDBOX and the LCK Summer Playoffs against T1.

Their Journies So Far

Burdol began playing competitively in 2019 on T1’s academy teams before switching to Gen.G as a replacement top laner in the 2021 season, giving him the opportunity to compete at the World Championship. Before Nuguri’s return to the squad, he played the most of the Spring Split after being acquired by DWG KIA at the end of the season.

This is Nuguri’s second departure from the squad, as he joined DWG KIA in 2017, and in 2019, he helped the team win its first World Championship. Later, he joined FPX for the 2021 season and finished second in the Spring and Summer, but he had a poor time at Worlds and was eliminated in groups. After the team’s demise, Nuguri took a break until re-joining DWG KIA in April.

As of right now, neither Burdol nor Nuguri’s future team has been confirmed. But one thing is certain: DWG KIA will need to find a replacement for its top laner.

Players will be allowed to formally join new teams following the start of the free agency period on November 21 even if the League offseason has already begun.

More Departures from DWG Kia

There were more people who became free agents today besides Nuguri and Burdol. The League of Legends squad at DWG KIA has officially parted ways with its athletic director Kim #kkOma Jeong-gyun, head coach Yang #Daeny Dae-in, and coach Lee #Zefa Jae-min.

KkOma departs DWG KIA after entering at the tail end of 2020 and taking over as the team’s head coach. He formerly worked for the Chinese team Vici Gaming, but he is most recognized for having led SK Telecom T1 and Faker throughout their World Championship-winning World Period.

In 2021, DWG KIA won both LCK splits under his direction and advanced to the finals of the Mid-Season Invitational and Worlds. At the conclusion of that season, he was elevated to the position of athletic director at DWG KIA, giving Daeny the reins as head coach. The primary LCK roster, DWG KIA Challengers, and DWG KIA Academy were the three rosters of DWG KIA that kkOma was now in charge of managing.

Daeny and Zefa have collaborated with T1 and DWG KIA throughout the years, much like kkOma has. The two South Korean coaches traveled together to T1 with general manager Polt when kkOma arrived at the end of 2020. They were, however, let go seven months later as a result of their unsatisfactory 2021 season performances.

As a consequence, Zefa rejoined at the end of 2021, whereas Daeny returned right away as an analyst to DWG KIA. Both of them will need to find new places to live after a year.

This LCK offseason is expected to be one of the most exciting transfer windows in recent memory with the start of the free agency period on November 21.