Coach Chou "Steak" Lu-Hsi has reached a verbal agreement with Karmine Corp to join the LoL EMEA Championship (LEC) as the team's assistant coach, according to Sheep Esports sources.

With this move, he is set to be re-united with jungler Zhou "Bo" Yang-Bo, whom he mentored in FunPlus Phoenix during spring of 2021. Together, the team was famously known for going undefeated in the LPL prior to Bo being suspended from the league.

Current KCorp LEC 2024 Roster

Top Lane: Lucas "Cabochard" Simon-Meslet*
Jungle: Zhou "Bo" Yang-Bo
Mid Lane: Lucas "Saken" Fayard*
AD Carry: Elias "Upset" Lipp
Support: Raphaël "Targamas" Crabbé
*: Deal is currently incomplete.

Head Coach: Jakob "YamatoCannon" Mebdi
Assistant Coach: Chou "Steak" Lu-Hsi

Joining the LEC

After a year-long hiatus, the former renowned Taiwanese top laner and coach is poised to re-enter the competitive scene by joining Karmine Corp in the LEC, assisting the team in its inaugural year. The coach gained widespread recognition for numerous Worlds appearances, both as a player and coach. Most recently, Steak coached FPX in the LPL, remaining with the team until the end of 2022. Under his guidance, the team achieved notable success by reaching the Worlds and ending as runner-ups in the LPL during 2021.

This move is expected to fortify Karmine Corp's coaching framework, facilitating the integration of Chinese import Zhou "Bo" Yang-Bo into its roster. In 2023, Bo was widely recognized as one of the league's most promising prospects, having impressed many with stellar ladder performances and an undefeated run in the LPL under the guidance of coach Steak. Unfortunately, the player would struggle to properly adapt to the LEC during his rookie year in the league.

Despite facing challenges with Vitality in the previous year, Bo now aims to strike back with Karmine Corp. With this move, the organization is demonstrating its commitment to supporting Bo's success by investing in the necessary groundwork to ensure a seamless integration with the team's European talents. With the addition of the experienced coach, Karmine Corp aims to elevate Bo back to his previous heights achieved in the LPL.

Teaming up with Jakob "YamatoCannon" Mebdi, Steak will aspire to bring stability to what is perceived as a somewhat unpredictable roster as they enter the 2024 season.