Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong opened up about severe mental health struggles during his final livestream as a T1 player. The star bot laner revealed he attended counseling sessions multiple times throughout 2025 and experienced the lowest confidence of his career.
“This was a long and hard year,” Gumayusi told viewers. “I went to counseling multiple times for mental health. My confidence dropped the most and it was the first time I doubted myself.”
The admission is striking given Gumayusi just completed back-to-back World Championship victories with T1 in 2023 and 2024. He framed 2025 as “a year about proving myself” despite already sitting atop the League of Legends competitive scene.
Gumayusi was benched for portions of the 2025 season. He received limited scrim time while T1 experimented with roster changes. The period created uncertainty around his role on a team he had just won everything with. “I really wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come,” he said during the stream.
Gumayusi’s farewell marks the end of T1’s famed ZOFGK roster that dominated international competition. Gumayusi joined T1’s main roster in late 2020 and quickly became known as one of the best AD carries in the world.
He now joins Hanwha Life Esports for the 2026 season. The move reunites him with former T1 teammate Choi “Zeus” Woo-je on what’s expected to be one of the LCK’s most competitive rosters. HLE also features star jungler Kanavi and mid laner Zeka.
Gumayusi clarified in an earlier Instagram livestream that he didn’t transfer because of criticism. He emphasized the decision was his own choice for a fresh start.
A new chapter for Gumayusi
His openness about seeking professional mental health support is relatively rare among top Korean players. The discussion comes as esports organizations gradually recognize the mental toll of year-round competition, constant social media scrutiny, and performance pressure.
T1 players operate under intense expectations where anything short of a World Championship is considered failure. The organization’s massive fanbase and media attention create additional pressure that extends beyond normal competitive stress.
