LoL - LCK Cup: Gen.G dominates Dplus KIA with a clean sweep and secures their spot in the Grand Final against Hanwha Life Esports

Gen.G dominates Dplus KIA with a clean 3-0 sweep, securing their place in the LCK Cup Grand Final. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch of the LCK Summer 2024 Final against Hanwha Life Esports. With both teams eager to prove themselves once again, the stakes are higher than ever—not just for victory but also for a spot in the First Stand tournament, where they will compete against top teams from around the world.

The opening game of this BO5 marked the 100th encounter between Heo "ShowMaker" Su and Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon, a head-to-head record that already favored the Gen.G midlaner (58-41) and would only widen further. The match lasted 23 minutes, with Dplus KIA’s draft struggling to hold off the reigning MSI champions. Joo "Duro" Min-kyu’s Alistar was a key factor, setting up relentless engages and participating in 16 of his team’s 18 kills.

Most of the plays in Game 2 revolved around the midlane, with a deathless mid-jungle duo on the Gen.G side. Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu, playing Maokai, profited from Phase Rush to outmaneuver Dplus KIA, allowing his team to dictate the pace of the game and secure a match point in this BO5. In the final game, Canyon gained the upper hand over Choi "Lucid" Yong-hyeok, leading by two levels and a solid 30 CS throughout the early game. This dominance ensured Gen.G's control over objectives, giving them the momentum needed to snowball, ultimately securing their victory. With this win in Game 3, Gen.G eliminated Dplus KIA from the LCK Cup, who were unable to make any impact throughout the BO. Chovy earned the title of Most Valuable Player of the game after delivering strong performances on champions such as Sylas, Aurora, and Ahri.
Gen.G will now face Hanwha Life Esports once again in the Grand Final of the LCK Cup on February 23 at 6 AM CET, with a spot in the First Stand at stake. It’s important to note that the winner of the LCK Cup is no longer crowned the champion of Korea, a title that is now only awarded once per year, at the end of the season, just before Worlds.