Kkoma

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

kkOma's journey began with a short professional playing career, first competing in StarCraft II under the ID "LittleBoy" for Team Old Generations. After failing to qualify for the Global StarCraft II League, he transitioned to League of Legends, spending one season as a jungler for Startale in the LCK. His coaching legacy truly ignited in 2012 when SKT T1 appointed him to prepare for Season 3. He personally recruited Faker, Bengi, Piglet, Impact, and PoohManDu to form the original squad that would dominate the scene. A defining tactical innovation occurred in 2015, where he became among the first coaches to successfully implement two players equally sharing the mid lane position, rotating between Faker and Easyhoon. This allowed SKT T1 to adopt diverse play styles depending on who was swapped in. He led the team to sweep the calendar year by winning LCK Spring 2015, LCK Summer 2015, and the 2015 World Championship, becoming the first coach to win more than one World Championships.

In Their Own Story

On April 13, 2019, kkOma secured his seventh LCK title as head coach of SK Telecom T1. However, on November 27, 2019, it was announced he would leave the organization. He quickly joined Vici Gaming as their head coach on December 17, 2019, but parted ways in September 2020 due to family reasons. In November 2020, reports confirmed his move to DWG KIA (formerly Damwon Gaming) following the departure of coaches Yang "Daeny" Dae-in and Kim "Zefa" Jae-min. During the 2021 season with DWG KIA, he guided the team to runner-up finishes in both the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational and the 2021 League of Legends World Championship. By December 2021, he was promoted to athletic director within the organization. His story returned full circle on November 21, 2023, when T1 announced his return as head coach. Throughout these transitions, he maintained a strict demeanor and continued to develop talent.

Reader's Guide

kkOma's strategic impact is defined by specific milestones and roster management. He built the original SKT T1 lineup in 2012, leading them to Champions Summer 2013 and the 2013 World Championship. His innovation with the dual mid-lane strategy in 2015 remains a historical turning point for the franchise. Beyond his club career, he served as the head coach for Korea's League of Legends team at the Asian Games 2022 in March 2022. In his personal life, he announced his marriage in late 2019 and has two children. A unique distinction in the game belongs to him: he is the only coach who owns a ward skin in League of Legends, known as SKT T1 kkOma Ward. His career spans from a failed StarCraft II qualification attempt to becoming the first head coach to win multiple World Championships, eventually earning the "Esports Coach of the Decade" title.

Did You Know?

• kkOma is the only coach in League of Legends history to own a dedicated ward skin called 'SKT T1 kkOma Ward'.
• He was the first coach to win more than one World Championship, achieving this feat by winning back-to-back titles in 2015.
• Before coaching, he played StarCraft II under the ID 'LittleBoy' for Team Old Generations and later competed as a jungler for Startale.
• He was named the winner of the 'Esports Coach of the Decade' prize at the Esports Awards 2025.
• kkOma is known for his strict coaching attitude and specifically developed the strategy of having two players, Faker and Easyhoon, share the mid lane role in 2015.