South Korean esports organization DRX has officially rebranded to KIWOOM DRX, abbreviated to KRX, marking the latest evolution in the team’s long history of name changes. The rebrand appears tied to Kiwoom, with the new name styled as KIWOON DRX (KRX).
DRX is one of Korea’s most recognized esports brands. The organization won the 2022 League of Legends World Championship and fields one of the strongest VALORANT rosters in the VCT Pacific league.
The name change follows a common pattern in Korean sports, where major sponsors integrate directly into team identities. Similar arrangements exist across Korean baseball and traditional sports leagues, where corporate backing gets prominent placement in official team names.
But the KRX abbreviation comes with baggage. The acronym is already widely used to refer to the Korea Exchange, South Korea’s stock market operator. Fans have pointed out the awkward overlap, joking about the team becoming the “Korean stock exchange team.”
There’s another problem. “KR” serves as standard shorthand for the Korea region in esports contexts. The new name risks reading as “Korea X” rather than standing out as a distinct team brand.
A long road of rebrands
The organization has cycled through multiple identities. In VALORANT, the roster started as Vision Strikers before becoming DRX. Before that, the League of Legends team operated as Kingzone DragonX, then DragonX, and now lands on KRX.
Each change chips away at brand recognition built over years of competitive success. DRX carried weight as a three-letter tag that fans, casters, and sponsors knew instantly.
