The South Korean esports organisation Nongshim RedForce has revealed the acquisition of South Korean competitor Lee ‘Scout‘ Ye-chan as their mid lane participant for the approaching 2026 LCK tournament.
Scout has committed to a one-year agreement with the squad and will participate alongside Syun ‘Calix’ Hyun-bin, who has decided to remain with Nongshim RedForce.
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The mid lane specialist is making a comeback to the LCK following an extensive nine-year period competing in the LPL, China’s prominent League of Legends series, representing EDward Gaming, LNG Esports, and JD Gaming.
With Scout’s official addition, Nongshim RedForce has finalised its list of competitors for 2026. Besides top laner Hwang ‘Kingen‘ Seong-hoo, support Son ‘Lehends‘ Si-woo, and Calix, all of whom have agreements concluding in 2026, the team has also acquired ADC player Kim ‘Taeyoon‘ Tae-yoon and jungler Bae ‘Sponge‘ Young-jun.
Scout Faces Pressure to Perform Following a Subpar 2025 Season
Throughout his career, Scout has frequently been acknowledged as one of the premier mid lane players originating from the LPL and globally. Having initially been cultivated within SKT Telecom T1 as a substitute for Lee ‘Faker‘ Sang-hyeok, Scout transitioned to the LPL in 2016 to join EDward Gaming, swiftly becoming a pivotal player for the team and securing multiple LPL championships throughout the years.
His most notable achievement occurred in 2021, when the team secured the Summoner’s Cup by triumphing over their South Korean rivals DAMWON Gaming at the world championship. Having spent a significant amount of time competing in the league, Scout attained LPL local residency status and was frequently regarded as one of the most accomplished mid lane participants throughout his professional journey.
However, Scout’s effectiveness has diminished considerably in the recent year. Following his tenure with LNG Esports, where he consistently carried the team throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Scout, along with his new squad JD Gaming, was unsuccessful in qualifying for Worlds this year. This occurred in spite of having an apparently formidable roster, which featured South Korean teammate Kim ‘Peyz’ Su-hwan, who is currently T1’s newly appointed ADC.
Scout will aim to make a strong impression with Nongshim RedForce this season, on a team projected as a playoff contender. He and the rest of the squad will likely make their first appearance on December 6th, when the 2025 KeSPA Cup commences.
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