Frokat
LCK 2022 Playoffs are nearing their culmination. The grand final of the first half of the regional competition is scheduled 2nd of April, featuring a long-awaited matchup of the two greatest teams of the region. The teams will clash for the title of the champions in a best of five format, with the winner qualifying for the 2022 Mid-season invitational. The stakes are great, and the rivalry is greater: will T1 manage to pull off a perfect 20-0 run? Will GEN.G reclaim their glory in a fair matchup?
With the LCK Spring Season and Playoffs main matches coming to a wrap, there’s but a single matchup to decide the ultimate winner of 2022 LCK Season. This year has been a joy to watch so far, with the promised cut-throat competitiveness proven to be more than just a prediction. So, before we dive into the long-awaited cliffhanger, let’s take a look at the teams that made this season this exciting. It wouldn’t be the same without them, that’s for sure.
T1
Make no mistake, with their 2022 Spring Season performance, T1 has already claimed their spot in League’s esports history. With a spotless 18-0 performance, T1 breaks two records at once: they’re the first ones to achieve a flawless split, and the first ones to break the record of a 14-match long win streak… Previously held by themselves in a form of SK Telecom T1. Which is pretty telling when it comes to T1’s reputation as a decades-old esports dynasty spanning tens of lineups across different titles.
T1 meticulously defeat Kwangdong Freecs in a 3-0 series to advance to the 2022 Spring Finals@T1LoL #LCK pic.twitter.com/Rtqxra3yHj
— KORIZON (@KorizonEsports) March 26, 2022
As T1 fell another competitor, Kwandong Freecs, on their way to the LCK champion title, they have the only path ahead of them: the path of a flawless LCK Season run. And, boy, the opposite of this happening seems almost laughably unlikely (I sure do hope I didn’t jinx them).
All of this was made possible by T1 composition. In the 2022 Season, it seems that T1 stands as the most well-rounded team – and, for sure, it’s quite easy to say that about a team that is currently 19-0. Seriously though, it’s true – there’s not a player on the team who’s getting “carried” – everyone is pulling their weight, taking games, and making names.
For T1 Zeus, we’ve seen a rookie transform into the fiercest competitor at a break-neck pace. While there’s little doubt in T1’s affinity to scout the best of the best for their main roster, the player’s mental and confidence are always uncharted territory. And Zeus has passed this test with flying colors, displaying his ability to play strong- and weakside depending on his team’s needs with unbreakable mental. Plus, pulling out one of his out-of-meta favorites – Kennen – during LCK semi-finals takes balls!
In the current meta, a team’s jungler is the link that binds the entire roster and its game plan together. The jungler’s performance is make or break – just like in Solo Queue! Just kidding, of course, because when it comes to LCK, it’s quite a bit harder to perform. In fact, the importance of a competent jungler is so high in professional games that it spawns numerous strategies and picks for the sole reason of backing the jungler up – think of Renekton, whose main strength in comp games is setting up ganks with point-and-click CC.
In this kind of environment, only the strongest – both skill-wise and mentally – can withstand the pressure weighing them down. For T1 Oner, he’s built different – not only does he bear it, he thrives in it. A strong contender for the #1 Jungler of LCK, Oner is known for his playstyle favoring daring dive champions like Jarvan 4 – and his mastery of Lee Sin is only matched by Canyon.
Photo by: Korizon.
T1’s midlane needs no introduction. Undisputedly the face of League of Legends esports, Faker remains one of the most skilled midlaners in the world. Highly renowned for his mechanical prowess, Faker also brings years of experience, as well as untiltable mental – and anyone who has ever watched him play Alt-F4 and Jump King can attest to that. If Oner is the glue that binds the team together on the fields of the Rift, Faker does the same outside the game – after all, respecting your elders is a big thing in Korea. Years of experience result in Faker’s hand being firmly on the meta’s pulse – he was among the first to realize the full potential of Vex and soft-reworked Ahri on the professional scene, after all.
While T1’s top, jungle, and midlane are all incredibly strong, individually, the players can all meet their match in their LCK and LPL counterparts. The same can not be said about T1’s botlane – and considering that LCK 2022 is probably as stacked as it can possibly be botlane-wise, it makes it all the more impressive.
T1’s Gumayusi rightfully takes the spotlight as the best ADC of the split. For sure, arguments can be made that ADC – or, as you’re supposed to call it nowadays, botlaners – is the most team-demanding role in the game, so looking at individual stats doesn’t make sense. Which is true, but still, watching Guma’s aggressive positioning perfectly complement the team’s triple-threat comp is a joy. No wonder Gumayusi has broken the LCK record of the most kills in a single split – surpassing another of the legendary Korean botlaners, Ruler.
Saving the best for last, we have T1 Keria. Known for his incredible consistency during the 2021 Season, Keria went into overdrive in 2022. Rightfully named the MVP of 2022 Spring Split, Keria gaps the world of LCK supports so hard it’s hardly believable. Just like his right-hand botlaner, Gumayusi, Keria also makes a name for himself by breaking the record of most assists scored in a single split, previously held by another of T1 (SKT) supports, Wolf.
GEN.G
A menacing force on the LCK landscape, GEN.G finally gets a real matchup against T1 we’ve all waited for so long. After the COVID restriction denying the team a fair shot at the №1 spot not once, but twice, the frustration comes to an end as the two giants finally clash on a befitting stage.
Gen.G perseveres through a dire last game to close out the series 3-2 against DWG KIA, securing their spot in the 2022 Spring Finals.@GenG #LCK pic.twitter.com/qb4ZvIOxtP
— KORIZON (@KorizonEsports) March 27, 2022
While T1 advance to the final in a show of force after crushing Kwandong Freecs 3-0, GEN.G’s path was carved with sweat and blood. A stunning best-of-5 against DAMWON almost knocked Gen.G on their butts one step away from the grand final. While the match was a pristine piece of entertainment for the fans, Gen.G’s victory can be described as shaky at best. Of course, the competitors’ power levels were incredibly evenly matched, with DAMWON historically being one of the main competitors for the №1 spot.
Individually, Gen.G roster’s players are all among the most skilled in the world – and, in many cases, they are the best in their role. That’s not to say they’re disorganized on a team level – far from it. With the core of the team – Doran, Chovy, and Lehends – united by their glorious Griffin legacy, the team’s cohesion leaves nobody questioning it.
Starting off with Gen’s toplaner, Doran. Or, rather, Lord Doran, as his popularity and meme-ability increased steadily over his – quite long-standing, might I add – professional career. Despite being a new acquisition for Gen.G’s roster, Doran’s quick adaptability made him a brilliant pickup for the team.
A little blast for the past: Lord Doran in action.
GEN Peanut is one of the longest-standing professional players. Beginning his career all the way back in 2014, Peanut has seen action in the ranks of many a top-tier team, including the titans such as ROX Tigers, SKT T1, Kingzone DragonX, as well as even going as far as to venture outside his home region. All the experience baggage makes him a perfect pick for a team of Gen.G’s caliber.
Midlane has always been the face of League. It’s no wonder it’s so popular: combining the understanding of both micro and macro, the role’s skill ceiling is seemingly the sky. And when it comes to the best regions in the world, the amount of skill required to succeed in this role is daunting. Not for Gen.G’s Chovy – ever since his appearance on the competitive radar, he has firmly established himself as one of best – if not outright the best – midlaner of the region. The fact that he has to compete with the likes of ShowMaker, Faker, and Bdd for that title makes it all the more impressive.
The main battle for the title of the best players of the region is going to happen on botlane. Yes, I know, I did call T1 the best already – but to err is human, and whether that assertion was an error is yet to be seen.
Photo by: Korizon.
Indeed, it’s hard to make conclusions about who’s the best when the competition is so fierce – especially when Gen.G’s Ruler enters the equation. His performance during the 2017 Season World Championship played a dramatic role in his team lifting the Champions’ Cup – after all, he didn’t earn the title of the event’s MVP for nothing. With the world-class title and years of experience under his belt, Ruler is definitely one of the fiercest competitors for the title of the best ADC in LCK – and the entire world. Knowing this, it’s no wonder he was the main element the entire Gen.G current roster was built around.
In this matchup, toppling Keria for the battle of the best support of the region seems like an almost insurmountable task. To achieve it, you’ll need careful prep and some clever tricks up your sleeve – and, thankfully, Gen.G’s Lehends is known to be adept at both these things. Always known for his unorthodox picks and strategies (like Elise support, for example), Lehends isn’t scared to bust them out on the biggest stage. Striking fear into his enemies – and teammates, most likely – with picks like Singed support, you can never think of Lehends as of a solved equation.
The final showdown
Kicking off on 2nd April 10:00 CET, the grand-final match between T1 and Gen.G will wrap up the first split of LCK 2022 Spring. The stakes are higher than ever: for T1, just one match separates them from a flawless, record-breaking run. For Gen.G, their honor is at stake: after COVID denied their players a fair shot at beating their #1 nemesis, they’ve earned themselves a spot in this epic final confrontations. So, do not, under any circumstances, skip this battle. Trust me, it will be worth it.
