Zeus
Zeus after winning Worlds 2023
Current team
TeamT1
RoleTop
GameLeague of Legends
LeagueLCK
Personal information
Name최우제
(Choi Woo-je)
Born (2004-01-31) January 31, 2004
NationalitySouth Korean
Career information
Playing career2019–present
Team history
2019–2020T1 Academy
2021–presentT1
Career highlights and awards
  • World champion (2023)
    • Worlds MVP (2023)
  • LCK champion
    • 2× LCK Top Laner of the Year
    • 3× LCK All-Pro First Team
Medal record
Esports
Representing  South Korea
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2022 HangzhouLeague of Legends

Choi Woo-je (Korean: 최우제; born January 31, 2004), better known as Zeus[lower-alpha 1], is a South Korean professional League of Legends player for T1. Throughout his career, he has won one League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) titles and one League of Legends World Championship title. He also represented the South Korean national team at the 2022 Asian Games, earning a gold medal.

Zeus began his career in 2019 as a member of T1 Academy, the developmental team of T1. He was promoted to the main roster for the 2021 LCK season. While he received some playing time in the 2021 Spring Split, Zeus did not become the main starter for the team until 2022. Since then, Zeus reached LCK Finals four times, winning it in the 2022 Spring Split. He reached the finals of the World Championship in his first year as a starter, and the following year, he won the 2023 World Championship.

Zeus's individual accomplishments include accolades such as a World Championship Finals MVP award, two LCK Top Laner of the Year awards, and three LCK First All-Pro Team designations.

Professional career

In 2019, Zeus was signed to T1 Academy, the developmental team of T1.[1] On November 26, 2020, T1 promoted Zeus to its main roster, replacing Kim "Roach" Kang-hee, who was sent to the academy team.[2] After turning 17 on January 31, 2021, he made his LCK debut on February 3 in a win over Nongshim RedForce in the 2021 LCK Spring Split regular season, replacing Kim "Canna" Chang-dong in the starting lineup.[3][4] He split time with Canna throughout the split, competing for the starting position. In the regular season, Zeus played a total of 19 games, totaling 12 wins and seven losses with a KDA average of 3.11, with his final match being in March against KT Rolster. Kim lost the starting position to Canna, and did not play throughout the rest of the year.[5][6]

Heading into the 2022 LCK Spring Split regular season, Canna transferred to Nongshim RedForce, and Zeus became the team's starting top laner.[5] T1 went undefeated with an 18–0 record, marking the first time in LCK history that a team had gone undefeated.[7] Zeus recorded 36 wins and seven losses. He had the most kills and the highest KDA average of 3.64 throughout the regular season among all top laners in the LCK and secured a spot on the 2022 LCK Spring First All-Pro team.[6][8][9] In the playoffs, T1 advanced to the 2022 LCK Spring Finals, where they faced Gen.G on April 2. Throughout the match, Zeus pressured Choi "Doran" Hyun-jun in the laning phase. In particular, in game four, Zeus neutralized Doran by using his Flash and Lightning Rush abilities in response to a gank with Oner to take the lead. With Doran falling early in the game, Gen.G's composition lost strength from the early stages, and T1 went on to win the game. With a final score of 3–1, T1 won the final, marking Zeus's first LCK championship.[10] With the Spring Split title, Zeus participated in his inaugural Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) as T1 qualified for the 2022 MSI as the LCK representative.[10] Zeus had the second-most damage among all top laners in the MSI.[8] Although the team reached the finals, they lost Royal Never Give Up, securing a second-place finish.[11] On June 14, T1 announced that Zeus had signed a one-year extension with the team.[8] In the 2022 LCK Summer Split regular season, Zeus was named to the LCK First All-Pro Team.[12] In the playoffs, T1 lost to Gen.G in the finals, finishing the split in second place.[13]

T1 entered the 2022 World Championship as the LCK's second seed.[14] In the group stage, T1 and Edward Gaming were both in the running to take the top seed in their group. T1 took the leading position in the group after defeating Edward Gaming on October 14, with Zeus being named the MVP of the game, and finished the group stage with a 5–1 record to advance to the knockout quarterfinals.[15] Zeus reached the Worlds finals for the first time in his career after T1 defeated JD Gaming in the semifinals.[16] However, T1 lost to DRX in the finals by a score of 2–3.[17] At the 2022 LCK Awards ceremony, Zeus was named the LCK Top Laner of the Year.[18]

In the 2023 LCK Spring Split, T1 finished the regular season in first place with a 17–1 record, and alongside the entire starting T1 roster, Zeus was named to the 2023 LCK Spring First All-Pro Team.[19] Despite their regular season performance, T1 reached the Spring Split playoff finals but once again fell short against Gen.G, finishing in second place. With the second-place finish, T1 qualified for the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational.[20] At MSI, T1 reached the upper bracket finals but faced defeat against JD Gaming, sending them to the lower bracket finals, where they lost to Bilibili Gaming by a score of 1–3.[21][22] In July 2023, during the 2023 LCK Summer Split, T1 encountered challenges as mid laner Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok was sidelined due to a wrist injury. Zeus's, as well as the entire team's, performance dipped during this period.[23] Upon Faker's return, T1 won their final two matches, concluding the regular season in fifth place with a 9–9 record.[24] On August 20, 2023, Zeus made his fifth LCK finals appearance, but T1 faced another defeat against Gen.G in the finals.[25]

Zeus celebrating after winning the 2023 World Championship

T1 entered the 2023 World Championship as the LCK's second seed.[25] Zeus reached his second consecutive appearance in the Worlds finals after T1 secured a victory over JD Gaming in the semifinals.[26] In the finals against Weibo Gaming, the first game saw both teams evenly matched until the 18-minute mark, when Keria executed a move called Hostile Takeover. The play allowed Zeus and Faker to secure kills that enabling T1 to establish a significant lead and ultimately secure the victory in the game. T1 carried this momentum to win the following two games as well, resulting in a 3–0 victory and giving Zeus his first World Championship title. Zeus was also named the MVP of the Finals.[27][28] On November 23, 2023, T1 announced that Zeus had re-signed with the team.[29] At the 2023 LCK Awards ceremony, Zeus received his second consecutive Top Laner of the Year award.[30]

National team career

Zeus represented South Korea in the 2022 Asian Games one of the six members in the League of Legends division of the South Korea national esports team.[31] Zeus clinched a gold medal as South Korea emerged victorious against Saudi Arabia, China, and Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, respectively.[32] With the gold medal, Zeus received an exemption from mandatory military service.[33]

Seasons overview

Year Team Domestic Mid-Season Invitational World Championship
League Spring Summer
2021 T1 LCK 4th 2nd Did not qualify 3rd–4th
2022 LCK 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd
2023 LCK 2nd 2nd 3rd 1st
2024 LCK

Awards and honors

International
  • One-time Worlds champion – 2023[27]
  • One-time Worlds Finals MVP – 2023[27]
LCK
  • One-time LCK champion – Spring 2022[10]
  • Three-time LCK All-Pro 1st Team – Spring 2022, Summer 2022, Spring 2023[18][19]
  • Two-time Top-laner of the Year – 2022, 2023[18][30]
  • One-time LCK All-Pro 3rd Team – Summer 2023[34]
South Korea Esports

Personal life

Zeus was born on January 31, 2004.[35] In his youth, he and his family watched esports matches such as KartRider and League of Legends on the Korean esports channel OGN. He and his brother began playing League of Legends not because they enjoyed the game, but because they wanted to understand what was happening in professional matches. In 2018, his interest in League of Legends esport grew more, becoming a fan of SK Telecom T1. That same year, he reached the number one rank of the Korean solo que ladder.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Korean: 제우스, pronounced "Je-woo-s"[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Shin, Ethan (November 18, 2023). "T1 Zeus on how his family's weekend ritual turned him pro". One Esports. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ Geddes, George (November 26, 2020). "Zeus promoted to T1's main roster from Academy". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ Lupasco, Cristian (February 3, 2021). "T1 beat Nongshim RedForce, Zeus makes debut in 2021 LCK Spring Split". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ Yoon, Min-seop (February 3, 2021). "[LCK] T1, '제우스' 데뷔전서 농심 격파". Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Kim, Yong-woo (January 12, 2022). "[LCK] T1 '제우스' 최우제, 롤파크서 첫 경기...312일 만에 선발". 데일리e스포츠 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Kim, Yong-woo (June 14, 2022). "[오피셜] '제우스' 최우제, T1과 2023년까지 함께 한다". 데일리e스포츠. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ Banerjee, Rijit (March 20, 2022). "T1 finish LCK Spring Split undefeated with perfect 18-0, Faker shines on Veigar". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Esguerra, Tyler (June 14, 2022). "Zeus signs one-year extension with T1". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ Kelly, Michael (March 22, 2022). "Keria makes LCK history as first support to be crowned MVP in Korean league". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Kang, Han-gyeol (April 3, 2022). "'듀크'처럼 단단하고 '칸'처럼 과감했던 '제우스' [LCK]" ['Zeus' was as tough as 'Duke' and bold as 'Khan' [LCK]]. Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  11. ↑ Bernardo, Anna (May 29, 2022). "RNG win third-straight League of Legends MSI title after outlasting T1 in thrilling finals". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  12. ↑ Jang, David (August 16, 2022). "LCK Awards recipients for the 2022 summer split revealed". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  13. ↑ Ridsdale, Jack (December 22, 2022). "South Korea's T1 League of Legends team dominated throughout 2022". Red Bull. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  14. ↑ Kelly, Michael (September 5, 2022). "All teams qualified for the 2022 League of Legends World Championship". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  15. ↑ Moon, Daechan (October 14, 2022). "제우스 데이 [롤드컵]" [Zeus Day [Worlds Cup]]. Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  16. ↑ Kang, Yun-sik (November 1, 2022). "[롤드컵] 풀타임 주전으로 모든 대회 결승 이끈 신(神)인 '제우스'". 데일리e스포츠 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ Scales, Kali (November 6, 2022). "DRX Shocks the World - Runs the Gauntlet to Win Worlds 2022 with Win Over T1". Esports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 Jang, David (December 22, 2022). "[LCK Awards] All recipients of the 2022 LCK Awards". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  19. 1 2 Lee, Joo-hyun (March 22, 2023). "T1 전원 'LCK 퍼스트'...올프로 선정, 이변 없었다". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  20. ↑ Xu, Davide (April 12, 2023). "LCK sets massive viewership record thanks to unexpected T1 vs. Gen.G Spring Split final". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  21. ↑ Kim, Joo-hwan (May 19, 2023). "T1, MSI 2023 준결승서 JDG에 2-3 석패...20일 결승행 재도전". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  22. ↑ Kim, Joo-hwan (May 21, 2023). "중국에 무너진 LCK 양대산맥...T1, MSI 준결승서 BLG에 1:3 패". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  23. ↑ Lee, Joo-hyun (August 4, 2023). "리브 샌박, '완전체 T1' 잡아야 PO 보인다". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  24. ↑ "'케리아' 류민석의 다짐, "페이커 복귀해 경기력 올라왔지만, 아직 갈 길 멀어"". Nate (in Korean). August 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Kim, Joo-hwan (August 20, 2023). "젠지, LoL 국내대회 3연패...LCK 서머 결승서 T1 완파(종합)". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  26. ↑ Kim, Chan-hong (November 12, 2023). "다시 결승 오른 '제우스' 최우제 "의심도 많고 흔들리기도 했지만..." [롤드컵]". Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  27. 1 2 3 Ridsdale, Jack (November 20, 2023). "10 top moments from the 2023 League of Legends World Championship". Red Bull. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  28. ↑ Jang, David (November 19, 2023). "Zeus is your Worlds 2023 finals MVP". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  29. ↑ Jang, David (November 23, 2023). "T1 re-signs Zeus, Gumayusi, and Keria". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  30. 1 2 Jang, David; Kim, Soojin (December 13, 2023). "[2023 LCK Awards] T1 Sweeps Positional Player of the Year Awards". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  31. ↑ Ye, Josh (May 24, 202). "South Korea's LoL team for 19th Asian Games features iconic stars, MVPs, and world champs". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  32. 1 2 Yang, Mary; Paik, Ji-hwan (September 29, 2023). "Korea takes League of Legends gold despite Faker absence". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  33. ↑ Associated Press (September 30, 2023). "Asian Games 2023: South Korea's League of Legends esports gold – without the GOAT, Faker – earns military service exemption". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  34. ↑ Nam, Jeong-seok (August 8, 2023). "'역시 16연승의 KT!' LCK 서머 시즌에서 '올 LCK 퍼스트 팀'에 선정". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  35. ↑ Park, Tae-gyun (January 31, 2021). "출전 가능 '제우스' 최우제, 아프리카 상대로 데뷔전 가지나". Inven (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
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