Gen.G
Gen.G
Korea
Rank #3
Ash
Ha Hyun-cheol (하현철)
Karon
Kim Won-tae (김원태)
t3xture
Kim Na-ra (김나라)
Efina
Kim Nak-yeon (김낙연)
Raxcal
Kim Min-seok (김민석)
has parted ways with in-game leader and Initiator player Kim "Lakia"
Jong-min (김종민).
"That's all for GEN and the journey," Lakia said. "All I have to say right now is that I'm sorry and sad that I didn't do well, but my professional life is not over yet, so it will be a new chapter. Thank you so much, fans!"
Lakia on stage at Masters Shanghai. (Photo by Riot Games)
The former
NUTURN
NUTURN
Inactive
,
Vision Strikers
Vision Strikers
Inactive
stax
Kim Gu-taek (김구택)
Rb
Goo Sang-min (구상민)
Zest
Kim Ki-seok (김기석)
BuZz
Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철)
MaKo
Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관)
, and
Dplus Esports
Dplus Esports
Korea
Rank #10
Kally
Kim Dong-wook (김동욱)
Ramgi
Woo Jyun-huk (우준혁)
shu
Yoon Si-hoo (윤시후)
JaXe
Shin Jae-young (신재영)
CabezA
No Gun-hyung (노건형)
player is most known for his play on the Initiator role, with his Sova and Fade in recent years being the most eye-catching.
Lakia first earned his stripes for the Tiger Nation in the magical 2024 season, which saw the team come seemingly out of nowhere and become overnight contenders. The year started with the squad lifting the Pacific Kickoff title and qualifying for Masters Madrid, where they narrowly lost to
Sentinels
Sentinels
North America
Rank #7
Reduxx
Yassin Aboulalazm
Jerrwin
Gurjiwan Gill
Marved
Jimmy Nguyen
stand-in
johnqt
Mohamed Amine Ouarid
cortezia
Gabriel Cortez
JonahP
Jonah Pulice
in the grand final. Gen.G returned to regional play and resumed course, finishing second in the split to qualify for a second straight Masters.
At Masters Shanghai, the team went on an undefeated run through the Swiss Stage and the playoffs, eventually defeating
Team Heretics
Team Heretics
Europe
Rank #7
koshmaras
Martynas Namikas
Wo0t
Mert Alkan
RieNs
Enes Ecirli
benjyfishy
Benjamin David Fish
Boo
Ričardas Lukaševičius
in the grand final to lift Pacific's first-ever international trophy. Gen.G returned home and became the first Korean side to win a non-Kickoff split, dominating Stage 2 and dropping just one series in the process. The team suffered a group stage elimination at Champions Seoul, and a mass exodus began soon after.
At the end of the season, Lakia,
Meteor
, and
Munchkin
's contracts expired, with the latter returning and Meteor signing with
T1
T1
Korea
Rank #2
stax
Kim Gu-taek (김구택)
Meteor
Kim Tae-oh (김태오)
BuZz
Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철)
DH
Kang Dong-ho (강동호)
iZu
Ham Woo-ju (함우주)
Munchkin
Byeon Sang-beom (변상범)
. Towards the end of a rougher 2025 season, which saw Gen.G reach just one international event, Lakia returned to Gen.G, but did not see the stage. He missed the majority of 2025 due to a wrist injury, and at the end of the season, he was announced as a departure and re-arriving player for the 2026 roster. Taking on the IGL role for the team, with Munchkin also T1-bound, Lakia and Gen.G have struggled in 2026. While they have dealt with off-stage injury issues, leading to
ZynX
missing time in Stage 1, the team has finished 9th-10th and 11th-12th through the first two stages of the year — a far cry from its 2024 season.
Lakia now departs Gen.G for the third time in the last two years, with the team seemingly going in a different direction with its IGL role. The current roster has no experienced signal callers, suggesting an outside signing or a promotion from
Gen.G Global Academy
Gen.G Global Academy
Korea
Rank #11
KiTae
Park Ki-tae (박기태)
Fric
Jeon Jae-hyeok (전재혁)
Sovereign
Kim Do-hyun (김도현)
RgoN
Yong Seung-hyeon (용승현)
may be on the cards.
With Lakia now on his way out,
Gen.G
Gen.G
Korea
Rank #3
Ash
Ha Hyun-cheol (하현철)
Karon
Kim Won-tae (김원태)
t3xture
Kim Na-ra (김나라)
Efina
Kim Nak-yeon (김낙연)
Raxcal
Kim Min-seok (김민석)
's full roster is now:
Discord