Peanut to miss the 2026 season for mandatory military service

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As Peanut prepares to fulfill his mandatory military service in 2026, Xpsp reflects on the highlights of Peanut’s career as one of Korea’s best junglers.

This year marks ten years of professional play for Han “Peanut” Wang-ho. He’ll be taking a break from competition next season to complete his required military service in South Korea. Join Xpsp as we look back at the incredible highlights of this world-class League of Legends jungler’s career.

Who is Peanut?

Peanut is a well-known jungler in League of Legends, currently playing for Hanwha Life. At 27 years old, he’s been a prominent player for years, primarily with South Korean teams, though he also played briefly in China. Since 2023, he’s been part of notable organizations including T1 (formerly SK Telecom T1), Gen.G, NS RedForce, and now Hanwha Life.

Throughout his career, he’s earned numerous awards and championships, including 12 national titles, a KeSPA Cup, one MSI victory, and a First Stand championship. Despite all his success, he always regretted not winning the League of Legends World Championship.

Peanut is famous for being incredibly skilled with a wide variety of champions, including Elise, Lee Sin, Vi, Kha’Zix, Olaf, Sejuani, Nidalee, Graves, Maokai, and Poppy. He’s consistently delivered amazing plays, solidifying his reputation as a top-tier player.

Peanut military service

In South Korea, all men must fulfill their military service obligations by age 30, and professional gamer Peanut is subject to this requirement. Winning an Olympic gold medal allows athletes to postpone their service, which is a highly respected accomplishment in Korean culture. As Peanut will be 28 in February 2026, he’s quickly running out of time to earn a deferral.

Individual Awards

  • LCK MVP x1 (Summer 2021)
  • LCK Finals MVP x2 (Spring 2017, Summer 2022)
  • LCK 1st All-Pro Team x2 (Summer 2021, Summer 2022)
  • LCK 2nd All-Pro Team x3 (Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Summer 2024)
  • LCK 3rd All-Pro Team x3 (Spring 2022, Spring 2024, LCK 2025)
  • LPL 3rd All-Pro Team x1 (Spring 2020)

Best Peanut moments

The Immortal Lee Sin

Peanut won the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) playing for SK Telecom T1, but his incredible performance with the champion Lee Sin against GAM Esports was the most memorable part of the tournament. He broke the record for the most kills in the first 15 minutes of a pro game, achieving 15 kills – with an astonishing 14 of those happening in the first 12 minutes.

How to play Olaf by Peanut

In the 2018 LCK Spring Playoffs, KZ Peanut put on an incredible performance playing Olaf against his old team. He completely took over the game with a flawless 11/0/6 scoreline. His constant attacks and powerful damage were unforgettable for everyone watching.

Away from his dream again

The 2016 World Championship Quarterfinals featured a legendary Best-of-5 series where ROX Peanut faced SK Telecom T1. SKT ultimately won the tournament, and for many longtime fans, that series remains a classic. After this heartbreaking loss, Peanut struggled to get another chance at winning the World Championship.

Smart Poppy

Peanut became well-known during his time with Gen.G for his incredibly smart and creative plays with Poppy, often described as ‘1000 IQ’ level. He constantly practiced different ways to build and play the champion, even outside of professional games. This dedication established him as one of the very best Poppy players in the world.

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2025-09-22 14:11