On the 9th, BLG secured their spot in the finals of the '2026 LoL Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)' by defeating Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 in the winners' bracket round 3 at the Daejeon Convention Center in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. After winning the first two sets with overwhelming leads using non-ADC compositions, BLG conceded one set but closed out the series in game four, led by the dual-carry threat of 'Knight's' Orianna and 'Viper' Park Do-hyeon's Ezreal.

The Key to Victory: Non-ADC Picks

Meeting with INVEN after the win against Hanwha Life, 'Viper' was beaming with joy. "I prepared hard because I really wanted to win, but it feels surreal now that we actually did it. This was something I couldn't have even imagined this time last year. Winning in my hometown against my former team, Hanwha Life, is still hard to wrap my head around," he said. "Of course, a match is a match, so I prepared with a cool head. I expected it to go to a full set, so I'm happy we were able to secure the win quickly."

Viper identified Hanwha Life's willingness to engage head-on in non-ADC matchups as the key to their victory in this series. "We prepared various scenarios based on the opponent's pick-ban phase to determine our direction," Viper explained. "It seemed like they were more intent on playing non-ADC matchups than we expected. Honestly, I thought they would have preferred other champions. Even though things played out differently than anticipated, I think that actually gave us an advantage from the start."

The non-ADC champions 'Viper' brought out that day were Cassiopeia in game one and Taliyah in game two. In the first game, BLG picked Cassiopeia first; when Hanwha Life chose Yone, BLG moved Cassiopeia to the bottom lane and countered decisively with Akali in the mid lane. 'Viper's' past experience with Hanwha Life played a small role in this flow.

"Swap picks like this have been common, so the opponent definitely expected it. I felt that Hanwha Life, and 'Zeka' Kim Geon-woo specifically, had immense confidence in Yone, so I thought they might do it anyway. And they really did. They also needed AD damage to balance their team composition. We had prepared thoroughly for that, so we were able to handle it well."

Taliyah: Prepared Since 2019

The Taliyah pick in game two was a card he had used as a joker pick in the 2019 LCK Spring Finals. The result back then was a bitter defeat. "My preparation for Taliyah was already finished back in 2019," 'Viper' said with a laugh. "When I saw the opponent's draft from the red side's 5th pick, I thought about which champion would be the most effective. I think we chose a fantastic composition."

After losing the first two sets, Hanwha Life switched to traditional ADCs starting in game three, allowing them to pull one back. Reflecting on that situation, he said, "I think we had better options available, and there might have been some mistakes in our pick-ban. However, after game two, we assumed they would definitely go for an ADC, and we even predicted the Lucian-Milio combination. We tried to counter it, but it didn't go as planned."

He added, "We did take some losses in early skirmishes, but that's just how it goes—sometimes you win those fights, sometimes you lose. Also, regardless of the skirmishes, Dr. Mundo's destructive power was just too high given the team compositions. Next time, we just need to win those specific spots."

In the final fourth game, he was caught out once while they were solidifying their lead. 'Viper' coolly admitted his mistake. "I had been tracking the opponent's position well until then, but that was the one moment I missed. Hanwha Life definitely caught me well. There were no objectives up, so it wasn't a major risk, but my team managed to find good angles and play well even without me," he said.

During this MSI, 'Viper' has played five different non-ADC champions, including Cassiopeia and Taliyah, as well as Ziggs, Vel'Koz, and others. Does he have more non-ADC cards up his sleeve? "Honestly, I can play any champion if I need to. But considering the current meta and situation, I don't think there are that many picks that are truly optimal," he answered honestly.

Finals Prediction: A Rematch with Hanwha Life?

Having reached the finals, 'Viper' expects a rematch with Hanwha Life. "I think there's a high probability that Hanwha Life will climb back up. I have to watch the match between Lion and G2, but no matter who comes up, it's hard to picture anyone gaining an edge over Hanwha Life. Since there were many upsets during the First Stand, I can't predict it lightly, but I still think Hanwha Life will make it," he said.

He also expressed his determination to prepare even more in case they meet again. "If we meet again, Hanwha Life will definitely think more about my champion pool. I'll need to prepare more to match that. I think we'll have an even more exciting match then than we did today," he said with anticipation.

Although 'Viper' is part of the visiting team BLG, he is enjoying more than a home-field advantage in his hometown of Daejeon. Receiving support from both his hometown and visiting fans, he said, "Playing in Daejeon makes me feel like I'm naturally playing better, and I'm in a good mood. For some reason, I feel more relaxed. I'm also very grateful to the fans who always come to see us, no matter where we play. I will make sure to leave them with great memories until the very end."

Finally, 'Viper' concluded the interview by saying, "I think we were able to win today because we quickly grasped what is important in the current meta. Whoever comes to the finals, we will be playing in a state where the opponent knows us well and we know them well. We will come back with our own unique strengths that go beyond that," he said, firming his resolve.