So here we are in 2026, and I'm sitting here reminiscing about the Hangzhou Spark's 2021 roster rebuild like it's some kind of ancient history. And honestly? It kind of is. The Overwatch League is long gone, replaced by the shiny new Overwatch Champions Series, but the memories of SeoMinSoo's Zarya and MCD's flex support heroics still make me smile. Let me take you on a little journey back to when the Spark were trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2020 season – and boy, did they make some moves.

Back in 2020, the Spark were, to put it kindly, a bit of a mess. They kept essentially the same roster from their inaugural 2019 season – you know, the one where they finished fourth overall and looked like world-beaters – and it just didn't pan out. A 12-11 record and 10th place? Yikes. That's like bringing the same dish to a potluck two years in a row and wondering why everyone's avoiding it. So they dropped a handful of players and started building anew. The first big piece? Min-soo "SeoMinSoo" Seo, a fan-favorite DPS formerly of the Vancouver Titans.

Now, if you remember the 2019 Titans, you remember dominance. SeoMinSoo's Zarya in GOATS was absolutely disgusting – in the best way possible. He helped lead Vancouver to a league-best 25-3 record that season. Then the great Vancouver Titans controversy of 2020 happened (I still don't fully understand what went down, and I'm not sure anyone does), and every player got dropped. SeoMinSoo didn't latch onto another team for the rest of 2020, so when Hangzhou picked him up for 2021, I was genuinely excited. His hero pool is weird and wonderful, and I hoped the Spark would actually utilize it. Spoiler alert from 2026: they kind of did, but also kind of didn't. Classic Spark.

But wait, there's more! The Spark also signed Jeong-ho "MCD" Lee from Element Mystic. MCD is an incredibly strong flex support player, and Hangzhou securing him felt like a huge win at the time. I remember thinking, "Finally, a support line that won't fold like a cheap lawn chair!" MCD was supposed to make an immediate impact, and to be fair, he had some pop-off moments. But the 2021 season was still a mixed bag. The Spark finished 7th in the regular season, made the playoffs, and then… well, let's just say they didn't lift any trophies. It was a step in the right direction, but not quite the leap I'd hoped for.

Let me break down the signings with a handy little table, because who doesn't love tables?

Now, looking back from 2026, it's easy to laugh at how optimistic we all were. The Spark were hoping to bounce back, and they did improve from 10th to 7th. But they never became the top team I dreamed of. The new pieces came together nicely enough, but the league was just too stacked. And with the OWL dissolving in 2023, that 2021 season feels like a weird little time capsule. Still, I have fond memories of SeoMinSoo's bubble tracking and MCD's clutch lamps. They gave us moments, even if they didn't give us rings.

So what's the lesson here? Maybe it's that rebuilding a roster is like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions – you think you've got it, but there's always an extra screw left over. Or maybe it's that fan-favorite signings don't always translate to championships. Either way, the Hangzhou Spark's 2021 experiment was a fun ride, and I'm glad I was along for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to fire up the OWCS and see if any team can capture that same chaotic energy. Probably not, but a gamer can dream. 😄