Team Secret part ways with TenTen
TenTen departs after Team Secret’s winless 11th-12th place finish at VCT Pacific Kickoff.
PHILIPPINES – Team Secret have officially parted ways with Kim "TenTen" Tae-young, bringing an end to the South Korean Duelist’s short stint with the organization just three months after his arrival. The team have yet to confirm who will fill the vacant spot, though an announcement is expected soon with VCT Pacific Stage 1 set to begin in just a week.
TenTen was only announced as Team Secret’s newest signing in December, joining the roster alongside Rizkie "BerserX" Adla Kusuma and Jose "Rbtx" Jamir as part of the team’s rebuilding efforts heading into the 2026 season.
Expectations were there for the lineup to show signs of promise in Kickoff, but Team Secret’s campaign quickly unraveled as they failed to pick up a single series win. Losses to Nongshim RedForce 0-2, DetonatioN FocusMe 0-2, and ZETA DIVISION 1-2 saw the team bow out in 11th-12th place.
TenTen’s individual numbers also reflected the team’s struggles. Across 133 rounds played at Kickoff, he posted a 0.79 VLR rating and 171 ACS, placing him among the lowest-performing players in the entire event. One of the players ranked below him statistically was his own teammate, Ko "Sylvan" Young-sub, showing how difficult the event was for Team Secret as a whole.
Before joining Team Secret, TenTen was viewed as a player with notable upside. He first caught attention during his time with T1 Academy, where he enjoyed a strong run in the Korean tier-two scene and earned the Challengers Korea Stage 1 MVP award. That performance helped establish him as an intriguing prospect in the region. He later made his VCT Pacific debut with ZETA DIVISION during Stage 2 last year, though his first taste of top-level regional competition did not quite match the promise he had shown earlier in academy play.
"Actually, before I entered T1, I experienced sentinel in tryout, and I think sentinel is the right role for me. I wanted to be sentinel all the time, but I only had duelist opportunities in T1, ZETA, and TS, so I asked TS to change my position after kick-off, but there was no room to play sentinel, so I came out of the team. And I joined my dream Tier 1 and many fans cheered for me, but I just feel sorry for the fans that I couldn't repay them. It was so much fun to meet everyone on TS, and the process of practicing with you guys was such a meaningful and precious time. However, there were a lot of scenes where I played separately because I couldn't communicate well with the team, and I felt really sorry for the team that I couldn't play with the team smoothly. All the players are working hard to win in one place, so I hope you don't blame the TS family! Among the teams I've experienced, they are precious families who are working hard to win. It was a lot of fun to spend time with my family, and I sincerely hope you guys will be filled with only good things on you guys journey to start anew."
Now facing a crucial stretch of the season, Team Secret will be hoping this roster change can help reset the team after a disappointing start to the year.
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