This is the first regional title of Hanwha Life's Esports.
The League of Legends Korea Championship (LCK Summer) Grand Final has wrapped up, delivering an intense clash on Sunday, September 8.
After all teams went all out, Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) pulled off a 3-2 upset against the giants of the LCK, Gen.G.
Gen.G’s dominance in Season 2024
Gen.G entered the Summer split as the top contenders, having already claimed every LCK title since Summer 2022. In 2024, they began the year by winning the LCK Spring Championship, defeating T1 for the fourth time since 2022. This victory set the stage for their dominant performance at the Mid-Season Invitational, where they clinched their first international title by defeating Bilibili Gaming from the LPL.
Their regular split performance in the Summer was nothing short of spectacular. Gen.G not only broke the LCK record for the longest winning streak but did so twice, finishing the split with an impressive 17-1 record.
Their sole defeat came at the hands of KT Rolster, a minor hiccup in an otherwise flawless season. Gen.G’s path to the Upper Bracket Final was marked by a commanding sweep against DK Plus in the semifinals, followed by a 3-1 victory over HLE, securing their spot in the Grand Final.
Hanwha Life Esports: A formidable new challenger
On the other side, HLE were no slouches, finishing second in the Summer Split with a commendable 14-4 record. Their journey through the LCK Summer Playoffs was equally impressive until they encountered Gen.G in the Upper Bracket Final. Despite their best efforts, HLE fell 3-1 to Gen.G, dropping them to the Lower Bracket Final.
In the Lower Bracket Final, HLE exacted revenge on T1 for their Spring Playoffs loss, emerging victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. This win secured HLE their first-ever LCK Grand Final appearance.
Grand Finals Recap
The Grand Final kicked off with a bloody first game. HLE seized the advantage in the laning phase, but a clutch team fight by Gen.G turned the tide, allowing them to gain control of the map.
Despite this, HLE’s Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon found a crucial angle to lead his team in a clean ace, enabling them to reverse the situation. HLE marched down Gen.G’s base, securing the first game after a 40-minute brawl, with an 18-19 kill deficit.
The second game saw a slower pace, with fewer early kills. Gen.G maintained control for most of the game, showcasing superior coordination in team fights.
Although HLE made attempts to fight back, their indecision was punished by Gen.G, who methodically widened their lead. After a 37-minute battle, Gen.G secured a decisive victory with a 17-6 kill lead, evening the series at 1-1.
In the third game, both teams were evenly matched until the mid-game. However, Gen.G took the upper hand after a critical fight at the Baron pit, with Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan’s Ziggs proving to be a significant threat.
Gen.G continued to extend their lead, making it increasingly difficult for HLE to stage a comeback. Despite HLE securing the Baron, Gen.G capitalised on their weakened state, dismantling HLE’s base in 33 minutes with a 14-8 kill lead, bringing the series to match point.
With their backs against the wall, HLE kicked their performance up a notch in the fourth game. Taking advantage of Gen.G's lack of engage, HLE took every opportunity to bully Gen.G throughout the map and prevent them from catching up. Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo on Tristana scaled quickly, taking the most gold among all players in the game.
Gen.G struggled against HLE's superior draft, particularly with Viper's Ezreal and Zeka's Tristana. In a final attempt to turn the tide, Gen.G initiated one last flank.
However, HLE were ready, with Doran's Maokai rooting most of Gen.G's members, allowing the rest of HLE to clean up the fight. After a dominant 33-minute clash with a 19-6 kill lead, Hanwha Life Esports secured Gen.G's Nexus, forcing the series into Silver Scrapes.
In the 5th game decider, although Gen.G started strong with a few kills, HLE quickly seized control. However, Gen.G were able to slow down HLE's snowball, keeping the gold gap to by 2,000.
Despite Gen.G's attempts to challenge HLE's power, they were quickly punished by Ziggs and the rest of HLE. In a crucial team fight at the Dragon Pit, HLE overpowered LCK's favourites, allowing them to clean up Gen.G, take the Dragon, and work their way through the Baron.
With their win, Hanwha Life Esports seized the LCK Championship title, taking home ₩200,000,000 or approximately $144,570.83 and qualifying as the LCK's first seed. They have also stopped Gen.G's attempts to take the Golden Road this year.
Gen.G bowed out in second place, taking home ₩100,000,000 (approximately US $72,285.41). They are still qualified for Worlds as the LCK's second seed, having qualified by winning the Mid-Season Invitational Championship, and also gaining the most championship points in the LCK.
