Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon found his new team after winning his first world championship title. What better squad to hone the skills of a champion than an organization that already has its own Summoner's Cup? Nuguri joins former world champions FunPlus Phoenix for the 2021 LPL season. The South Korean Top parted ways with DAMWON Gaming soon after the conclusion of Worlds 2020.

Raccoon and Phoenix

DAMWON Gaming couldn't keep its players in the roster following the organization's first Worlds win. Nuguri entered free agency almost immediately. This opened up the door for FPX to acquire prime talent as they look to mount a comeback to the Worlds stage. The FPX roster remains mostly the same since its meteoric 2019 season save for the departure of former Top laner Kim “GimGoon” Han-saem. Nuguri steps into the lineup alongside fellow Korean Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang manning Mid.

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It will be Nuguri's first time competing outside of his home country. The LPL is no stranger to South Korean imports. There have been many world champions that choose to take their talents to their neighboring league soon after winning Summoner's Cups. One prime example of a world champion import is Lee “Duke” Ho-seong. Duke is the first player to ever win two worlds titles on two different teams. Hopefully, Nuguri follows his predecessor's path as opposed to the many world champions that fizzled out on the competitive stage after being drafted by strong teams.

FPX exploded onto the scene in 2019 where they seized the Summoner's Cup from G2 Esports. They have since remained a threat in the local LPL league but they have just acquired a dangerous new asset. If Nuguri can compete at the same level that helped him win his world title, he'll have absolutely no trouble dominating the LPL.