The criteria for the LCK Awards include all Riot Games competitions, including international events
The LCK Awards are back in 2025 to crown the best players from the biggest league in the world. The ceremony will take place on December 19 at the CJ ENM Center, wrapping up another successful year for the league, which claimed all three international events of the season. These results will also be taken into account in the voting criteria.
Several titles will be awarded during this ceremony, which is heavily centered around the top four teams: Hanwha Life Esports, KT Rolster, Gen.G, and T1. Each role will see its best player elected, and an LCK Player of the Year trophy will also be awarded. Here are the nominees:
Toplane:
The three toplaners had an exceptionally high-level year despite the reduced impact of the role this season. After several near misses with Gen.G and HLE, Choi "Doran" Hyeon-joon finally won Worlds. Choi "Zeus" Woo-je had a very strong start to the year in his debut, though the team lost some momentum afterward, his level remained consistent, and he is still one of the best in the world. Finally, the favorite for this trophy is Kim "Kiin" Gi-in, who had a stratospheric year—many even consider him the player of the year. Worlds still elude him, but he finally won his first LCK trophy in 2025.
Jungle:
One of the two nominations in these awards going to a KT player rather than someone from HLE is for the jungler Moon "Cuzz" Woo-chan, who likely just had the best year of his career. Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu also delivered an incredible level of play in the LCK, though he occasionally struggled in very clutch moments. Finally, probably the favorite in this category, Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun was the guiding light for T1 in difficult moments; at 22, he won his third consecutive Worlds title.
Midlane:
The “King” award features three players who also appear in the LCK Player of the Year category. Gwak "Bdd" Bo-seong’s 2025 season is proof that he can perform at an exceptionally high level even with teammates who are, on paper, less strong than those of other teams; he managed to elevate his team’s level and carry games almost single-handedly. Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok won his sixth Worlds title, making his presence here natural—he was already the league MVP back in 2013, truly eternal. Finally, Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon is also present; he wins the LCK and MSI once again, his fifth domestical trophy, second MSI in a row, but Worlds still elude him.
AD Carry:
Two of these players changed teams, but all three had an incredible year. Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong won his third consecutive Worlds title and claimed the MVP, and has since joined HLE. Park "Viper" Do-hyeon could not have done much more to carry his team further in every competition, given how strong his performance was, he is no longer in the LCK as he joined Bilibili Gaming in the LPL. Finally, Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk made a triumphant return to the LCK with Gen.G; he remains one of the best AD carries in the world and is the frontrunner for this award.
Support:
Three players with overflowing creativity, all among the best supports in the league, though two stand out. Yoo "Delight" Hwan-joong seems slightly behind the other two despite a strong year with HLE. In his first year at the highest level, Joo "Duro" Min-kyu fully validated his entry, fitting perfectly into the Gen.G system and earning a contract renewal for another year. Ryu "Keria" Min-seok is arguably at the top of this role; he collected the most MVP awards in the LCK Summer Split among all the roles. At Worlds and MSI, he delivered remarkable plays, constantly reinventing himself and redefining the role.
Header Photo Credit: Riot Games







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