Hanwha Life Esports

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The team's origins trace back to November 2014, founded by Chinese social networking site YY and its parent company, Guongzhou Huaduo Network Technology (Duowan Inc.), under the name HUYA Tigers. Registered through GE Entertainment, the initial roster featured Smeb, Lee, KurO, PraY, and GorillA, led by head coach NoFe. They quickly qualified for the SBENU Champions Spring 2015, finishing tied for third with KT Rolster in the pre-season before renaming to GE Tigers. In 2016, following a sponsorship change from KooTV, they became ROX Tigers. That year, they dominated the regular season with the highest team KDA and saw Smeb named MVP of both the Spring and Summer splits. Despite losing the Spring final to SKT T1 3–1, they secured their first LCK title by winning the 2016 Summer playoffs.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 2015 defined the team's early identity. After a strong start, KOO Tigers qualified for the Intel Extreme Masters Season IX – World Championship, where they upset Team WE in the semifinals. They finished fourth in their group but advanced to the bracket stage at Worlds, defeating KT Rolster 3–1 and sweeping Fnatic 3–0 before falling to SK Telecom T1 1–3 in the finals on October 31, 2015. In 2024, history repeated itself with a twist. HLE finished third in the Spring regular season but lost 1–3 to T1 in the lower bracket final despite beating them 3–0 earlier. However, in the Summer playoffs, they swept T1 again in the lower bracket finals (3–1) after previously defeating Gen.G. On September 8, 2024, HLE shocked analysts predicting a Gen.G five-peat by winning the grand final 3–1 against them, securing their first LCK trophy under the Hanwha banner.

Reader's Guide

To understand HLE's competitive path, one must track their seasonal performances and roster stability. The team has consistently challenged for top spots, finishing second in the 2024 Summer regular season with a 14–4 record behind Gen.G (17–1). Key moments include the acquisition of the LCK spot in mid-2018 and the 2024 Spring roster featuring Doran, Peanut, Zeka, Viper, and Delight. A crucial turning point occurred in 2024 when Peanut, the youngest member of the 2016 ROX Tigers championship-winning squad, led the team to the 2024 Summer title. Fans should note that while HLE missed the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational due to a Spring playoff loss, their Summer victory marked a historic return to the summit, ending Gen.G's dream of a Golden Road in League of Legends esports history.

Did You Know?

• In mid-2018, Hanwha Life Insurance acquired the LCK spot from ROX Tigers, rebranding them as Hanwha Life Esports.
• As KOO Tigers in 2015, the team swept Fnatic 3–0 in the World Championship semifinals before losing to SKT T1 in the finals.
• Smeb was named MVP of both the 2016 Spring and Summer LCK splits while playing for ROX Tigers.
• Peanut, who was the youngest member of the 2016 ROX roster that won their first domestic title, led HLE to the 2024 LCK Summer championship.