TSM add longtime inactive player to LCS roster ahead of Summer split
Paul de Leon/Riot GamesTSM have picked up Kim ‘Fenix’ Jae-hun for the LCS Summer 2023 split, according to the global contract database.
A May 18 update to the contract database saw several additions to TSM’s roster, including 27-year-old Korean mid laner Fenix, who has been inactive since 2020.
He is one of the three new pickups for TSM’s roster, along with Lee ‘Ruby’ Sol-min, a Korean mid laner who joins from Team Heretics, and head coach Seong ‘Reven’ Sang-hyeon, formerly of Cloud9 Challengers.
Ruby has penned a deal with TSM until November 2024, while Fenix has signed a short-term contract until July 31. It is unclear what TSM’s plans for Fenix are, but many believe that this means he will fill in for Ruby at the beginning of the Summer split.
Michal Konkol/Riot GamesTSM are currently in the process of rebuilding their roster after a seventh-placed finish in the Spring split, parting ways with AD Carry Toàn ‘Neo’ Trần, top laner Colin ‘Solo’ Earnest and mid laner Huang ‘Maple’ Yi-tang.
There have also been several changes to TSM’s backroom staff, with head coach Wong ‘Chawy’ Lei, League of Legends General Manager Yang ‘Glen’ Po-Jen and team manager Chien-Yu ‘Kristine’ Huang all departing the organization.
TSM is one of the seven LCS organizations that are leaving the NA Challengers League ahead of the Summer Split after Riot Games announced that academy teams would be optional moving forward. The fact that they no longer have an Academy team means they don’t have a mid laner to move up to the LCS roster in the interim.
Who is Fenix?
Fenix began his career as a top laner, playing in Champions Korea (which eventually became the LCK), between 2013 and 2014.
In 2015, he moved to North America, where he would play for a number of LCS teams as a mid laner. Between 2015 and 2020, he represented Team Liquid, Echo Fox and Dignitas. During his final year, he also played for Dignitas Academy as both a mid laner and AD Carry.
Viper’s last competitive match on record dates back to August 15, 2020, in a 3-0 loss to TSM in the LCS 2020 Summer Playoffs. Three months later, he was released by Dignitas along with top laner Omran ‘V1per’ Shoura.
TSM have not made any announcements about their plans for LCS Summer 2023. They will take on Team Liquid in their first match of the split, scheduled for June 1.