Gen.G advance; HLE drop to the Lower Bracket Finals where they will face the winners of the Lower Bracket Semifinals match between T1 and DPlus KIA.
The competition is heating up at the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Summer Playoffs, with teams battling fiercely for a place in the grand final.
On Saturday, 31 August, Gen.G faced off against Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) in the Upper Bracket Final, vying for the first slot in the LCK Summer Grand Finals. In the end, it was Gen.G who emerged victorious with a 3-1 win, securing their spot in the finals.
Gen.G entered the playoffs as the clear favourites, having enjoyed a dominant year so far. They clinched the LCK Spring title and followed it up by winning their first Mid-Season Invitational.
Their performance in the LCK Summer split was nothing short of exceptional, as they broke the LCK record for the longest winning streak—not once, but twice—finishing the split with a staggering 17-1 record.
Their only loss came against KT Rolster, a minor blip in an otherwise flawless season. Gen.G’s journey to the Upper Bracket Final saw them sweep DPlus KIA in the semifinals, showcasing their continued dominance.
HLE, however, have proven to be formidable opponents this season. They finished second in the Summer split with a 14-4 record and carried that momentum into the playoffs. In the Upper Bracket Semifinals, they delivered a stunning 3-0 sweep against T1, earning their place in the Upper Bracket Final.
Here’s how the matches went:
The series began with both Gen.G and HLE evenly matched in the early game. However, it was HLE who managed to break through, thanks to Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo’s Smolder mid pick, which scaled effectively and threw Gen.G off balance, much like HLE did to T1 in the previous round. After a 33-minute game and a 17-6 kill lead, HLE dismantled Gen.G’s Nexus, taking the first game of the series.
In Game 2, Gen.G quickly regained their footing. Son “Lehends” Si-woo's impeccable timing on Renata Glasc’s Bailout played a crucial role, while Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan on Kalista capitalised on every opportunity to convert kills. Gen.G’s map control was evident as they secured most objectives, culminating in a dominant 28-minute game. With a 22-6 kill lead, Gen.G demolished HLE’s Nexus to even the series at 1-1.
HLE attempted an unconventional bot lane strategy in Game 3 with Senna and Ornn, but the composition struggled due to a lack of damage output, relying heavily on Zeka’s Azir.
Gen.G exploited this weakness, with Kim "Kiin" Gi-in’s Nasus emerging as the player of the game. His impact was decisive in neutralising HLE’s key players, leading to a 31-minute victory for Gen.G. With a 12-5 kill lead, they took down HLE’s Nexus, bringing the series to match point.
Despite HLE drafting well for the fourth game, Gen.G’s execution was flawless. Their Jhin, Blitzcrank, and Maokai combination created devastating team fights, leaving HLE struggling to keep up. Gen.G closed out the game in under 31 minutes with a 24-9 kill lead, securing the 3-1 series victory.
With this win, Gen.G has secured their place in the LCK Grand Finals, continuing their dominant run in 2024. HLE, meanwhile, drops to the Lower Bracket Finals, where they will face the winner of the Lower Bracket Semifinals between T1 and DPLus KIA.
