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Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) shocked the League of Legends world by defeating Gen.G 3-2 in the grand final of the LCK 2024 Summer Split to claim their first regional title.
This upset ended Gen.G’s golden road, securing HLE the top seed from Korea for the 2024 League of Legends World Championship.
🏆 WOORI BANK 2024 #LCK SUMMER CHAMPIONS: @HLEofficial 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YB1DYl9MgD
— LCK (@LCK) September 8, 2024
Gen.G had been a powerhouse throughout 2024, built around the incredible talent of Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon.
They won the LCK Spring title and dominated the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), defeating Bilibili Gaming.
Gen.G’s 17-1 record in the LCK Summer Split made them the overwhelming favourites to complete the rare and coveted LoL grand slam—winning both domestic splits and MSI.
In the upper bracket final, they handily beat HLE 3-1, reinforcing their dominance and seemingly cruising towards another title.
HLE, meanwhile, had steadily improved over the course of the year.
Though they finished third in the spring behind T1, they showed progress throughout the season, culminating in a strong playoff run.
HLE even defeated Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and T1 in the lower bracket to earn another chance at Gen.G in the grand final.
Despite their resurgence, HLE entered the series as underdogs, with Gen.G heavily favoured to complete the golden road.
HLE took the first blow, winning a tightly contested first game.
Gen.G responded in championship form, taking the next two games and putting themselves on the verge of another title.
But HLE roared back, decisively winning the fourth game to force a game five.
In the deciding match, Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo’s Yone dominated Chovy’s Corki in the midlane, securing HLE’s victory and the 2024 LCK Summer Championship.
Zeka’s performance earned him the Finals MVP title, marking his first LCK championship.
🏅 Congratulations to the Woori Bank 2024 #LCK Summer FINALS MVP, Zeka! 🏅 pic.twitter.com/b3Cn3PtBJf
— LCK (@LCK) September 8, 2024
The victory was especially poignant for HLE’s Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, and Yoo “Delight” Hwan-joong—three players who had been part of Gen.G just a year earlier.
In a twist of fate, they were the ones to halt Gen.G’s golden road.
Peanut, now HLE’s star jungler, made history by becoming the first jungler to win seven LCK championships.
Reflecting on his journey in a post-match interview, he recalled winning his first title eight years ago with ROX Tigers.
Zeka, in his first LCK title win, acknowledged how his past struggles against Chovy—who held a dominant 16-1 record against him before this series—had fueled his growth.
“The process of losing against Chovy up until this day is what allowed me to win today,” he remarked.
For Gen.G, this loss ended their dreams of a perfect year.
However, their journey is far from over.
As they set their sights on LoL Worlds 2024, they will aim to regroup and reclaim their status on the international stage.
Despite the bitter defeat, Gen.G’s spring and summer dominance still cements them as a formidable force.
This upset marked the second consecutive year that a team came tantalisingly close to achieving the elusive grand slam—last year it was JD Gaming from the LPL, and this time, Gen.G.
Their defeat underscores the unpredictability and excitement of competitive League of Legends.
With the LCK Regional Finals on the horizon, teams like T1 will now battle for the remaining Worlds spots.
But for now, the LCK crown belongs to Hanwha Life Esports, who dethroned the reigning champions in a dramatic, unforgettable series.
As the 2024 World Championship approaches, fans can expect even more surprises, upsets, and electrifying moments on the international stage.
