Dplus KIA released behind-the-scenes documentary footage from their 2025 LCK season that exposed severe internal conflicts within the championship-winning organization. The team-produced content shows jungler Lucid speaking disrespectfully to franchise star ShowMaker, rookie top laner Siwoo refusing to use voice communication during scrims, and veteran support BeryL harshly confronting teammates.
The footage distributed through DK’s channels includes multiple scenes that have sparked immediate controversy in the League of Legends‘ community. Lucid is shown addressing ShowMaker with language Korean viewers consider offensive. A separate DK video clip from approximately three months earlier resurfaced showing Lucid calling ShowMaker “새끼” (saekki), a Korean slang term roughly equivalent to “bastard.”
The language carries extra weight in Korean esports culture. ShowMaker is a 2020 World Champion and multiple-time Worlds finalist who commands respect as DK’s centerpiece player. Lucid, a younger jungler, using such informal and crude speech toward a senior star violates professional norms in Korea’s hierarchy-conscious culture.
The documentary also captures rookie Siwoo going completely silent during practice sessions. Instead of speaking in voice comms, footage shows him typing messages in the in-game chat while his teammates talk around him. The 17-year-old top laner appears withdrawn and isolated during critical moments of the season.
BeryL, a two-time World Champion who won titles with both DAMWON Gaming in 2020 and DRX in 2022, is filmed forcefully criticizing teammates about mistakes and decision-making. The veteran support’s tone comes across as abrasive rather than constructive in the edited footage.
ADC Aiming appears as one of the more vocal players attempting to guide the team through the dysfunction. However, scenes suggest his input often went unheard or ignored, adding to mounting frustration within the roster.
Head coach Bengi, a legendary player from SKT T1‘s dynasty years, faces heavy criticism for failing to assert control or mediate player disputes. The footage shows a leadership vacuum as results deteriorated through the season’s later stages. Coach cvMax joined the staff as problems escalated, but the documentary shows no meaningful turnaround.
The team had announced that Khan, another former world champion, would advise the top lane group. Despite this support structure, the documentary depicts Siwoo continuing to struggle with confidence and integration into the veteran-heavy roster.
DK’s competitive performance declined notably during Stage 3 of the 2025 LCK season, roughly equivalent to the Summer split. The documentary positions this period as when communication broke down most severely and Lucid’s composure eroded under pressure.
The organization formerly competed as DAMWON Gaming before rebranding to Dplus KIA. The franchise remains one of League of Legends‘ most successful, having won the 2020 World Championship and maintained status as an LCK flagship brand.
Why teams keep releasing these trainwrecks
Team-produced documentaries exposing internal dysfunction have become a controversial trend in esports. Team Liquid‘s “Breaking Point” series in 2016 became infamous for showing chemistry issues that ultimately led to roster changes. Earlier in 2025, T1’s Valorant documentary drew heavy criticism for depicting teammates targeting a specific player.
DK’s footage is heavily edited by the organization itself, which makes the decision to publish such raw conflict more striking. The team accepted the risks of public scrutiny to provide what appears intended as transparent behind-the-scenes content. Korean fans and international viewers now question whether any disciplinary action was taken and what support systems existed for the struggling rookie amid the pressure.
