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Sources: South Korea appoints VALORANT roster for the Esports Nations Cup

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Brandon Lee
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According to sources close to Sheep EsportsSouth Korea has selected its roster for the Esports Nations Cup. With several players coming off an international title earlier this year under Korean organization Nongshim RedForce, the lineup immediately stands out as one of the strongest on paper. That core is complemented by experienced names who have also lifted major trophies in recent seasons, giving Korea a roster shaped by both current form and proven international pedigree.
  • Yu “BuZz” Byeong-cheol
  • Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom
  • Ham “week” Woo-ju
  • Park “Ivy” Sung-hyeon
  • Kim “Francis“Let’s go
  • Lee “crime” Hyuk-kyu (Sub)

A roster built for a deep run

Looking closely at the names included in this roster, Korea appears to have no shortage of talent or versatility. From its offensive options to its defensive structure, the team has several players capable of adapting to different roles and match situations. If the roster manages to build strong in-game cohesion quickly, Korea could position itself among the leading contenders for the competition. Once again, the country will have an opportunity to make its mark in VALUINGthis time not through one of its league teams, but directly as a national representative.
Sources: South Korea appoints VALORANT roster for the Esports Nations Cup

Nongshim Redforce celebrating their Masters Santiago Title. Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

The roster also brings together players with significant international achievements. BuZz and iZu were part of T1’s Masters Bangkok-winning lineup in 2025, while Munchkin lifted the Masters Shanghai trophy with Gen.G in 2024. More recently, Ivy, Francis, and Dambi won Masters Santiago 2026 with Nongshim RedForce, giving this Korean squad a rare concentration of players who have already succeeded at the highest level of international VALUING.

Points earned by the Korean roster

As a reminder, 16 teams will receive a direct invitation to the main event for the tournament. Whether a team will be invited directly to the competition depends on the number of points it has, which is determined by its players’ performance: each nation’s standing is determined by the combined points of its five highest-scoring players. Korea currently sits at 9,025 points, distributed as follows:

  • Yu “BuZz” Byeong-cheol (1300 points)
  • Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom (800 points — not included)
  • Kim “Francis” Mu-bin (2250 points)
  • Ham “week” Woo-ju (975 points)
  • Park “Ivy” Sung-hyeon (2250 points)
  • Lee “crime” Hyuk-kyu (2250 points)
According to Liquipedia‘s calculationsKorea and its many international title winners currently sit second in the overall rankings, behind the United States. As a result, the country will be skipping the qualifiers and has already secured its place at the event in Saudi Arabia, which begins on November 11.

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