The former Gen.G and Top Esports member Yeom “eKo” Wang-ryong comes in to round out the NOEZ FOXX roster for VALORANT Challengers Japan Split 2.
SOUTH KOREA – Yeom “eKo” Wang-ryong has made his way back to the Japanese circuit, joining the ranks of NOEZ FOXX.
The former Gen.G and Top Esports player is taking over the spot previously held by substitute “Kaiy“, who was absent from the VALORANT Challengers Japan Split 1 Open Qualifier, with coach Hisao “SylFy” Yone instead filling in.
Making a comeback to the Japanese circuit, eKo links up with NOEZ FOXX fresh off his stint with Top Esports (TES). In the short time spent within the Chinese circuit, he found his way to the main event of Evolution Series Act III, finishing as a quarter-finalist.
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However, the bulk of his competitive journey in 2023 saw him donning the Gen.G colors in the tier-one VCT Pacific circuit on home soil in South Korea. Their playoff finish placed them in fourth position, trailing behind domestic competitors DRX and T1, as well as eventual champions Paper Rex.
For eKo, the move to Japan with NOEZ FOXX is not entirely new, as he previously played with a Japanese team under the REIGNITE banner throughout the 2022 Challengers Japan season, alongside current DRX member Jung “Foxy9” Jae-sung. In his current venture with NOEZ FOXX, he will be accompanied by Korean player Jeong “TENSAI” Seung-jin, who previously played for FAV Gaming and FENNEL during the first year of the game.
The Initiator player has been a sort of journeyman up to this point, hopping between various East Asian teams over the past three years. His CV includes entries such as No Mercy, Quantum Strikers, TNL Esports, REIGNITE, On Sla2ers, Gen.G, and Top Esports.
By bringing in eKo, NOEZ FOXX will be hoping to find the extra firepower needed to secure a spot in the main event of Challengers Japan. Their previous attempt in Split 1 fell short, losing the qualification match to the Japanese-Korean combine NORTHEPTION twice, both instances ending with a 2-0 scoreline.
With the addition of eKo, NOEZ FOXX are now:
- 🇯🇵 Hideki “Fisker” Sasaki
- 🇯🇵 Akira “Marin” Kato
- 🇯🇵 Ryo “barce” Takebayashi
- 🇰🇷 Jeong “TENSAI” Seung-jin
- 🇰🇷 Yeom “eKo” Wang-ryong
- 🇯🇵 Hisao “SylFy” Yone (Coach)
- 🇯🇵 “2zzy” (Coach)
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Cover photo courtesy of Lance Skundrich/Riot Games
