Gen.G claims LCK crown in revenge victory over Hanwha Life Esports

Win secures place as South Korea’s top seed for 2025 worlds and marks Gen.G’s sixth LCK title

Gen.G players lift up the LCK trophy after winning the finals in Incheon on Sunday. (Riot Games)

Gen.G is officially the champion of this year's League of Legends Champions Korea, South Korea’s premier professional LoL league.

The LoL powerhouse toppled Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 in the finals at Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, Sunday, securing a measure of redemption after last year’s LCK Summer Finals loss to the same team in Gyeongju. The victory also crowned the team as the inaugural champion of the newly unified LCK season.

The finals unfolded as a tightly contested series: After dominating the first two games, Gen.G dropped the third match to Hanwha Life, unable to contain mid laner Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo’s champion Sylas. Yet in a decisive Game 4, Gen.G staged a comeback. Despite having trailed in kill count until the 35-minute mark, Gen. G executed a coordinated flank, with Gen. G's mid laner Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon’s champion Cassiopeia and bottom laner Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk's champion Xayah turning the tide and ultimately securing the series victory. Park was named Finals MVP in large part for his pivotal role in helping the team seize early control.

The victory earned Gen.G 300 million won ($214,000) in prize money and a championship ring, with the finals MVP, Ruler, receiving a "Golden Dew" necklace.

Gen.G now has six LCK titles in total, and is the second team to reach that milestone. With the 2025 finals victory, Gen.G will enter the 2025 League of Legends World Championship as South Korea’s No. 1 seed. It will be its fourth time as top seed, after 2014, 2022 and 2023. Hanwha Life, meanwhile, will head to the worlds as the LCK’s No. 2 seed.

Seeding at the worlds carries significant strategic implications. The No. 1 seed generally benefits from a favorable group draw, increasing its chances of avoiding early matchups against other top-tier teams, while the No. 2 seed often faces a more challenging path. Widely considered the most prestigious event in LoL esports, the 2025 World Championship is set to take place in China from Oct. 14 to Nov. 9.