Only three best-of-fives remain at Worlds to determine the best team in the world, including two semifinals. The first, and the one we’ll focus on today, is Gen.G versus KT Rolster. Both LCK teams—the region’s first and third seeds—are guaranteed a top-four finish, but that’s not enough for players of their caliber.

The two teams couldn’t be more different: on one side, the year’s dominant favorites sweeping through everything in their path; on the other, the LCK’s underdogs. They’ll clash on Saturday, October 1, to decide who earns a ticket to the grand final.

The path to success

The contrast couldn’t be sharper: on one side, the season’s dominant favorites bulldozing everyone in their path; on the other, the LCK’s unexpected challengers. KT Rolster punched their Worlds ticket with a surprise regional run and have yet to drop a match. Along with Anyone’s Legend—who still have one best-of-five left against T1—they’re the only undefeated team remaining. Known for dazzling highs and sudden collapses, KT are now showing some of their most disciplined and confident play yet.

But they will need to rise even higher if they want to take down Gen.G. Across the Rift, Gen.G stand as the team to beat. Reigning LCK champions and top seeds at Worlds, they’ve steamrolled every opponent with methodical precision and unmatched consistency. This clash isn’t just a test for KT—it’s a chance to measure themselves against Korea’s gold standard, a team that has turned dominance into habit. To overcome Gen.G, KT will need not just their best form, but something greater.

Gen.G in Control

Gen.G arrive as clear favorites, ready to make history. Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon and his teammates seem unfazed by the so-called curse that’s followed them for years and look determined to break it. Both domestically and internationally, they’ve dominated everyone this season. In the LCK Playoffs, only one team managed to challenge them—KT Rolster, who beat them 3-2. Gen.G later climbed through the lower bracket and swept them 3-0, but the fact remains: KT have done it once before, so a second time doesn't seem so impossible.

At these Worlds, Gen.G have faced some truly tough opponents. In the Swiss Stage, they went up against T1, Anyone’s Legend, and Top Esports before meeting Hanwha Life Esports in the quarterfinals—a matchup that felt like a final ahead of schedule. Gen.G came out on top 3-1. On the other side, KT Rolster had a much smoother run, with their only real challenge being TES in a BO3. Later, they clean-swept CTBC Flying Oyster in the quarterfinals to reach this stage. The difference in their paths raises some questions about the true strength of each team.

Which emperor will triumph?

Across every position, Gen.G seem clearly superior. Kim "Kiin" Gi-in, currently the best toplaner in the world, will face Lee "PerfecT" Seung-min, whose performances throughout the year have been underwhelming, even though he’s been fairly solid so far at Worlds. In the jungle, Moon "Cuzz" Woo-chan has been excellent, and while Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu's occasional inconsistency could hurt KT, Gen.G still hold the edge overall. In the botlane, Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk is an absolute beast and Jeong "Peter" Yoon-su has shown promising things for his first Worlds run, but Joo "Duro" Min-kyu looks sharper and brings a touch more creativity to the table.

After mentioning all these Gen.G players, Chovy still hasn’t come up—and that’s because the midlane will most probably be the key to this matchup. It’s very likely it will be the most hotly contested lane, not because of any dip in form from Chovy, but because of the absolutely stratospheric level Gwak "Bdd" Bo-seong has reached.

The KT Rolster midlaner has been on another planet for months—he’s the heart of the team, their playmaker, their source of both surprise and damage. He’s managed to shape KT into a squad capable of winning any BO, almost as if he elevates his teammates, many of whom are playing their first international event, allowing them to match Gen.G’s level.

Sure, the numbers don’t lie—the two teams have faced each other countless times this year, and KT have only won once. Comparing stats between the two players or teams would only highlight how much this BO5 seems to favor Gen.G. But in moments like these, statistics sometimes give way to storylines—to the dreams of players who, just a few months ago, were wondering if they’d even make LCK playoffs before facing BNK FearX. Gen.G are on a run where the finals seem within reach, and Chovy has never been this close to finally claiming the throne—but Bdd, the emperor, might have other plans.