T1 will compete without legendary coach kkOma for 2026 LCK regular season

Premier Korean League of Legends team T1 will pursue its 2026 LCK campaign without the assistance of legendary coach Kim “kkOma Jeong-gyun as he takes a temporary leave of absence due to personal reasons.

News of kkOma’s absence, and replacement by Im “Tom” Jae-hyeon during the 2026 LCK regular season was revealed by T1 early on Monday (March 23) morning via social media.

T1 coach kkOma takes leave of absence for 2026 LCK season

KkOma has been one of the top coaches in Korea professional League of Legends, if not the world, for almost 15 years. Perhaps best known for his seven-year stint with T1, then SK Telecom T1, kkOma coached the team during some of its most notable moments including its perfect Winter 2013-2014 season and the teams’ first three World championships.

After departing the organization in Nov. 2019, he coached in China’s LPL for one season with Vici Gaming, before returning to Korea to coach DAMWON, later DWG KIA. Joining the team following their World Championship-winning season and returning the team to the Grand Finals in 2021, kkOma departed DAMWON in 2023, returning to T1, and overseeing two more World Championships.

KkOma remains on T1’s active roster, while coach Tom takes the reins as interim head coach and on-site match coch. Tom is no stranger to success either, having being on the staff during multiple World Championships campaigns, including the 2023 season victory without kkOma.

T1 also still has the majority of the 2025 Worlds champion roster under contract, including, of course, Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. Few doubt that T1 will not still be a potent force in both international and regional play for the coming season.

Despite losing a big part of their winning formula, no one believes T1 will be any less dangerous in 2026.