Kim “HSK” Hae-seong will have big shoes to fill in Gen.G, replacing outgoing coaches Chris “Elmapuddy” Tebbit and Lee “bail” Sung-Jae.
SOUTH KOREA – Gen.G have announced that Kim “HSK” Hae-seong, formerly of DetonatioN FocusMe, will be taking over the coaching position of the team moving forward. The new coach will have big shoes to fill, replacing outgoing coaches Chris “Elmapuddy” Tebbit and Lee “bail” Sung-Jae as Gen.G begin their rebuilding phase.
The news follows a roller-coaster year for the Korean squad in 2023 after starting the season on a high note with four straight victories, only to be followed by five consecutive losses. Gen.G were on the verge of securing spots for Masters Tokyo and Champions LA, having ended up fourth in the League and clinching a third-place finish in the Last Chance Qualifier.
ALSO READ: ESL Clash of Nations 2023 announced with SEA and Thai Qualifiers
HSK arrives with little coaching experience but far more as a player in Counter-Strike. The 29-year-old was a household name in Asian CS, having represented high-caliber teams such as myRevenge, m0nster, GOSU, MVP Project, and MVP PK. One of his final tournaments before undertaking mandatory military service was ESL One Cologne 2019.
HSK’s name first appeared on the VALORANT radar when he was listed as the third coach for Crazy Raccoon, specifically for VALORANT Champions Berlin 2021. The subsequent season witnessed his shift back to the playing field for DetonatioN Gaming White. Yet, when the organization was accepted into the VCT Pacific League, it rebranded as DetonatioN FocusMe and retained him back for 2023 in a coaching capacity.
The 2023 VCT season was particularly tough for DetonatioN FocusMe, with the team failing to notch up even one win under HSK’s leadership. This streak extended to 13 losses if the results from the 2022 Riot Games ONE Pro Invitational are factored in. These outcomes were the poorest performance among the 30 teams that season in the VCT, with even KRU Esports achieving a turnaround in the LCQ.
With Gen.G, HSK now shoulders the responsibility of regaining public confidence especially after the downturn during his tenure at DetonatioN FocusMe.
Gen.G are currently:
- 🇰🇷 Kim “Meteor” Tae-O
- 🇰🇷 Kim “t3xture” Na-ra
- 🇰🇷 Kim “HSK” Hae-seong (Coach)
For more insights on the Asian VALORANT scene and upcoming content like this, be sure to like and follow VALO2ASIA on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Cover photo courtesy of DFM
