Volamel
2019-11-20 09:51:03
On the opposite side of the bracket sat two contenders; KongDoo Panthera and Lunatic-Hai. With the later team dropping a set early on in the second phase of group play, it ultimately set the stage early on for a match between the rough and tumble Afreeca Freecs with the reigning champions, Lunatic-Hai. Sadly, even with Mano making a career-defining role swap to main tank, Afreeca still could not best the would-be champions.
iDK and his team would exit the event with a respectable 3rd place finish after beating a despondent Team EnVyUs, 4-1. After such a strong showing, you’d expect that iDK and Afreeca to ride off into the beautiful South Korean sunset and return just as strong in season four, right?
Wrong.
Following a strong regular season, Afreeca Freecs Blue saw massive returns in the public stock exchange and in turn, iDK’s public perception rose as well. People swore by Arhan’s flashy plays and with Mano’s incredibly successful role swap to main tank, there was room to consider that Afreeca could meet these lofty expectations in season four. However, two rookie teams planted their feet in defiance in Group C.
The first being the sister team to one of the perennial dark horses in the league, LW Red and behind them sat the eventual champions, GC Busan.
It was assumed that with veteran leadership and Afreeca’s strong individual performers, they would certainly be able to, at the very least, compete with the rising tide of rookie talent coming into the league from APEX Challengers. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for iDK and the Afreeca Freecs.
iDK and Afreeca won a single match.
Yes, you read that correctly. The team that triumphantly reinvigorated themselves with intelligent acquisitions and role swaps, and were synonymous with the word “undefeated” were stomped into the glossy ebony epoxy that covered the floor at OGN’s Giga Arena.
Irony is a fickle mistress and she proudly pulled the strings during APEX Season 4. The old veteran team with some of South Korea’s biggest names would unceremoniously be devoured by the impressive rookie talent sat right behind them.
However sad or worrisome, iDK’s individual performance and leadership on Afreeca Freecs positioned him well moving forward into his next venture.
Read More: Letters for the Future fan - OGN Apex
“iDK was the captain of the team and sat in the captain's chair,” resident historian and current Overwatch League commentator, Wolf "Wolf" Schröder lovingly recalled. The booths at OGN’s Giga Arena had a strange but endearing quirk where the sixth chair was raised up and placed behind the rest of the team to allow the shot-caller a clear view of the five other screens.
What was a quick amendment to soundproof booths used for other games, quickly became not only a staple of the era but an iconic image for early competitive Overwatch. It was upon this classic perch where iDK spent the majority of his time.
“The rest of his team always spoke volumes about iDK’s leadership, even as early as when he joined in APEX Season 3,” Wolf said. “There was always a funny vibe around him in the trash talk videos, and everyone always jokingly referred to him as ‘Kong’ or ‘콩’ which means small pea or bean.”
“His Lucio play was definitely top-notch, with great sound barriers in particular. The funny thing is, at first, he didn't stand out to most people because Arhan, Lucid, and Recry were by far the most notable players on the roster.”
“That was until he started playing Torbjörn,” Wolf continued. “Afreeca Freecs Blue helped popularize the Orisa/Torbjörn strategies we still sometimes see today, notably on Numbani. iDK was a safe Torbjorn who knew how to play around Molten Core, making sure he was both building it quickly but playing safe enough not to die, as that meant the risky defense would be over.”
Wolf affectionately called back to fond memories of the talented main support in contrast to his peers at the time, not only with his gameplay but how he carries himself. Wolf explained that through the handful of appearances he made during OGN’s trash talk videos, iDK quickly became a crowd-pleaser for the more global audience.
He continued, “I think eventually iDK got the same respect that the legends he was leading had garnered.”
- Gai "Alan" Yandahan
“I think iDK meant a lot to Lucky Future Zenith,” Overwatch commentator and Chinese Overwatch expert, Gai "Alan" Yandahan explained. “Since we all know he is the shot-caller, I believe his leadership is the reason that Lucky Future Zenith could win most team fights so cleanly and even more, lose team fights wisely.
“iDK is always an interesting person for me. He looks really humble and low key, but actually, he is really confident and I think he enjoyed the feeling of being on the stage.”
“One really interesting memory happened back in Overwatch Contenders Season 2 in 2018,” Alan explained. “At the grand finals, Lucky Future Zenith faced LGD Gaming and there was an interview before the match. Eileen was both giving really high praise to Lucky Future Zenith adding maybe a little bit of sarcasm.”
“Eileen said that Lucky Future Zenith would be the Overwatch League Season 2 Champion.”
“And then iDK said; ‘Yeah, of course, we will be.’”
Alan laughed, “This memory actually drives me crazy.”
With the Hangzhou Spark’s fourth-place finish in the 2019 Overwatch League season, iDK was nearly right in predicting a 2019 title run nearly a year prior. Something even the most bullish Chinese analysts would scoff at when doing preseason evaluations. However, I’m sure that didn’t phase iDK. If anything, I think that measured doubt probably fueled him.
Confidence is the feeling and aspect of iDK, the person that sits in the driver’s seat and permits him the mineral not only to be a leader in-game but to make game-saving plays. It’s the cornerstone on which the Hangzhou Spark, a multi-lingual team, is built.
Not many players can call themselves leaders and shot callers, and fewer can say that they’ve successfully led a multinational team. iDK heads that shortlist, boasting titles and championships in two different regions and on a handful of different teams. He’s flashy when he needs to be but usually stays consistent and at the end of the day, he is your quintessential leader.
Confidence and charisma, in this case, are key and iDK knows that all too well.