LoL - First Stand: HLE shatter KC’s dream with a 2-1 victory, securing their spot in the semifinals

Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) have officially qualified for the First Stand 2025 Playoffs. They overcame the challenge Karmine Corp (KC) posed, defeating them 2-1 and eliminating them from the competition. HLE continue to live up to their status as tournament favorites, remaining the only undefeated team in the event. As for Karmine Corp, they finish this phase with a 1-3 record and no longer control their fate. Their hopes now rest on CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO) defeating Top Esports (TES) this Friday, giving them a chance to advance to the semifinals.

Karmine Corp will likely have many regrets about their defeats in the first two days against Team Liquid and CFO. Those early losses put them in a tough spot, and today, the challenge was simply too great. The LCK Cup champion proved to be ruthless once again, fully living up to their status as tournament favorites.

Game 1 seems to have been an advanced outdraft. HLE pulled off a flex Aurora top, and once they got past the early game, they were able to execute their game plan more effectively and take control of the map. They played a disciplined and calculated League, taking very few risks and capitalizing on their power spikes better than KC.

Game 2 was a high-intensity battle, where Karmine Corp fought back to equalize the series, securing their first-ever victory against an LCK team. The star of the show was Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert's Jhin, delivering a 17-kill masterclass. What stood out most was KC’s resilience—they defended flawlessly, avoiding the costly mistakes that had plagued them before. Without a doubt, this was the highest-level game of the tournament so far.

For the first time in the event, HLE were forced into a Game 3. They responded with a rock-solid draft, featuring Jayce flexed to mid and Vladimir top. However, the MVP was Han "Peanut" Wang-ho’s Wukong, who completely shut down KC’s Draven-focused composition. Caliste’s Draven was under so much early and mid-game pressure that he finished the game with just one kill. On top of that, Park "Viper" Do-hyeon’s Kai’Sa put on a flawless performance, looking virtually untouchable.

This incredibly intense BO3 delivered the tournament’s highest level of play, but in the end, there was no room for an upset. Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo earned MVP of the series. HLE remain undefeated at 3-0, securing their spot in the semifinals this Saturday. Meanwhile, KC finishes at 1-3, having played all their matches. Their fate now rests on CFO’s match against TES on Friday at 9 AM CET, as they pray for a CFO win to keep their playoff hopes alive.