Nongshim RedForce has announced the departure of Lee ‘Dambi’ Hyuk-kyu from its Valorant roster ahead of the 2027 season.
Nongshim RedForce was not selected as a Partnered Team for the VCT 2027 and 2028 seasons despite its team being one of the most successful rosters in 2026. The Korean organization plans to continue competing in the Valorant space, despite missing out on Partner Status.
Nongshim RedForce says goodbye to Dambi after historic year
Nongshim RedForce posted the following on social media:
“Our journey with ‘Dambi’ has come to an end.
From our first steps on the Pacific stage to lifting the Masters trophy and battling through Champions, Dambi has been with us through it all.
Through every high and low, he always put the team first. We’ll never forget the memories we made together, the victories we celebrated, and the challenges we faced side by side.His incredible performances, selfless plays, and unwavering dedication have left a lasting mark on Nongshim RedForce. Thank you for everything, Dambi.
You’ll always be a part of our story, and we’ll be cheering you on wherever your journey takes you next.
The Nongshim RedForce VALORANT team has concluded its journey with player ‘Dambi’ Lee Hyuk-gyu.”
The announcement ends the long-term collaboration of Park ‘Ivy’ Sung-hyeon, Kim ‘Francis’ Mu-bin, and Dambi, who had been together since 2023, starting in Shadow Corporation, Sin Prisa Gaming, and finally Nongshim RedForce.
The trio’s collaboration earned the core Ascension twice, once as SPG in 2024, and once under the Nongshim brand in October 2025, leading to Nongshim’s historic 2026
Nongshim RedForce won VCT Pacific Kickoff 2026, before dominating Valorant Masters Santiago, going undefeated through both events and earning the team’s spot in Valorant history.
Dambi was the main star of the roster at that time, taking advantage of Neon’s place in the meta to deliver high-fragging and kinetic performances to break apart defences as the primary Duelist for the roster.
As the meta shifted, Nongshim’s dominance waned, finishing third at EWC, then second in Pacific Stage 2 before a 7th-8th place finish at Valorant Champions 2026.
Nevertheless, the roster remains a historic one with extreme dominance. Dambi is still widely regarded as the best Neon in the game and is potentially one of the biggest beneficiaries of Valorant’s new agent, Hush, featuring a similarly dynamic toolkit to Neon.
Can Dambi become a champion elsewhere? Share your thoughts with us on the Insider Gaming Discord.
Meanwhile, see how KRÜ Blaze won the Valorant Game Changers Championship 2026. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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