Hanwha Life Esports are crushing their competition, but Delight admits that getting to this point was not easy for the team.
Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) are proving themselves as a powerhouse in the 2025 League of Legends (LoL) esports season. Representing the LoL Champions Korea (LCK) at the inaugural LoL First Stand, they dominated the competition so far. With only five teams vying for the first international trophy of the year, HLE have already made their mark as top contenders this year.
After an undefeated run in the Group Stage, taking down all four opponents along the way, HLE secured a spot in the Knockout Stage and are the biggest favourites to claim the championship. Before the action continues, GosuGamers caught up with HLE Support 
Hwan-joong “Delight” Yoo to discuss his thoughts on the tournament, the team's progress, and his hopes for this event.
Building team chemistry with Zeus
Reflecting on HLE's journey so far, Delight acknowledged the challenges they faced en route to First Stand. The road to this new international event tested their synergy quite early on and both teamwork and adaptation were some of the most important things they had to work on to achieve success.
“Getting to this point wasn’t easy, but through our teamwork and ability to build chemistry, all the processes we went through and progress we’ve made has led us here,” said Delight.
And while most were already part of the team’s roster since 2024, one of the biggest changes to HLE this year has been the addition of former 
T1 top laner Choi “Zeus” Woo-je. Delight spoke positively about his new teammate’s integration into the team.
“Zeus has his own playstyle — he has a firm playstyle,” Delight said. “He’s adapted well to our team’s direction, and even though our playstyles are different, he’s adjusted well through our feedback process.”
And with how HLE has been performing since the beginning of the season and up until the group stage of First Stand, it’s obvious that these adjustments from all the team members have been taking fruit.
Are more international tournaments a good thing?
With First Stand adding another major international tournament to the calendar, Delight highlighted both the positives and drawbacks from a player’s perspective.
“There are pros and cons,” Delight said. “The downside is that it makes our schedule a lot busier throughout the season. There are more matches, more packed schedules, and we have to constantly adapt to different situations.”
But on the upside, he highlighted how players get more exposure, gain experience and improve their “adaptability” through these international tournaments.
Delight's thoughts on Fearless Draft
Another new addition this season is the Fearless Draft system, which prevents teams from picking champions that have already been used in the series. When asked about this format, Delight admitted it initially felt unpredictable.
"When we first thought about the tournament before the Fearless Draft was introduced, the more the game progressed, the more we felt like the drafts were going into the mountains," Delight said.
"But as we played, we thought about how each team would draft their own drafts and how each team has a unique tendency to do so."
He added that HLE’s experience with multi-laners in the LCK has worked to their advantage. Overall, Delight believes the Fearless Draft is something quite exciting and enjoyable for both the players and the the viewers.
Despite some seeming unpredictability from this change, Delight remains confident in his team’s chances. “If I play well, I believe our team has a 100% chance of winning,” he stated.
Hanwha Life is set to go against LoL Pro League's 
Top Esports at the semifinals. Should they continue to keep level-headed and wise about their decisions, they are poised to take the first international trophy of Season 2025.
