Source: Riot Games

Hanwha Life Esports has reshaped the upper echelon of the 2026 LCK regular season, climbing to sole possession of first place in Week 5. KT Rolster, who had been on an eight-game winning streak, surrendered the top spot after consecutive losses to Hanwha Life Esports and HanJin Brion, allowing Hanwha Life to reclaim first place on their own merits. Meanwhile, Gen.G defeated Dplus KIA to return to sole possession of third place, establishing a new 'Big Three' dynamic consisting of Hanwha Life Esports, KT Rolster, and Gen.G.

Riot Games announced the results for Week 5 of the 2026 LCK regular season, held at LCK Arena in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from April 29 to May 3. The highlight of the week was Hanwha Life Esports' rise to the top. After defeating the previously undefeated KT Rolster, they went on to secure an eight-game winning streak by avenging their first-round loss to T1 in their second-round matchup.

The stellar performance of Hanwha Life Esports' top-side players was decisive in their recent surge. Top laner 'Zeus' Choi Woo-je displayed overwhelming laning prowess against KT Rolster and secured the team's victory against T1 with a quadra kill. Jungler 'Kanavi' Seo Jin-hyeok also dictated the flow of the games with sharp ganking and organic teamwork, with both players earning 'Player of the Match' (POM) honors for their respective performances.

Having reached the nine-win mark, Hanwha Life Esports ascended to the top spot—a position KT Rolster had held exclusively for four consecutive weeks—thanks to an upset victory by HanJin Brion over KT Rolster.

HanJin Brion, known as the 'giant killers,' shook up the standings with a shutout victory over KT Rolster. In their match on the 3rd, HanJin Brion won 2-0, marking their first winning streak of the season. Bottom laner 'Teddy' Park Jin-seong, who was named POM, exerted influence throughout the game using global ultimate champions and led the team to a decisive victory with precise engagement setups.

HanJin Brion's victory solidified Hanwha Life Esports' hold on first place. The previously undefeated KT Rolster, caught off guard by HanJin Brion following their loss to Hanwha Life Esports, fell to second place (8-2). This established a new 'Big 3' structure of Hanwha Life Esports, KT Rolster, and Gen.G, bringing clarity to a previously congested top-tier race.

Gen.G, which had been a victim of a loss in the first round, successfully took down Dplus KIA this time. In the 'Saturday Showdown' on the 2nd, Gen.G defeated Dplus KIA 2-1, avenging their earlier defeat.

Although Gen.G emerged victorious, the path was not smooth. Gen.G took the initiative in Game 1 behind mid laner 'Chovy' Jeong Ji-hoon's Ryze, but faced a crisis in Game 2 as Dplus KIA mounted a fierce counterattack. However, Gen.G pulled ahead in the final game. Jeong Ji-hoon, who put on a dominant display with only one death across all winning sets, led Gen.G to victory and was named POM. With this, Jeong moved into sole possession of first place in the POM standings with 500 points.

By successfully avenging their loss to Dplus KIA and extending their winning streak to four, Gen.G climbed to 7-3, taking sole possession of third place. As T1, Gen.G, and Dplus KIA were all tied at 5-3 at the end of Week 4, the result of this 'Saturday Showdown' served as a clear watershed moment separating the top and middle tiers. Dplus KIA, whose winning streak was snapped, remains in fifth place with a 6-4 record.