On September 1, kt Rolster fell 0-3 to Gen.G Esports in Round 2 of the Upper Bracket in the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) Playoffs, held at Chzzk LoL Park in Jongno, dropping down to the lower bracket. After losing Game 1, which had been going in their favor, due to two Elder Dragon steals, their momentum was completely broken, and they were unable to regain their footing.

Attending the press conference after the match, Head Coach Go Dong-bin offered his assessment of the day's performance: "Although Gen.G is a strong team, I thought we could win if we executed what we prepared well. It's disappointing to lose 0-3 contrary to our expectations." He added, "Knowing that Gen.G is a well-rounded team with no weaknesses, we prepared a teamfight-oriented composition. I think it would have been playable if we had fought a bit more sharply."

'Effort' Lee Sang-ho, who sat alongside him, pointed out the positive aspects shown in the game. He said, "Although we suffered a 0-3 defeat, there were many good moments in-game and many turning points where we could have won. That's why it doesn't feel entirely disappointing," while citing details in skirmishes as the area where they fell short. He explained that despite setting up good battle conditions, they ended up losing due to a lack of detail.

When asked about the two Elder Dragon steals that led to their defeat in Game 1 despite their favorable momentum, Head Coach Go answered, "Naturally, a jungler paired with Kalista has the upper hand in Smite fights, so calls kept coming to utilize that. I think we failed to secure it due to a miscalculation. That's all there is to it."

Regarding the Zeri-Yuumi combination in Game 2 and the opponent's Jungle Cho'Gath, he explained, "For Zeri-Yuumi, considering the picks taken off the board in Game 1 and the available bottom combinations in Game 2, we tried to secure a draft we excel at. We also judged that it was fine when considering its synergy with the jungler." He added, "Since Cho'Gath is strong in objective contests, there was pressure coming from that."

Now, kt Rolster must continue their journey toward the finals and the championship in the elimination lower bracket. Head Coach Go Dong-bin said, "In a way, these are the most important matches of the year for us. We will prepare well in the remaining time and make sure to win." 'Effort' also expressed his determination, stating, "We will leverage the strengths shown during our matches while refining our teamfights."