During the 2017 Championship, we had a plan:
"Let's fight."
[Samsung Galaxy defying expectations!]
I enjoyed every moment.
I couldn't believe I made Worlds.
[Ruler gets one... The Gnar into the wall! Triple kill picked up for Ruler!]
I think only 1 out of 100 fans thought we had a chance against Longzhu.
Samsung Galaxy were a good team but not a world-class team.
You don't really believe in the team that barely squeaks in
versus SKT the juggernaut.
The undisputed best team in the world.
They win their third World Championship.
(*Correction* - Lee 'CloudTemplar' Hyun-Woo) SKT was unstoppable,
bashing their way.
And at the center of it all was Faker.
Faker always stayed calm and his face didn't change with a win or loss.
He was seen as the unkillable boss.
People were bored of SKT winning.
That's how dominant they were.
Our players considered it an honor to face SKT on such a huge and magnificent stage.
I felt somewhat intimidated.
Actually, I wasn't afraid at all.
Our team had nothing to lose.
At that time, all the fans thought, "Of course SKT will win the trophy."
We wanted to prove them wrong.
[Faker likely to lose his life.]
[The flank from AD Kennen...]
Like the Drunken Master from the films,
Samsung Galaxy was more than meets the eye.
They were always stronger than what you had expected.
They were playing, probably, the best League they've ever played.
After winning game 1, we all became confident that we could win.
I think our main reason for winning the 2017 LoL World Championship was picking Malzahar.
So they knew that Malzahar was a good champion,
and actually no one else did.
[Four kills already, one man stands alive and he is going to fall!]
[As another kill comes through and Samsung Galaxy are one game away]
[from greatness!]
Before going to bed I'd think to myself,
"I want to beat SKT and win the championship."
[Samsung are one win away from being crowned the world champions.]
[It's one thing to say, it's another thing to do.]
[So many teams at this point have been two wins up on SKT.]
SKT are famous for coming back and reversing their fortunes.
Thinking too much about what you're going to do
reminds you of the looming danger.
This often leads to mistakes.
Ruler to me has always felt... I guess a little safe.
There are probably some moments that he could have gone forward and didn't quite.
When you play purely based on instinct
you become fearless.
Ruler's biggest strength is his strong will for winning.
SKT has the best career in the history of LoL.
I thought, "Can we really win this match?"
So we're in game three
and SKT has actually started to mount the comeback.
They're up in gold, they've got control of the river around Baron.
SKT are winning.
Once you get into late game, a single mistake can lead to defeat.
At that time, everyone was careful and nervous.
SKT splits up.
And Ruler sees it before anyone else does.
I thought I saw a chance to kill.
So I shouted, "I'm going for Karma!"
But it could have cost us the game.
I have no way out, I'm relying only on my teammates,
and the foresight that we would win this fight.
It was more instinct than thinking.
[He caught Faker, they've got a CC, the mid laner is down!]
And he is just barely right.
But he's right.
It was dramatic how he changed the game in a few seconds.
When Ruler picked off Karma, I thought, "This is the end of the match".
I exploded with so much excitement
and my legs felt weak after.
I think I was in a daze.
I never felt such massive excitement.
I even envied my players.
I thought, "I wish I were one of them".
I don't think you're human if you don't see Faker there,
and step back.
Even if it's just feeling respect for how much he cares.
SKT finally lost at Worlds. It had never happened before.
And then they're gone.
When we raised up the World Championship trophy,
the feeling I felt in that moment is something I'll never forget.
I really hope to get that feeling once again.
I think trying to keep your place on top
is something near to impossible.
But because there are few teams who did make it possible,
we now refer to them as legends.
League of Legends has existed for ten years
and these short and long stories are continuing its history.
And this year will be important.
I'm curious to see how they will end.