T1 Continues the “Idolization” Trend Amidst Drama
It is undeniable that the League of Legends community is buzzing about T1, one of the forefront teams in the “K-popization” trend. Players like Faker and Gumayusi have often had to engage in fan-related activities. However, T1’s new attitude has made fans even more enthusiastic.
Recently, T1 officially launched a unique lightstick, unlike the “merchandise with low quality” they offered before. The LCK community revealed that this lightstick is manufactured by T1 in cooperation with HYBE. Notably, HYBE is the company behind globally renowned K-pop idols like BTS and NewJeans.
However, the price of this new lightstick has left many fans feeling frustrated. Specifically, the price for these lightsticks reaches up to 75,000 won (approximately 1.3 million VND). This price point is considered higher than that of many famous K-pop groups, such as BTS (about 33,000 won) and NewJeans (49,000 won). Moreover, this pricing does not include shipping costs to Vietnam.
Fans Also Express Mixed Feelings About T1
In fact, the phenomenon of a League of Legends team in South Korea producing a lightstick is not entirely new. However, the price has raised concerns among many T1 fans. Some believe that these lightsticks are of high quality. Yet, according to one fan: “While NewJeans’ lightsticks come with a corner-cut card, T1’s offering doesn’t include anything extra.”
The “idolization” of teams has become a trend that many LCK (and even LPL) teams are pursuing, with T1 being the most proactive. However, this very trend has also sparked considerable debate, especially in recent times, particularly with the ongoing drama surrounding Zeus, followed by incidents involving Gumayusi and the introduction of the lightstick with T1’s “sky-high” price.
