It has been confirmed that Hanwha Life Esports' 'Zeus' Choi Woo-je rejected the club's contract renewal proposal before the start of the 2026 League of Legends World Championship (hereinafter Worlds). However, his contract remains valid until mid-November, leaving room for a renewal to be agreed upon before the FA market opens.
According to Inven's reporting on the 2nd, Choi Woo-je rejected the renewal after changing his agent. Choi is reportedly seeking to test his value on the FA market.
Hanwha Life is not the only team conducting contract renewal negotiations prior to Worlds. It is customary for other teams to also hold preliminary renewal discussions with their players ahead of Worlds.
Hanwha Life was eliminated in the Worlds Swiss Stage on the 1st. Competing for a spot in the quarterfinals against the LPL's BLG, they lost 0-2.
Industry insiders expect Choi Woo-je to be the biggest prize of this off-season if he enters the FA market. After winning MSI and subsequently stopping short at the threshold of the Worlds quarterfinals, Hanwha Life now finds itself needing to resolve the future of its key player at the very start of planning for next season.
A representative from Hanwha Life Esports stated, "We are continuously in discussions with the player."
