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Aria

Name: Lee Ga-eul
Birthday: October 14, 2000
Role: mid laner

Aria… who wouldn’t have at least heard about Aria? The LJL superstar has been one of the most talked mid laner in Japan since his debut in 2019. While his team that time, Crest Gaming Act, failed to reach Finals in all 4 splits he played there, anyone could see that Aria was miles above the competition. Because of that, unsurprisingly after 2 years, in 2021 he joined DFM to form a superteam. Due to Steal still being an import for another split, DFM had to play with their coach, Kazu, as support. And yet, the team dominated LJL with Aria in the center. 2021 really was his year, from the iconic Katsudion video’s “Aria desuyo!” that set up DFM’s hopeful MSI run, through Summer and finally the historic Worlds 2021 results. Aria’s DFM was able to advance into Group Stage, for the first time ever in any LJL team’s history.
His skills weren’t just recognized in Japan though. After 2021, he decided to return to Korea and debut in the LCK under KT Rolster. Unfortunately the team had a rocky year, with constant underperformance, and a shared slot for the mid lane between Aria and VicLa. Not seeing much playtime there at the end of the season, for 2023 he decided to return to Japan as part of DFM once again. But the landscape has changed, and he had much fiercer competition than last time. DFM went toe-to-toe with Sengoku Gaming, and while the mid lane matchup of Aria vs Jett was hyped up by everyone, in the LJL 2023 Spring Finals, Aria showed once again why he’s still the best in Japan.

Running storylines with Aria

Aria may be the shyest member of DFM, he may be nervous before big tournaments, but he’s also undoubtedly the best on the Rift. While unfortunately his year in the LCK didn’t go as planned, he learnt a lot even from the hardships, and wants to use this knowledge back in DFM. Despite most people knowing his carry champions, the likes of Akali, Ahri or even Irelia, he can play a wide variety of picks, with 15 unique champions during 2023 Spring. His most played champion being Annie also shows, that he plays whatever the team requires. Sometimes it’s to carry, sometimes it’s to set up his team.

Unlike his teammates, Steal who interpreted a whole interview, or Harp who had a fully Japanese interview, Aria doesn’t speak Japanese much on stream, but that doesn’t mean his Japanese would be worse. He’s shy in front of a big audience, but understands everyday conversations, and can reply to any question. He’s not the type who would talk much in real life even in the gaming house among teammates, but in-game, he’s a completely different person, understanding and shotcalling everything in perfect Japanese.

He’s an even more versatile player than before, and his eyes are set on London, to continue the DFM miracle.

Featured content with Aria in 2023