The 2025 Woori Bank League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Playoffs enter their second week Wednesday with high stakes and storylines shaping the road to Inspire Arena. Following early surprises — kt Rolster’s victory over Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports’ win against T1 — fans are watching to see if the drama continues. The four-day slate runs Sept. 17-18 and Sept. 20-21 at LoL Park in Seoul, with direct tickets to the Finals, World Championship qualification and elimination on the line.

The winners bracket final on Saturday pits Hanwha Life Esports against kt Rolster, with the victor advancing straight to the Grand Finals. Hanwha, the reigning champion after toppling Gen.G in 2024, is seeking its first direct Finals berth since joining the league in 2018. Momentum favors them after a decisive sweep of T1, but kt Rolster carries its own weight of history. The organization has not appeared in an LCK Final since 2018, when current head coach Go “Score” Dong-bin led them as a player. A return now would mark a full-circle moment for the franchise.

Head-to-head data complicates predictions. Hanwha leads 5-1 in 2025 matches, though kt swept both previous best-of-five series. With playoff pressure often outweighing regular season form, Saturday’s clash is seen as too close to call.

Who Survives the Losers Bracket?

The losers bracket opens Wednesday with DPlus KIA facing BNK FEARX. While Dplus holds a historic edge, FEARX closed the regular season strong, making the match unpredictable. The winner will meet T1 on Thursday, where the last available World Championship berth is at stake. For T1, back-to-back defending Worlds champions, elimination here would mean missing the international stage entirely.

Sunday’s Losers Round 3 brings Gen.G back into play after their Week 1 upset. Already qualified for Worlds, Gen.G must win to avoid entering as Korea’s fourth seed — a placement that forces a risky play-in series against China’s fourth seed. The victor moves one step closer to Inspire Arena and a shot at the Finals.

Playoffs matches stream live on SOOP, Naver Esports & Game, and the LCK YouTube channel, starting at 5 p.m. KST on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends. Tickets are available through Interpark 48 hours before each match.