T1 announces massive changes: Meteor, Munchkin, and the coaching staff leave the team

Esports organization T1 has officially announced the termination of their partnerships with VALORANT roster players Kim "Meteor" Tae-o, Byeon "Munchkin" Sang-beom, and Kang "DH" Dong-ho, as well as head coach Kim "KDG" Dong-geon and assistant coach Lee "CheongGak" Il-ho.

Meteor is leaving the team due to the expiration of his contract, although the organization had previously allowed him to explore other offers. He was the most experienced among the departing players. The player joined T1 after a successful 2024 season with Gen.G and played a key role in the team's victory at Masters Bangkok 2025, where he was named the tournament MVP. Ahead of the 2026 season, Munchkin also joined T1, initially taking on the in-game leader (IGL) role on the Controller position, but team roles underwent changes throughout the year.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 '𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗼𝗿'

Having lifted the Masters Bangkok trophy together, we part ways with 'Meteor' as our contract comes to an end.

It was an absolute honor to walk alongside one of the finest players in Pacific, sharing the ambition to conquer both the region and… pic.twitter.com/9gxlsfa9b4

— T1 VALORANT (@T1) November 2, 2026

DH was promoted to the main roster from T1 Academy for a short period in 2026. He played four group stage matches, primarily on the Controller and Cypher positions. He was later replaced by stax, who returned to IGL duties, while Munchkin shifted to a secondary caller role.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 '𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗸𝗶𝗻'

A chapter closes as T1 VALORANT parts ways with 'Munchkin'.

Leaving everything on the server with fierce grit, he helped write franchise history by leading us to our first-ever Champions Playoffs. We extend our deepest gratitude for his… pic.twitter.com/R9veD6rf1b

— T1 VALORANT (@T1) November 2, 2026

The coaching staff has also undergone a complete overhaul. Head coach KDG, a former Overwatch and T1A mentor, is leaving the position he took over last offseason after Autumn's move to EDward Gaming. Assistant coach CheongGak, who had a long history of working with T1 in 2023 and 2024, is also departing from the team. He had returned to T1 after a brief stint at Wolves Esports specifically to help form an all-Korean roster.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 '𝗞𝗗𝗚'

T1 VALORANT bids farewell to Head Coach 'KDG'.

His relentless pursuit of victory, coupled with boundless guidance and belief in our players, was the driving force behind reaching our first Champions Playoffs in franchise history.

We express our… pic.twitter.com/Qn4I8xKk6e

— T1 VALORANT (@T1) November 2, 2026

Despite significant roster changes, T1 enters the offseason with a solid foundation. The presence of stax as the IGL (who can flex to the Controller and Initiator positions), main duelist BuZz, and versatile player iZu removes any restrictions on signing new esports athletes and selecting their roles. However, the key challenge for the organization will be finding its third head coach in the last three years—a step that could be decisive in the fight for their first Pacific championship title.

Currently, the active T1 roster looks as follows:

• Kim "stax" Gu-taek
• Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul
• Ham "iZu" Woo-joo
• Shin "Norman" Jun-ho (manager)

As a reminder: Stealth Classic Thief: The Dark Project Returns with a Remaster Featuring New Content