Masters Santiago MVP Dambi leaves Nongshim RedForce as free agent

Nongshim RedForce confirmed on 3 November that Lee “Dambi” Hyuk-gyu has left its VALORANT roster. The 20-year-old, named MVP of the team’s Masters Santiago title run, enters free agency with no new team reported.

The organisation marked his departure with a 15-minute farewell video titled “Thank you, Dambi”. In its description, Nongshim traced his journey from the team’s first steps on the Pacific stage through its Masters triumph and Champions campaign, saying he “always put the team first”.

From Ascension to a Masters title

Dambi joined Sin Prisa Gaming in December 2023 after playing in Korean tier-two VALORANT with Our Growth Story and Gwangju Shadow. Sin Prisa won VALORANT Challengers Korea Split 2 in July 2024 and VCT Ascension Pacific that September, before Nongshim RedForce acquired its league place in November.

Nongshim’s first year in VCT Pacific proved difficult. The team was sent back to Ascension Pacific in 2025 and had to earn its place in the league again.

Its fortunes changed in 2026. Nongshim won VCT Pacific Kickoff in February to qualify for Masters Santiago as the region’s first seed, then went unbeaten in Chile, dropping just one map before beating Paper Rex 3-0 in the grand final on 15 March. Dambi, who played Neon in the overwhelming majority of his rounds, was named tournament MVP. Nongshim became the first team from the Ascension pathway to win an international VCT event.

Later in the season, Nongshim finished third at the Esports World Cup and reached the Pacific Stage 2 grand final, where Global Esports came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. The team’s Valorant Champions campaign ended in seventh-to-eighth place.

Departure follows partnership decision

Dambi’s exit comes after Nongshim was left out of VCT Pacific’s partnership programme for 2027-28. Founder and CEO Evans Oh has said the organisation will remain in VALORANT in 2027 while refining its roster and competitive goals.

According to Riot’s VCT global contract database, every Nongshim player contract was set to expire on 2 November, at the end of the 2026 season. Head coach SilKanoN was the only staff member signed through 2027, while coach Sungmin had already announced his departure.

Dambi said in October that Nongshim had permitted him to explore his options while talks continued. With his departure now confirmed, he is available to join another side, while Nongshim faces a roster rebuild ahead of VCT Pacific 2027.