The fifth day of LCK Round 1-2 was by far the best in terms of both matchups and spectacle. Dplus KIA dominated KT Rolster and secured the top spot on the standings with two wins and zero losses. They were joined by Gen.G, who, after defeating Hanwha Life Esports in the opening match, went on to beat T1 in a thrilling three-game series. Nongshim RedForce also finished the first week with a 2-0 record, sharing the top spot.

Jeon "Siwoo" Si-woo was named MVP of his series, while Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon earned the same honor. However, many, including Chovy himself, believed that Joo "Duro" Min-kyu also deserved the MVP title for his crucial contribution to his team’s victory.

A reassuring victory

DK's first victory of the split came against BNK FEARX, but it was far from easy, narrowly avoiding defeat. However, their match against KT this morning went much smoother. In Game 1, things were tight at first, but DK pulled ahead in gold after the 20-minute mark. Siwoo and Kim "Aiming" Ha-ram emerged as the top damage dealers of the game.

Game 2 saw a much more dominant performance from Heo "ShowMaker" Su and his teammates. The mid-jungle duo remained deathless throughout the game, with the combination of ShowMaker and Choi "Lucid" Yong-hyeok’s Naafiri helping snowball the match. Naafiri, despite being underperforming in terms of win rate in the LCK, proved to be a decisive pick in this game.

A high-level BO3

It’s become the most anticipated and hyped matchup in the league over the past few years—T1 vs. Gen.G rarely disappoints. This BO3 lived up to expectations, delivering a bloody series capped off by a marathon final game lasting over 50 minutes. T1 struck first with a dominant Game 1, where the players looked untouchable—especially Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong, who still hadn't died since his return by the end of the first game. He finished 5/0/17 on Jhin, landing improbable Deadly Flourishes that proved instrumental for Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok and the rest of T1 in dismantling Gen.G.

The reigning world champions were behind for most of Game 2, with Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk’s Ezreal posing a massive threat—holding a 4k gold lead by the 25-minute mark. But Gen.G collapsed soon after, giving up a 10k gold swing in just five minutes. Still, a crucial teamfight led by Ruler and Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu turned the tide and allowed Gen.G to equalize the series, setting the stage for a thrilling Game 3.

The final game was especially long and exhausting for the players. T1 dominated the early to mid-game and were ahead past the 25-minute mark, largely thanks to Choi "Doran" Hyeon-joon’s Jax, who had a strong laning phase and was a constant threat in sides. Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon spent most of the game farming on Viktor, with Gen.G frequently taking fights as four. Despite being outnumbered, they consistently pressured T1—especially Joo "Duro" Min-kyu on Blitzcrank, who gave the enemy carries no breathing room.

Plenty of pivotal moments unfolded throughout the intense 50-minute slugfest, including a dramatic Baron steal by Ryu "Keria" Min-seok’s Bard earlier in the game, which briefly gave T1 a glimmer of hope. Despite their early lead, T1 couldn’t hold on as Gen.G slowly clawed back control, largely through disciplined teamfighting and relentless pressure. The final moments took place inside T1’s base, where, in a fitting climax, only Faker and Chovy were left standing. It was the Gen.G midlaner who had the final say, outdueling Faker and striking down the Nexus of the Unkillable Demon King to seal an unforgettable series—one watched by nearly 1.6 million fans.