On September 12, Hanwha Life Esports defeated T1 3-1 in the 2026 LCK Playoff Qualification Final held at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park, Seoul, advancing to the Grand Finals.
Regarding the victory over T1, Head Coach Yoon Sung-young expressed his satisfaction, saying, "I am very happy that we took a 3-1 victory," while Choi "Zeus" Woo-je also shared, "I'm glad all my teammates played well today. I believe our team's ceiling is still higher."
Regarding the background of the Galio pick in Game 2, Zeus explained, "Since the enemy top and mid were both AP champions, I judged Galio to be a good choice. I usually watch other pro players' Galio laning phase videos as a hobby, and that experience was a huge help in operating the game."
Regarding the pick-and-ban phase, which was the turning point of the match, Head Coach Yoon Sung-young explained, "Based on our memory of losing Games 1 and 2 in our previous match against T1, I had deep discussions with the coaching staff. Furthermore, thanks to feedback on the mistakes from the Gen.G match, an environment was well established to create favorable matchups in the bottom lane as well."
Regarding his altruistic play of supporting the team even while taking early laning losses, Zeus said, "In a best-of series, altruistic play is far more important than individual laning. Unless there's a major accident, I felt it was difficult to make a meaningful difference through laning alone. However, it's a bit regrettable that I couldn't suppress the enemy Vi's pathing more strongly."
When asked about the secret to turning around a game where they were at a disadvantage in the early-to-mid game, he cited teamwork among the players. Zeus assessed, "When we fell behind in the game, we flexibly baited the opponent and fought back, and Kim 'Zeka' Geon-woo played the decisive finisher role magnificently, creating the stepping stone for a comeback."
They did not hide their anticipation for the Grand Finals against Gen.G, taking place the very next day. Regarding the finals, Head Coach Yoon Sung-young stated, "Perfect play is required across all lanes," predicting a 3-1 victory, while Zeus similarly forecasted a 3-1 win, noting, "Gen.G is a team that becomes uncontrollably strong once Jeong 'Chovy' Ji-hoon is allowed to scale freely."
Finally, expressing his resolve for the finals, Head Coach Yoon Sung-young said, "Although preparation time is short, we will do our best to show a great performance tomorrow as well. We ask for a lot of support from the fans." Zeus concluded the interview by pledging, "Last year, since we reached the finals first, it was actually not easy to maintain our match sense through practice. This time, having warmed up sufficiently through today's victory, we will deliver a great match that meets expectations."
