1. Career
Doinb's professional career spans several prominent teams in the LPL, marked by significant achievements and a distinct playstyle that influenced the competitive landscape.
1.1. Early Career and Beginnings
Before officially starting his professional career, Doinb was active as a streamer and Broadcast Jockey (BJ) on AfreecaTV. He began his professional journey in March 2015, joining the LSPL (League of Legends Secondary Pro League) team, Qiao Gu Reapers. In the Demacia Cup that year, Qiao Gu Reapers, despite being an LSPL team, achieved a third-place finish. Doinb secured his first championship title by winning the 2015 Spring LSPL finals, which qualified his team for the LPL. In their inaugural LPL season, the Qiao Gu Reapers defeated Invictus Gaming in the semifinals of the 2015 LPL Summer Split but ultimately finished as runner-up after losing to LGD Gaming in the finals.
In the 2016 LPL Spring playoffs, Doinb and his team were defeated by Team WE in the third-place decider match, resulting in a fourth-place overall finish. In May 2016, Qiao Gu Reapers rebranded to Newbee. Doinb was transferred to Newbee Young, Newbee's academy team in the LSPL, following a conflict with the team's jungler, Swift. Newbee Young went on to defeat Young Miracles 3-2 in the 2016 LSPL Summer finals, earning Doinb his second LSPL title and qualifying the team for the LPL. Newbee Young subsequently rebranded back to QG Reapers due to LPL rules.
1.2. JD Gaming and Rogue Warriors
In the 2017 LPL Spring regular season, the QG Reapers placed third. However, they were eliminated by I May with a 2-3 loss in the first round of playoffs. In April 2017, Doinb received the MVP award for the 2017 LPL Spring season. Before the summer season, QG Reapers was acquired by JD Gaming, and Doinb remained on the roster. JD Gaming placed 9th-12th in the Demacia Cup after losing to LGD in their first game. They failed to qualify for the 2017 LPL Summer playoffs, finishing with a 6-11 record. In the 2017 National Electronic Sports Tournament finals, JD Gaming finished as runner-up after losing to Invictus Gaming. In December 2017, Doinb joined Rogue Warriors. Rogue Warriors subsequently lost to Invictus Gaming 1-2 in the 2017 Demacia Championship.
In 2018, Doinb and his team, Rogue Warriors, along with Royal Never Give Up, Edward Gaming, and Invictus Gaming, won the Rift Rivals championship for the LPL region. In December 2018, Doinb made a significant move to FunPlus Phoenix.
1.3. FunPlus Phoenix Era
Doinb's tenure with FunPlus Phoenix marked the most successful period of his career, culminating in a World Championship title and a historic LPL residency.
In the 2019 LPL Spring regular season, Doinb and FunPlus Phoenix secured first place with an impressive 13-2 record. They were defeated by JD Gaming in the semifinals but went on to win the third-place decider match against TOPSPORTS Gaming. For his outstanding performance throughout the 2019 LPL Spring season, Doinb was once again awarded the MVP title. In the 2019 LPL Summer Split, FunPlus Phoenix again finished first in the regular season, automatically qualifying for the semifinals. They defeated Bilibili Gaming 3-1 in the semifinals, securing their spot in the finals and, by extension, qualification for the 2019 League of Legends World Championship. FunPlus Phoenix then defeated three-time champions Royal Never Give Up 3-1 in the finals, claiming their first LPL title.
At the 2019 World Championship, FunPlus Phoenix was placed in Group B alongside Splyce, J Team, and GAM Esports. After defeating Splyce in a tiebreaker match, FunPlus Phoenix advanced to the knockout stage as the first seed from their group. In the quarterfinals, FunPlus Phoenix defeated Fnatic, the runner-up of the previous year's World Championship. They then triumphed over fellow LPL team and defending world champions Invictus Gaming in the semifinals to reach the grand finals. In the finals, Doinb and his team swept G2 Esports 3-0, securing their first international title and being crowned 2019 World Champions. On December 12, 2019, after five years of playing in the league, Doinb became the first foreign player to acquire LPL residency, meaning he would henceforth be considered a domestic player within the league.
In the 2020 LPL Summer Split playoffs, FunPlus Phoenix was eliminated in the first round by Victory Five. At the 2020 LPL Regional Qualifier for the 2020 League of Legends World Championship, FunPlus Phoenix was knocked out by Invictus Gaming in a best-of-five match, preventing them from defending their 2019 World Championship title.
For the 2021 LPL Spring season, FunPlus Phoenix finished fifth in the regular season with an 11-5 record, qualifying for playoffs. In the playoffs, the team reached the grand final but was defeated by Royal Never Give Up 3-1. In the summer regular season, they finished first place with a 13-3 record. In the playoffs, their first match was a 3-0 sweep over LNG Esports. They then won their next match against Team WE 3-0, simultaneously qualifying them for the 2021 League of Legends World Championship and the LPL Summer grand final. During the 2021 Summer Split, on July 31, Doinb achieved his 2,000th kill in the LPL during a match against JD Gaming. Following the Summer Split, he was selected as the regular season MVP and named to the All-Pro Team. At the 2021 World Championship, FunPlus Phoenix began in the Group Stage. Despite being heavily favored to advance alongside DWG KIA, FunPlus Phoenix struggled in the second round robin, finishing with a 2-5 record and failing to advance from the group stage. Following the 2021 season, Doinb departed from FunPlus Phoenix.
1.4. LNG Esports
In the offseason following the 2021 World Championship, Doinb joined LNG Esports as their starting mid laner for the 2022 season. In the LPL Spring 2022 regular season, LNG Esports finished fourth with an 11-5 record. However, they were eliminated in their first playoff match, losing 3-0 to Top Esports. In the Summer regular season, the team finished seventh with an 8-8 record, still qualifying for playoffs. In the playoffs, LNG Esports won their first three matches against Bilibili Gaming, Weibo Gaming, and Victory Five. However, they were swept 3-0 by JD Gaming in the first-round Upper Bracket. Moving to the first-round Lower Bracket, they were beaten 3-1 by Edward Gaming, ending their Summer Split.
1.5. Break from Professional Play
LNG Esports announced Doinb's departure on November 12, 2022, after which he entered free agency. He did not join any team in the subsequent offseason. Doinb later clarified his decision to take a break from professional play, stating that he "lost confidence this year" and was not satisfied with his results in the past two years.
2. Achievements
Doinb has accumulated numerous team-based achievements throughout his professional career across various teams in the LPL.
2.1. Qiao Gu Reapers / Newbee
- 3rd - 2015 Demacia Cup
- 1st - 2015 Spring LSPL
- 2nd - 2015 Summer LPL
- 4th - 2016 Spring LPL
- 1st - 2016 Summer LSPL
- 5th-8th - 2017 Spring LPL
2.2. JD Gaming
- 2nd - 2017 National Electronic Sports Tournament (NEST)
2.3. Rogue Warriors
- 1st - 2018 Rift Rivals
2.4. FunPlus Phoenix
- 1st - 2019 Spring LPL regular season
- 3rd - 2019 Spring LPL playoffs
- 2nd - Rift Rivals 2019 - Red Rift
- 1st - 2019 Summer LPL regular season
- 1st - 2019 Summer LPL playoffs
- 1st - 2019 League of Legends World Championship
- 2nd - 2020 Mid-Season Cup
- 3rd - 2020 Spring LPL regular season
- 3rd - 2020 Spring LPL playoffs
- 5th - 2021 Spring LPL regular season
- 2nd - 2021 Spring LPL playoffs
- 1st - 2021 Summer LPL regular season
- 2nd - 2021 Summer LPL playoffs
3. Individual Awards and Milestones
Doinb has received several personal accolades and achieved significant statistical milestones, highlighting his impact as a player.
3.1. Major Player Awards
- Best New Player in the LPL (2015)
- 2017 LPL Spring Split MVP
- 2019 LPL Spring Split MVP
- 2019 LPL Annual Awards MVP
- 2021 LPL Summer Split MVP
- 2021 LPL Summer All-Pro Team
3.2. Milestone Achievements
- 16th player to achieve 1,000 kills in the LPL (February 2019)
- First South Korean player to play 300+ games in the LPL (March 2019)
- Achieved 2,000 kills in the LPL (July 2021)
4. Personal Life
Doinb is married to 李悠悠Li YouziChinese, who is also known by her in-game name 糖小幽Tang XiaoyouChinese and more recently as Umi Lee. He first met her when he was 18 years old and newly entering the LPL professional esports scene. At the time, Li Youzi was a professional player and an official commentator for the online fighting game Dungeon Fighter Online. Doinb and Li began dating in 2015, but they publicly revealed their relationship in 2016. On Doinb's 22nd birthday, he proposed to Li, who accepted. On September 8, 2022, Doinb announced that he and Li were expecting their first child. Li subsequently announced the birth of their child in February 2023.
5. Evaluation and Influence
Doinb is widely recognized for his distinctive and often unconventional playstyle, particularly his willingness to play a diverse pool of champions in the mid lane, including those typically seen in other roles (e.g., Nautilus or Ryze as a carry). His aggressive shot-calling and team-oriented approach were instrumental to the success of FunPlus Phoenix, especially during their 2019 World Championship run. His ability to adapt to meta changes and innovate with unique champion picks made him a formidable opponent and a fascinating player to watch.
His acquisition of LPL residency in 2019 was a landmark achievement, signifying his deep integration into the Chinese esports scene and his commitment to the region. This status allowed FunPlus Phoenix more flexibility in their roster composition, as he no longer occupied an import slot. Doinb's fluency in Mandarin and his active engagement with Chinese fans further cemented his popularity and influence within the LPL community. He is considered one of the most prominent and successful foreign players in the history of the LPL, leaving a lasting impact on both competitive strategy and fan culture.