For DRX DRX Korea Rank #7 Flashback Cho Min-hyuk (조민혁) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) Athan Na Ha-jun (나하준) freeing No Ha-jun (노하준) HYUNMIN Song Hyun-min (송현민) , 2022 hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows as they were expecting.

Despite their continued domination over Korea, their results regionally haven't exactly translated to international success. Now it's their final showing of their year, and DRX hopes to turn the tide.

“My expectations for Champions is obviously taking home the title. But knowing this is the biggest tournament of the year, I know it will be extremely difficult,” said Zest.

DRX loss to FPX Heartbreak on the DRX players' faces. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

The Korean organization's year began under the Vision Strikers Vision Strikers Inactive stax Kim Gu-taek (김구택) Rb Goo Sang-min (구상민) Zest Kim Ki-seok (김기석) BuZz Yu Byung-chul (유병철) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) name, with their longtime member k1Ng transferring to Incheon On Sla2ers Incheon On Sla2ers Korea Rank #29 VaNish XirZz on loan in December. Shortly into the year, VS was acquired by the LCK-giant to rebrand under the name DRX VS. Just days after, they announced they were benching their most recent signing, Lakia . Soon to follow was the return of Zest , who had been placed on medical leave since Stage 3, and returned to the active roster as the new IGL over stax .

DRX DRX Korea Rank #7 Flashback Cho Min-hyuk (조민혁) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) Athan Na Ha-jun (나하준) freeing No Ha-jun (노하준) HYUNMIN Song Hyun-min (송현민) came into 2022 continuing their status as the kings of Korea; the titans of Asia. It was up to them to continue that reputation. The team qualified for Reykjavik with a clean sweep, dropping only one series, to their newest competition of Incheon On Sla2ers Incheon On Sla2ers Korea Rank #29 VaNish XirZz in the group stage, along the way.

A sweep through the group stage against ZETA DIVISION ZETA DIVISION Japan Rank #2 Dep Yuma Hashimoto SugarZ3ro Shota Watanabe CLZ Hikaru Mizutani SyouTa Shota Aoki Xdll Yuto Mizomori and Ninjas In Pyjamas Ninjas In Pyjamas Inactive gave the team more hype more than ever before, continuing with a win over continental rival Paper Rex Paper Rex Asia-Pacific Rank #1 mindfreak Aaron Leonhart Jinggg Wang Jing Jie f0rsakeN Jason Susanto d4v41 Khalish Rusyaidee something Ilya Petrov and a tough loss against OpTic Gaming OpTic Gaming Inactive in addition to a historic rematch against ZETA to finish out in sixth place.

DRX followed suit in Stage 2 to once again make the international stage, repeating their process of group stage domination against NORTHEPTION and FPX to make the playoffs once more. Yet, the team seemed to look shakier in their performances, defined by a close game against LEVIATÁN LEVIATÁN Latin America South Rank #1 Demon1 Max Mazanov tex Ian Botsch kiNgg Francisco Aravena aspas Erick Santos C0M Corbin Lee to earn a rematch against OpTic.

That rematch was no different from Reykjavik, with a tough loss sending DRX to the lower bracket. From there they faced a full-force FPX with SUYGETSU , unlike in their matchup before. That was their first ever 0-2 loss internationally.

A repeat top-six exit was a disappointment to fans and the players alike. But DRX come into Istanbul with a hope of going even further.

DRX on Champions stage The golden lights aren't too unfamiliar to the DRX players. (Photo by Michal Konkol/Riot Games)

“I wouldn't say we were holding back at the previous Masters. But I will say no one is happy about our results,” said stax when asked about the team's 2022 results. “My focus is on Champions because it's the most important stage of the season.”

“Right now, I'm not looking for revenge. I just want to go out there and defeat everyone.”

Since their losses in Reykjavik and Copenhagen, the players have been hard at work to refine themselves to the fullest heading into Champions.

“[After Copenhagen], I focused on limiting my mistakes and making calculated plays,” said Zest. “I can't promise that our experience is enough to take home the championship, but I know for a fact that it's making us stronger. We will leave this tournament a better team either way.”

“I respect our players for their work ethic," said termi . “I believe that's part of my job: to bring the thirst for success out of these players. While we do practice a lot, I still think there is a lot more that can be done.”

But DRX has a bounty on their back. For the longest time, they've been acclaimed as the meta definers, or the trend setters of the VCT. The undefeated in their opening matches. And that's come at a heavy cost.

For them, every team is out for blood. In Champions last year, they had to face some of North America and EMEA's best in their group, resulting in their first ever exit in groups. This year, they face the same look from the Champions prior, with an EMEA and NA seed in their group.

DRX posing The team, ready to hit the stage in the fight for the throne. (Photo by Sebastian Stigsby/Riot Games)

“I don't think our group is easy at all, but at the same time I don't think we will be knocked out in the group stage," said termi.

However, the differences from last year's Champions to the present are drastic. An entirely new meta is up ahead, alongside the addition of Pearl in place of Split in the map pool, the latter being a historic best of DRX. Not just in the game itself are there changes, but the players have developed too. Event after event, the team has learned more about themselves and the style that defines them.

“I personally think something more important than following the [Western] meta is catering to our team identity. Maps play a big part of a team's composition and I would say regions have their own style,” says Zest. “I personally think Pearl is a really fun map. It could be a weak link for some teams or it could be a hidden card for others. I don't think teams will be picking Pearl out of curiosity though on this stage.”

At long last, DRX DRX Korea Rank #7 Flashback Cho Min-hyuk (조민혁) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) Athan Na Ha-jun (나하준) freeing No Ha-jun (노하준) HYUNMIN Song Hyun-min (송현민) hopes to break their curse of early exits, a situation faced time and time again. A contributor to this was the aspect of mentality faced by the young team, where they have frequently been forced to react to situations outside of their game plan.

“I don't believe that our disappointing results are due to mentality only, but it is true that our players could do better in that aspect. But I believe this is part of their growth and we are definitely a better team than what we showed in Copenhagen,” said termi. “This is something that can 100% be improved with time. Our players were the youngest team in the previous Masters and Champions and this is why I believe their future is brilliantly bright. Even now, they are showing respectable results and I believe they are about to enter their peak relatively soon.”

DRX next to ZETA, BOOM, EDG DRX's Asian partners may soon become their greatest rivals. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

An era of Asian dominance has been placed into jeopardy. DRX has been forced to witness their continental competition pick a fight against the world's best when they couldn't in every international event. It began with their region, the likes of NUTURN NUTURN Inactive ; soon shaped into names such as Paper Rex Paper Rex Asia-Pacific Rank #1 mindfreak Aaron Leonhart Jinggg Wang Jing Jie f0rsakeN Jason Susanto d4v41 Khalish Rusyaidee something Ilya Petrov and ZETA DIVISION ZETA DIVISION Japan Rank #2 Dep Yuma Hashimoto SugarZ3ro Shota Watanabe CLZ Hikaru Mizutani SyouTa Shota Aoki Xdll Yuto Mizomori . Now, the Korean titans have another chance to prove that they are on the top of the throne.

And DRX does not want to let the world down once again.

“I can't say [exactly], but I won't allow any teams from Asia to hoist the trophy before I do,” said stax.

“You guys always cheer for us even through the late and early hours of the night, and I'm tired of showing you guys our failures. I will give it my all to give you guys a better performance this time around.”