T1 has made one of its biggest lineup decisions of the LCK season, replacing long-time starting jungler Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun with 18-year-old academy jungler Kim “Painter” Eun-hoo against Hanwha Life Esports. Painter made his LCK debut in the series, but T1 lost 1-2 to HLE, turning an unexpected one-match change into a major question about the team’s direction.
The decision has already triggered widespread reaction, including comparisons with T1’s previous handling of Gumayusi and Smash. Fans are now joking that Oner could eventually follow Gumayusi to HLE, but there is no confirmed transfer story behind those memes. Oner remains under contract with T1 through 2028.
For now, T1 has not announced a permanent replacement. However, head coach Im “Tom” Jae-hyeon has confirmed that the jungle position is now an area of competition, with Painter’s official-match performance being considered alongside scrim results before the next decision is made.
T1 Oner benched as Painter makes his LCK debut
Oner’s absence from T1’s starting lineup came as a major surprise. The jungler has been a central part of T1’s roster for years, making his replacement by an academy player one of the most significant lineup decisions the organization has made this season.
Instead of Oner, T1 started Painter, an 18-year-old jungler from T1 Esports Academy. The promotion immediately placed the rookie under enormous pressure, with his first LCK appearance coming against HLE rather than in a lower-stakes match.
T1 described the change as part of the coaching staff’s preparation. The announcement did not state that Oner had been permanently removed from the lineup, but the decision immediately raised questions about whether the coaching staff was testing a longer-term alternative in the jungle.
Painter’s first LCK match ends in a 1-2 loss to HLE
Painter’s debut did not produce the result T1 wanted. T1 won the opening game against HLE, but Hanwha Life Esports responded by taking the next two games to complete a 2-1 series victory.
The defeat is now an important part of T1’s evaluation. The coaching staff wanted to see Painter in an official match, and it now has a full series to assess alongside his previous scrim performances.
A 1-2 loss does not by itself prove that Painter cannot succeed at LCK level. At the same time, the rookie did not immediately produce the kind of decisive result that would make replacing an established starter an obvious choice.
The complete T1 versus HLE series can be watched below.
For Painter, this was an enormous first test. For T1, it provided the official-match evidence the coaching staff said it wanted before deciding what happens next.
Tom explains why T1 chose Painter
Following the loss, Tom explained why T1 chose to make the change, pointing to Painter’s performance in practice and, importantly, his ability to contribute to the team’s call-outs.
“Regardless of wins or losses, we had time to practice, and based on scrim results, I thought there was room to utilise him, with today being the earliest opportunity,”
- Tom
Tom also pushed back against any suggestion of internal discord.
“There is absolutely no discord,”
He explained that the change was made with the aim of winning the match.
The coach specifically highlighted Painter’s communication and shotcalling as a major reason for giving him the opportunity.
“Painter filled in a lot in terms of shotcalling,”
He also added that he also believed the call-up could be helpful for motivation.
Tom has also described Painter as a player who fills a significant portion of T1’s calls. His assessment is that if the rookie can maintain his fundamentals while establishing the team’s direction, the players around him can develop together.
T1 wanted to test whether his communication could give the team a clearer direction in an official match, while also creating competition for the jungle position.
Oner and Painter are now competing for the starting role
Tom was asked whether Oner was likely to return for T1’s next match. He did not give a definitive answer. Instead, he said the coaching staff would consider comprehensive factors, including scrim results and Painter’s performance in an actual match.
Tom also emphasized match readiness. In his view, having the jungle players compete with each other was the best direction for helping T1 improve overall.
That leaves T1 with three realistic paths. Oner could return immediately, Painter could receive another opportunity, or the coaching staff could continue evaluating both players through further competition.
What happens next for Oner and Painter?
The immediate question for T1 is whether Oner returns to the starting lineup or Painter gets another opportunity. Oner still has the advantage of experience, particularly when it comes to playing under the pressure of important LCK matches. Painter, however, has now shown the coaching staff what he can bring to the team in an official game.
The 2-1 loss to HLE does not necessarily end Painter’s trial. Tom said the coaching staff wanted to see how he performed on stage before making its next decision, and his communication and shotcalling were among the reasons T1 wanted to give him that opportunity. Another start would give the team more information about whether those strengths can translate into consistent results.
At the same time, T1 has to be careful with how it handles the competition. Giving both junglers opportunities could push them to improve, but repeated changes can also make it harder for a team to build consistency and confidence. That is particularly relevant given T1’s previous experience with frequent lineup changes.
For Oner, the next lineup announcement could therefore be significant even if he returns immediately. T1 has made it clear that Painter is being seriously evaluated, rather than simply being used as a temporary substitute. The question now is whether that competition ultimately strengthens the team or creates a difficult decision that T1 will have to manage for the rest of the season.
The Gumayusi precedent makes the situation even bigger
T1 has been through a similar type of roster battle before. In 2025, the organization experimented with its AD carry position by giving academy player Smash opportunities alongside Gumayusi.
The situation became one of the biggest roster controversies around T1 that year. Gumayusi was repeatedly moved out of the starting lineup before eventually leaving T1 after the 2025 season and joining HLE.
That history is now impossible to ignore when an established T1 starter is once again replaced by an academy player. The circumstances are different, and T1 has not announced that Oner is being permanently replaced, but the precedent explains why fans immediately started making comparisons.
The reaction has even included memes suggesting that Oner will eventually end up at HLE too.
Those jokes are understandable given the recent history, but they should not be mistaken for transfer information. There is currently no confirmed indication that Oner is preparing to join HLE.
Oner’s contract makes an immediate HLE move unrealistic
There is also an important contractual detail behind the social-media speculation. Oner renewed with T1 through 2028, so he cannot simply leave the organization because he has been benched for one LCK match.
Any future transfer would have to be handled within the terms of his existing contract and would require the relevant organizations to reach an agreement. A single benching therefore does not mean Oner is suddenly available on the transfer market.
That does not make the situation irrelevant to his long-term future. If T1 eventually decides that Painter is its preferred starter, the organization would have to determine how to handle two high-level junglers competing for one position.
T1’s history shows why roster stability matters
The Oner/Painter situation also recalls an earlier period when T1 experimented with multiple lineup changes during the same split. Several players were rotated or benched, including Faker, in a period when the team was dealing with significant pressure and instability.
Constant changes can affect confidence, communication and the way players approach matches. T1’s earlier experience showed the risks of disrupting the lineup too heavily, particularly when the team was already under pressure and performances suffered without Faker.
That history does not mean T1 should never experiment. The coaching staff may ultimately be right that competition between Oner and Painter will make the team stronger. But the organization has also experienced the downside of putting players through too much uncertainty.
Why the timing makes this a huge decision for T1
T1 is approaching its Home Ground event at Seoul’s KSPO Dome from August 14-16, adding another layer of importance to the roster question. The team needs to balance experimentation with the need to establish a lineup that can perform under pressure.
The next decision will therefore say a lot about how T1 views Painter. If Oner immediately returns, the organization may regard the debut as a valuable one-match evaluation. If Painter starts again, T1 will be signaling that the rookie has done enough to warrant a longer trial despite the 1-2 loss to HLE.
If the team continues rotating the two, the coaching staff will need to demonstrate that the competition is actually improving performance rather than creating the same type of instability T1 has experienced before.
For now, T1 is giving both junglers a chance to compete. The next few matches should show whether that approach strengthens the team or creates a more difficult situation around the starting spot.
Frequently asked questions about T1 Oner
Why did T1 bench Oner?
Tom said T1 had positive scrim results with Painter and wanted to evaluate him in an official match. He also highlighted Painter’s communication, shotcalling and ability to help establish the team’s direction.
What happened in Painter’s first LCK match?
Painter made his LCK debut against Hanwha Life Esports. T1 won the opening game but lost the series 1-2 after HLE won the next two games.
Is Oner permanently benched?
No. T1 has not announced a permanent replacement. Tom said the next decision will consider scrim results, Painter’s official-match performance and other factors.
Could Painter permanently replace Oner?
It is possible, but there is currently no confirmation that T1 intends to make Painter its permanent starting jungler. The coaching staff is still evaluating both players.
Could Oner join HLE?
There is no confirmed Oner-to-HLE move. Oner is under contract with T1 through 2028, so he cannot simply leave because he was benched for one match.
Why are fans comparing Oner’s situation with Gumayusi?
T1 previously created a highly publicized competition between Gumayusi and academy player Smash. Gumayusi eventually left T1 and joined HLE, making that history an obvious comparison when another established T1 starter is challenged by an academy player.
What happens if T1 keeps rotating Oner and Painter?
The competition could motivate both players, which is what Tom wants, but frequent lineup changes can also create instability. T1 will need to balance player development and competition with the consistency required to perform at the highest level.
T1’s next jungle decision could define the season
T1’s decision to bench Oner for Painter was already major news. Painter’s LCK debut ending in a 1-2 loss to HLE has made the next step even more important, because T1 now has to decide what it learned from the experiment and whether the rookie deserves another opportunity.
Oner’s position is not lost. He remains under contract through 2028, and there is no confirmed transfer story behind the memes linking him with HLE. But T1 has also made it clear that Painter is now a serious option rather than simply an academy prospect waiting for his chance.
The bigger question is whether T1 can turn that competition into an advantage. A stronger Oner pushed by a credible academy challenger could be exactly what the team needs. A successful Painter could give T1 another high-level option. But if the competition creates uncertainty, stress or repeated lineup disruption, T1 risks repeating problems it has already experienced.
That is why the next lineup announcement matters so much. The HLE series may have been Painter’s debut, but the decision that follows could tell us far more about where T1 is heading.
Follow RiftDaily’s latest news, esports coverage and LCK coverage for further developments around T1, Oner and Painter.
