The phrase ‘The important thing is to have an unbreakable heart’ has become one of the most famous Korean expressions nowadays.

Its origin can be traced back to an esports article featuring the famous game “League of Legend (LoL)” by Riot Games Inc.

Every year, the LoL World Championship is held during the fall season.

In the recent 2022 LOL World Championship, the four most strongest Korean teams participated. 

Surprisingly, despite Korea’s reputation as one of the strongest regions in LoL Esports, one Korean teamwas often considered as an underdog.

This underdog was the Korean LoL esports team, DRX. 

Remarkably, DRX managed a miraculous qualification for the World Championship by ranking 6th out of 10 teams in the Korean league.

They fought hard in a regional qualifier match, and they got a chance to participate in the championship.

Initially, few believed that DRX stood a chance in the championship, which featured the  world’s best teams.

The members of DRX had not been told that they were strong enough to compete against the worlds.

In a reflection of these modest expectations, DRX lost the first match against a European team named Rogue (now KOI).

Following their defeat, DRX’s player Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu gave an interview to a Korean journalist.

Having spent a decade as a professional gamer, Deft had yet to secure a World Championship title.

With his retirement coming closer, he expressed taht DRX’s loss was due to a collapse in their resolve rather than a lack of ability. 

This interview prompted the journalist to write an article, carefully considering how to convey Deft’s message effectively.

Finally, he chose the phrase “The important thing is to have an unbreakable heart” as the article’s title, encapsulating Deft’s sentiment.

At first, both the phrase and the article gained little attention.

However, it was DRX’s astonishing victory at the 2022 World Championship that made the phrase into prominence. 

Like Deft said, DRX did not collapse after their initial loss; they won subsequent victories, even avenging their earlier defeat against Rogue and advancing to the quarterfinals.

They won the next game after the interview.

They even took revenge on Rogue by winning 1-0, and went up to quarterfinals.

Yet, this was just the start of DRX’s remarkable journey.

They won 3-2 in the quarterfinals, followed by a 3-1 victory in the semifinals, earning them a place in the finals. 

In the championship match, DRX, led by Deft, engaged in an intense battle against another Korean team, T1.

Finally, they secured a hard-fought 3-2 win, marking one of the most spectacular miracles in LoL World Championship history.

In the aftermath of their triumph,, Deft directly referenced the phrase “The important thing is to have an unbreakable heart.” 

DRX’s marvelous victory generated widespread shock and recognition, elevating the phrase’s status within Korea.

Furthermore, another miracle unfolded in 2022. 

During the 2022 World Cup, the Korean national soccer team won against Portugal by 2-1, and earned a spot in the round of 16.

In celebration, the Korean players waved the Taegukgi flag, bearing the inscription of the phrase.

Subsequently, this expression became widely recognized across Korea.

With these stories, it can be concluded that “The important thing is to have an unbreakable heart” originated from the miraculous achievements of Korean teams in 2022.  

However, it holds more than mere linguistic significance. 

It  conveys the idea that persistence is essential, even in the face of failure or defeat.

The phrase represents the determination and dedication of both DRX and the Korean national soccer team, as they etched their names into history. 

How about reflecting the meaning of “The important thing is to have an unbreakable heart” before using it?

Willer Kim
Grade 9
Hyosung Middle School