Dplus KIA fell 1-2 to kt Rolster in their 2026 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) regular season Round 1 match held at LoL PARK in Jongno on the 15th. After taking the first set with a clean performance, Dplus KIA opted for an extremely aggressive, tankless composition in the second set, attempting to disrupt their opponent through side-lane pressure rather than formal teamfights, but they were unable to secure the win. In the third set, they ultimately saw a favorable game slip away as they were overturned by kt Rolster’s resilient play.

After the match, Head Coach Kim Dae-ho remarked, "It's a very disappointing day to end with a loss," while 'Smash' Shin Geum-jae assessed the day's performance by saying, "After winning the first set, we could have won the second and third as well, so it's a shame we let the victory slip away."

When asked about the reasons for the loss, Kim replied, "There were many mishaps early on, and some bad luck as well. In the second set, in particular, Yorick and Hwei were stronger than we anticipated. Still, the direction and approach were very good, making it an enjoyable game, though it was a disappointing loss. In the third set, we didn't need to make things difficult for ourselves, but because the players were constantly looking for high-risk, high-reward plays, they ended up complicating situations that could have been easy, which led to the loss."

He continued, "Looking at it objectively, I think they played well overall. However, many of our players still need more experience, and it's important for them to internalize these moments. Since it ended in a loss, the key now is to ensure they properly absorb the lessons from today."

Looking ahead to Friday's match against T1, Kim said, "If we play well, we can definitely win. If we don't, we could just as easily suffer a hollow defeat." 'Smash' concluded the interview by adding, "I think we'll only win if we play well, and since we have a short turnaround, we need to prepare thoroughly."