T1 have announced that head coach Kim "kkOma" Jeong-gyun will take a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, effective from the start of the 2026 LCK Regular Season.
In a statement, T1 explained that kkOma expressed his intention to step away prior to the season, and the organization decided to respect his wishes after careful discussions. Coach Im "Tom" Jae-hyeon will serve as interim head coach, as LCK regulations require a head coach to be present on-site during matches.
The transition on stage may be less jarring than it sounds: Tom was already the coach stepping on stage to handle drafts with the players, while kkOma operated from backstage. Tom has also been in this position before — in 2023, he replaced Bae "Bengi" Seong-woong as head coach mid-season after Spring and went on to lead T1 to the Worlds title. No timeline was given for kkOma's return.
