In a surprising twist, Bleed Esports has just sealed the deal with former DRX leader Kim “Zest” Gi-seok and brought back Jorell “Retla” Teo. These new signings will step in for Công Anh “crazyguy” Ngô and Javier “egoist” Chua, who just announced his retirement from the pro Valorant scene.
The squad shake-up was expected after their disappointing results at the Pacific Kickoff 2024 in South Korea last February. The Singapore-based esports organization were struggling to win a single series, landing them dead last in Group A.
Transitioning from the professional CSGO scene in 2019, Zest was widely known as one of the inaugural players on the DRX Valorant team, delving into the heat of major tournaments like Korea Stage 1 2021, Champions Istanbul 2022, LOCK//IN Sao Paulo 2023, and Pacific League 2023. His prowess even earned him a favorite spot among fans at LOCK//IN Sao Paulo, grabbing the attention of Western region players.
However, after 2023, the 23-year-old found himself edged out of DRX’s core lineup, making way for rising star Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk. Departing from DRX on January 24, Zest became a sought-after free agent, attracting interest from teams beyond Korea region. Opting for a break from the limelight, he briefly dabbled in tier B competitions before Bleed presented him with a contract offer.
Meanwhile, Retla’s been chilling with Bleed since 2022. He took a break from the limelight after scoring big wins in SEA-level tournaments like TEC Challenger Series 9 and Skyesports SEA Championship 2022.
Going forward, Bleed’s hitting up the Pacific League – Stage 1 in Seoul, South Korea. Fans are hoping for big things now that they’ve got two superstars on the team. Alongside Zest, there’s Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker, who’s also got a rep for being top dog in Valorant professional scene. However, yay’s recent gig at Pacific Kickoff suggests he is still working on hitting his stride.
