Breaking the Curse: DN Freecs Secure First Victory of the Season Against Nongshim RedForce

The Long-Awaited Victory: DN Freecs Break Their Losing Streak

In a stunning turn of events on May 11, 2025, DN Freecs finally broke their devastating losing streak in the LCK 2025 Season Round 2, securing a 2-1 victory against Nongshim RedForce. This win marks a significant milestone for DN Freecs, who had been struggling throughout the season with a dismal 0% win rate in recent months.

The match was filled with unexpected twists, impressive plays, and dramatic moments that had fans on the edge of their seats. Despite losing the first game, DN Freecs showed remarkable resilience and determination to come back and win the next two games, demonstrating that they still have fight left in them despite their challenging season.

This victory wasn't just a regular win; it represented a breakthrough moment for a team that many had written off as possibly "one of the worst LCK teams ever." The emotional scenes following their victory, with players visibly moved and fans celebrating wildly, highlighted just how significant this moment was for the organization.

Game 1: Nongshim's Dominance and GIDEON's Heroics

The series opened with Nongshim RedForce taking a commanding win in a 43-minute battle. From the beginning, Nongshim showed excellent coordination and map awareness, capitalizing on DN Freecs' mistakes. The game was a showcase of skilled mechanics, particularly from Nongshim's jungler GIDEON, who delivered an outstanding performance on Pantheon with a 13-4-6 scoreline.

GIDEON's aggressive playstyle and map control were instrumental in Nongshim's victory, as he consistently created advantages for his team through well-timed ganks and objective control. His performance even included a spectacular pentakill that had fans erupting with excitement across social media platforms.

Despite DN Freecs' DuDu showing promise on Ambessa with an 8-4-6 scoreline and BuLLDoG putting up a respectable 8-6-6 on Yone, Nongshim's superior teamfighting and macro play ultimately secured them the win. The final kill score of 24-22 in favor of Nongshim reflected the close nature of the game, but Nongshim's better decision-making in crucial moments made the difference.

Game 2: DN Freecs Strike Back with Dominant Performance

Game 2 saw a complete reversal of fortunes as DN Freecs came roaring back with a decisive 26-minute victory. The team showed remarkable improvement in their coordination and strategic execution, dominating Nongshim across the map.

DuDu's Rumble in the top lane was particularly impressive, going 4-0-4 and completely neutralizing Kingen's Anivia. According to DuDu's post-match interview, the team had confidence in the Rumble pick: "Rumble as a champion, regardless of what matchup you get, you actually get really easy priority, so in the mid-late game being able to output a lot of damage... it's a very balanced champion to be contributing to a lot of different team fights."

Berserker also stepped up on Lucian with a perfect 6-0-9 performance, while BuLLDoG continued his strong showing on Ryze. The team's cohesive play resulted in a dominant 18-8 kill score, with DN Freecs controlling objectives and maintaining pressure throughout the game. Life's surprise Sett support pick, which DuDu revealed was only practiced once in scrims the day before, proved effective in creating engage opportunities and disrupting Nongshim's formation.

Game 3: The Decisive Victory and Emotional Breakthrough

The final game of the series was where DN Freecs truly showed their potential, securing a convincing 35-minute victory to claim the series. The team executed a well-rounded composition featuring DuDu on Sion, Pyosik on Nocturne, BuLLDoG on Annie, Berserker on Xayah, and Life on Rakan.

BuLLDoG's Annie was particularly impactful, going 4-0-5 and dealing nearly double the damage of his lane opponent. The mid laner's performance was crucial in teamfights, using Annie's burst damage and crowd control to eliminate key targets from Nongshim.

The game featured a standout moment when DuDu on Sion managed to tank and block five enemy players during a crucial teamfight, allowing his teammates to follow up with devastating damage. As DuDu explained in his post-match interview: "The team fight before this one, I noticed that I didn't die, so I just said, 'Oh, I think I should just go in. I can probably run it down and still be able to win this.' Yeah, this champion is just so OP."

The final score of 11-1 in favor of DN Freecs highlighted their complete control over the game, with Nongshim struggling to find any openings against their opponents' coordinated play.

DuDu: The Emotional Leader Behind DN Freecs' Resurgence

At the center of DN Freecs' emotional victory was top laner DuDu, whose performance across all three games was consistently strong. In the post-match interview, DuDu's relief and gratitude were palpable as he expressed his feelings about finally securing a win after such a long drought.

"It just took so long for us to even come here, and I felt so sorry all this time, but it still feels great," DuDu shared, visibly moved by the moment. When asked about how the team maintained their determination during their losing streak, he revealed an interesting anecdote: "Yesterday after our late night scrim, there's a story actually. We went to go take a bath and we were all talking, and I feel like that talk went really well."

This glimpse into the team's bonding experience highlights the importance of team chemistry and communication in overcoming adversity. DuDu also mentioned that former LCK player Mohm, who now plays in the LPL, came to cheer for them, describing him as their "victory angel."

DuDu's leadership and resilience throughout the team's struggles have been crucial in keeping morale up, and his performance in this series demonstrated why he remains a cornerstone of the DN Freecs roster.

Fan Reactions: From Despair to Celebration

The community's reaction to DN Freecs' first win of the season was a mixture of shock, joy, and relief. Social media platforms and forums exploded with comments celebrating the team's breakthrough moment.

On Reddit, fans expressed their excitement with comments like "They accomplished it! They really did it! OH MY GOD, THEY ACTUALLY DID IT!" and "I WAS HERE, SALLY WASN'T." The emotional investment of fans was evident in these reactions, showing how deeply connected the community feels to the teams they support, even during difficult times.

Not all reactions were positive for Nongshim, however, with some fans expressing disappointment in their performance: "NS faced a crushing defeat against what many consider the weakest team in LCK history; it's hard to imagine a lower point than this." Others specifically criticized Calix and Jiwoo's performances: "What was up with Calix and Jiwoo? Their performances today were completely off."

The contrast between the jubilation of DN Freecs fans and the frustration of Nongshim supporters highlighted the emotional rollercoaster that is professional League of Legends, where fortunes can change dramatically from one game to the next.

Looking Ahead: What This Win Means for DN Freecs

While one victory doesn't erase a season of struggles, this win represents a potential turning point for DN Freecs. Prior to this match, the team had been showing a meager win rate of 6% overall and a 0% win rate in recent months, according to analysis from bo3.gg. Their recent matches had not been favorable, with losses against KT Rolster, BRION, T1, BNK FEARX, and Gen.G.

However, this victory against Nongshim RedForce could be the confidence boost the team needs to improve their performance in the remaining matches of the season. As one Reddit commenter optimistically noted, "It looks like DN Freecs is poised to dominate all their upcoming matches from here on out."

For Nongshim RedForce, this defeat is a setback in what has been a mixed season. They currently hold a win rate of 34% overall, with a slight improvement to 44% in the recent month. Before this loss, they had secured victories against Dplus KIA, KT Rolster, and BNK FEARX, indicating they still have the potential to bounce back.

As the LCK 2025 Season continues, all eyes will be on DN Freecs to see if they can build on this momentum and turn their season around, while Nongshim RedForce will need to regroup and address the issues that led to this surprising defeat.