After eight years of competing at the highest level on the Summoner’s Rift, top laner Park "Summit" Woo-tae has announced his retirement from professional League of Legends on his Instagram. His decision comes after an impressive season in the LLA with Movistar R7, where he dominated the regional scene. Summit helped the team secure a 2nd-place finish in the Opening Split and clinch the championship in the Closing Split, earning them a spot in the Play-Ins at Worlds.

A sad ending yet an amazing talent

The player frequently participated in major league projects throughout his career. He began his journey in the LCK with Afreeca Freecs, initially as a substitute, at the end of 2017 and into 2018. By 2019, he had secured a starting position, becoming a key player for Sandbox Gaming (later rebranded as Liiv Sandbox and now as FearX) through 2020 and 2021. He could not achieve significant success despite his tenure in the world’s most competitive league. In 2022, he moved to North America, joining Cloud9, where he finished 4th in the Spring Split. Later that year, he transitioned to the LPL, signing with a rebuilding FPX and finishing 7th.

In 2023, he returned to NA with Team Liquid, a roster touted as one of the strongest in the league. This period marked some of his best performances in a major league, culminating in a Worlds appearance. However, the road to Worlds was fraught with challenges, and despite playing alongside World Champion Pyosik and veteran CoreJJ, Team Liquid was eliminated in humiliating fashion, losing all three of their group stage matches against T1, NRG, and GAM.

After a frustrating year with a dysfunctional roster and underwhelming performances, he joined R7. There, he delivered a remarkable swan song, carrying the hopes of an entire region at Worlds 2024. Often positioned as his team’s sole carry, he consistently performed under pressure, coming agonizingly close to securing the first Swiss Stage qualification for a Latin American team. However, their journey ended in a heartbreaking defeat to paiN Gaming in the decisive match.

Beyond his career results, Summit will be remembered as a highly talented toplaner who showcased his skills across multiple leagues but never fully realized his potential, hindered by a lack of stable, top-tier projects. He won’t be disappearing entirely, as he recently announced plans to stream on SOOP, sharing the news via Instagram.