Dplus KIA Team

Dplus KIA (formerly known as DWG KIA or DAMWON Gaming) is one of the most successful and prominent esports teams, especially known for their achievements in League of Legends (LoL). The team’s history is filled with accomplishments and a remarkable rise that quickly transformed them from newcomers to world champions.

Creation History

The team DAMWON Gaming was founded in 2017, making it relatively young compared to many other Korean esports organizations. In its early years, DAMWON was a little-known team fighting for a spot in the spotlight within the Korean LCK league. However, from the start, the organization was ambitious and aimed to build a strong team.

In 2018, DAMWON qualified for the LCK, the elite Korean esports league. Over the next few years, the team gradually gained strength by finding talented players and developing a cohesive team dynamic. The breakthrough came in 2020 when the team rebranded to DWG KIA after the automotive giant KIA Motors became their title sponsor.

First Roster

The first notable DAMWON roster that started gaining popularity was built around young talents such as:

• Top: Nuguri
• Jungle: Canyon
• Mid: ShowMaker
• ADC: Nuclear
• Support: BeryL

This lineup became the foundation of DAMWON’s early successes. Players like Nuguri, Canyon, and ShowMaker quickly rose to stardom in both Korean and international LoL. Their gameplay was characterized by aggression and high individual skill, which allowed them to rapidly climb to the top.

Best Moments

The team’s biggest achievement came in 2020. That year, DWG KIA won the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2020), becoming the second Korean team after SK Telecom T1 to bring the world championship title back to Korea. In the finals, they dominated the Chinese team Suning with a 3-1 victory, showcasing incredibly consistent and aggressive play.

Key players in this success were Canyon and ShowMaker, who not only displayed individual brilliance but also worked seamlessly with the team, setting the pace of the game. Canyon was recognized as one of the best junglers in the world, while ShowMaker was hailed as one of the strongest mid laners.

In addition to their world championship victory, DWG KIA also won LCK Spring 2021 and LCK Summer 2021, demonstrating dominance on the Korean scene. The team also reached the finals of the MSI 2021 (Mid-Season Invitational), finishing second after losing to China’s RNG.

Rebranding and Continued Success

In 2022, DAMWON Gaming rebranded again, becoming Dplus KIA. This was not just a new phase in terms of sponsorship and branding, but also a period of roster updates. In 2022, Nuguri left the team, and Dplus KIA continued to develop new talent while maintaining a high level of performance.

Although the team did not replicate the success of 2020 in 2022 and 2023, they remained one of the top teams in the Korean league and a regular participant in major international tournaments. ShowMaker and Canyon continued to be the core of the team, showcasing outstanding play.

Dplus KIA is a story of rapid rise and success, achieved through the talent of young players and smart team management. Their victory at the 2020 World Championship solidified their status as one of the strongest teams in the world, and the support from KIA Motors added further seriousness to their ambitions. Today, Dplus KIA remains a major force in both the Korean and global esports scenes, and despite facing challenges, the team has already made a significant mark in esports history.