are back in winning ways. After consecutive defeats to T1 and Dplus KIA in the LCK Round 3–4 Legend Group, the reigning champions bounced back with a 2–1 victory over Hanwha Life Esports on Wednesday. As a result, Gen.G remain firmly in contention for a top-two finish, which would secure a direct berth in the second round of the LCK Playoffs.
Ahead of Thursday's clash between T1 and Dplus KIA, four of the five teams in the Legend Group—all except Dplus—sit tied on 15 wins. Shortly after the match,
spoke to Sheep Esports about the victory. The Gen.G AD Carry also shared his thoughts on the current meta and discussed the team's approach ahead of Friday's matchup against KT Rolster.
How do you feel about the win and being named POM?
Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk: "I thought today's match was really important, so I'm very happy we were able to win it. Today made me feel even more that we need to prepare well, that we need to prepare even better for our upcoming matches.
How would you sum up today's match, and what do you think was the key to the win?
Ruler: Looking back on today's games, I think the games where we won draft-wise were the ones we were able to win. That made me realize again how important draft is. As for why we won today, like I said, I think the draft felt good for us, and that was the biggest factor.
You snapped your losing streak today. Did this match feel like more than that, like the team is starting to climb back up?
Ruler: I think we still need to see a bit more. The draft was very good for us, but rather than saying it was just good, I think it worked out because the opponent made mistakes, more than because we played especially well. So I think we need to watch a bit more.
Compared to last week, what changed within the team that made this win possible?
Ruler: First of all, in terms of the game, there were a lot of areas where we weren't on the same page as a team. Because of that, the games naturally ended up flowing in a really strange way. So we all talked through what the problems were, what caused certain situations, and said, 'If we've had these issues up to now, let's change them like this, and bring back the things we used to do well.' I think those areas improved.
In game one, you had a really impressive performance on Jhin. What do you think was the key to winning that game?
Ruler: Early on, the game felt pretty frustrating, but the opponent made a mistake and I got a solo kill. From that point on, the game opened up a lot, so I think that was the biggest moment.
With an Anivia-Jhin composition, it seemed like you could take things slowly rather than force fights. Was that the kind of picture you had in mind in-game as well?
Ruler: Yes. After we tried a teamfight, I said this, and I think everyone felt it too: their range was a bit short, and from their perspective, our teamfighting was hard to deal with. If we played it a certain way, it felt like we could win easily, so we talked about that and played it out well.
Braum came out for the first time in a while. Usually with Ezreal, we're used to seeing picks like Neeko paired with him. What was the thinking behind that composition?
Ruler: Honestly, I usually think Braum really shouldn't be used much in the current meta. But in that situation, we judged that he looked good, so he came out. That said, I don't think we'll use him again anytime soon.
From the outside, it seemed like game two was difficult to play out according to the draft plan. What made the game difficult, and what feedback did you exchange after that game?
Ruler: Since we picked Braum, botlane needed to play the lane much more aggressively and take the lead, but we really didn't play the early lane well. I think that was a major reason we lost. And then, not that things were going well, but afterward in the third drake fight, getting completely beaten there basically decided the game. That was the most disappointing part as I remember it.
Game three was a close game with control going back and forth, and giving up Elder looked dangerous. But you won the fight right after, took Baron, and turned the game around. Even then, did the team believe you could win, and what was said internally?
Ruler: When we gave up Elder, I did think it was dangerous, because Elder is so powerful. But if they couldn't take our towers, I thought we could stall out the Elder timer. I always believed that if we just survived Elder, we absolutely wouldn't lose, as long as they didn't take towers.
In the current meta, non-marksman picks have been showing up often in botlane. But today, all three games featured traditional ADCs. Why do you think that happened?
Ruler: I think non-marksman picks are being used less now in pro play. When you play a non-marksman, you can put a lot of pressure on the opponent with flexes and swaps with mid. And also, non-marksmen often let you really pressure the lane, which I thought was good. But these days, there are a lot of swaps, and when you play non-marksmen, there are more situations where things feel frustrating. Also, when tanks are picked, non-marksmen can feel pretty useless in teamfights. So I think that's why they're being used less.
ADC buffs are coming soon. Is there anything you're looking forward to?
Ruler: The ADC buffs are coming soon, and if I remember right, maybe magic resist is going up? I heard there was some kind of buff. I think it feels really good for solo queue. Non-marksmen are still used a lot there, so honestly, it's a headache. If that gets better, it's definitely a meaningful buff with clear value.
Today you faced the Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung-Yu "Delight" Hwan-jung duo. In-game, when you compare Hanwha's botlane to other duos, is there anything you are especially wary of?
Ruler: I'd say they're really good when they pick champions that absorb pressure. I think that's one of their strengths. Game two felt like that. Because they absorbed pressure so well, we couldn't win lane. I think those things are their strength.
In the Jhin Miss Fortunte matchup in game one, both of you used the T1 skin. Did you coordinate that, or was it a coincidence?
Ruler: It was definitely a coincidence. And I personally really like SKT T1 Jhin, the animations and everything, so I use it a lot.
You received POM today. Among the three games, which champion pick did you like the most?
Ruler: I liked game three the most. Early on, I remember getting as much advantage as I possibly could, so I'll choose game three.
Do you have any tips for Kalista?
Ruler: It's about judging well when you need to jump forward and go in, or when you need to kite. I'm not really sure what tip to give. (Interviewer: Just be good?) Yes, just be good.
Your next match is against KT. Gen.G came out on top in all three of your recent head-to-heads. Do you feel Gen.G's playstyle matches up well against KT?
Ruler: I'm not sure. I really don't know. Because I don't think it felt like we won because of our playstyle or anything like that. Their ADC has changed this time too. So I think we'll have to play them first and judge after that.
Recently, Park "FenRir" Kang-jun joined the team, and he's shown a lot on Yunara as well. How did you view that game?
Ruler: Even though it was a really unfavorable laning phase, FenRir (Park Kang-jun) kept it even and even forced Ashe's Flash. Seeing things like that, I thought he had a real feel for the game and that he was good.
Could you say a word about your mindset heading into the KT match?
Ruler: Thankfully, we won today, and that made us think we can play even better. We'll do our best to beat KT Rolster as well, so we can feel like we can keep climbing higher.
You recently marked your 10th debut anniversary. If you could show someone who doesn't know what kind of player Ruler is just one match from your 10-year career, which match would you recommend?
Ruler: In 2023, when I was on JDG, there was a game against NIP where I played Zeri-Yuumi and had a 2v4. I'd like to show them that game.
Finally, to the fans supporting Gen.G, please say a word, and we'll wrap up the interview.
Ruler: It took us a really long time to get this one win. Since it took so long, I want to show that we can build on this win and keep moving forward. I know it must have been tough for you, but we'll keep working to do better. Thank you."
