The group stage of the
LCK Cup has come to an end, concluding with a victory for the Baron group led by
T1 and
Gen.G Esports, while the elimination of
Hanwha Life Esports, bottom of the Elder group, sent shockwaves through the
League of Legends scene.
With five best-of-five matches on the schedule this week between teams sharing the same seeding, fans were treated to closely contested series and high-level play in several matchups, while competitive logic largely prevailed in others. Ahead of the play-ins starting on Friday, Sheep Esports looks back at the key moments from this final week of the group stage.
HLE out
A major upset unfolded in Korea, as Hanwha Life Esports became the only one of the ten teams not to advance to the next phase of the competition. The roster will not be seen again until April and the start of the LCK Season. Placed in a difficult position that required a win against Gen.G to qualify, HLE were swept 3–0 and therefore finished last in their group, tied on points but behind KT Rolster and DRX on map wins.
It is a significant blow for an organization that had recruited Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung and Seo "Kanavi" Jin-hyeok with the ambition of contending for every domestic title. This opening split proved disappointing for a lineup that, despite its individual talent, never managed to operate on the same wavelength and ultimately ended the stage at the bottom of the standings. The winner of First Stand 2025 is therefore the first team eliminated from the Winter Split, across all regions.
T1 and Gen.G flawless to the end
With twelve of the sixteen points in the Baron group, it is no exaggeration to say that T1 and Gen.G were the primary architects of their group’s dominance in this opening phase. Both teams have already secured qualification for Round 2 of the playoffs. Gen.G did not drop a single map throughout the group stage, including their series against HLE, where the reigning LCK champions repeatedly turned games in their favor despite conceding early advantages.
T1, meanwhile, found Dplus KIA in their path and, much like their rivals at Gen.G, relied on superior coordination and mid-game teamfighting to dismantle DK. Choi "Doran" Hyeon-jun delivered a standout performance and earned the MVP, well supported by Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan and Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun.
Olaf can still work
In one of the two best-of-fives that went the full five games this week, KT Rolster and Nongshim RedForce clashed in a matchup that would prove decisive for the remainder of the group. After a strong start from Nongshim, KT clawed back to level the series by taking two maps.
In the deciding game, Hwang "Kingen" Seong-hoon opted for Olaf in the toplane, a surprising choice into a difficult matchup against Sion and a pick rarely seen in recent metas. Yet he showcased its effectiveness, producing a sequence worthy of an unkillable Olaf during a dragon fight. His teammate Kim "Taeyoon" Tae-yoon claimed the MVP for the game. The loss could have resulted in KT’s elimination had HLE managed to take even a single map off Gen.G.
You can count on your BRO
Defeated in five games by DRX in their final series, HANJIN BRION finished the group stage at 0–5, without a single match victory. Despite this, they benefited from being placed in a group dominated by T1 and Gen.G and were able to advance to the play-ins thanks to results elsewhere. An outcome that is likely to leave a bitter taste for HLE, who did not receive the same opportunity.
The same applies to DN SOOPers, who ended the stage with a single victory over DRX. Lee "Clozer" Ju-hyeon and his teammates fell on Thursday to BNK FEARX, who finished first in their group with the same number of series wins as Dplus KIA but more maps taken.
