Gen.G lifted the LCK trophy after a dominant three-one victory over Hanwha Life Esports in the 2025 Spring Playoffs Grand Final. Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk delivered one of the most clutch ADC performances in recent memory, repeatedly stealing crucial objectives from HLE without even having smite.
The series started with Gen.G asserting control through superior teamfighting. Ruler immediately set the tone in Game one, pumping out massive damage while maintaining perfect positioning in late-game fights. Despite some early objective trading, Gen.G’s execution around dragons and baron proved too clean for HLE to handle.
Game two saw HLE secure an early Dragon Soul, but it meant nothing against Gen.G’s teamfight prowess. Heo “Chovy” Seung-hoon‘s Cassiopeia became a zoning nightmare, using Miasma to trap HLE members and deny their escape routes. Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo‘s Akali tried to find flanks but kept getting caught out of position, often dying with both Flash and ultimate available.
HLE managed to steal Game three when Gen.G drafted what many called an “unplayable” composition. Even Ruler’s Ziggs couldn’t save them as HLE’s superior engage tools finally clicked. The two-one scoreline gave HLE hope, but it wouldn’t last long.
Duro reels in the title
Game four turned into what fans called “a battle of the hooks,” and rookie support Kim “Duro” Tae-wan won it decisively. His Blitzcrank found the perfect grab on Zeka’s Viktor at a crucial moment, basically handing Gen.G the championship on a silver platter. Ruler continued his objective-stealing spree, somehow last-hitting multiple dragons and a baron away from Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu’s smite attempts.
The top lane told its own story throughout the series. Kim “Kiin” Gi-in completely outclassed Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, who struggled with positioning and itemization choices. Zeus’s Game four performance was particularly rough, getting caught repeatedly and failing to land meaningful Ornn ultimates when HLE needed them most.
While Han “Peanut” Wang-ho gave HLE strong early games with his pathing and objective control, the team couldn’t convert these advantages into wins. Their mid-to-late game execution crumbled under pressure, with Zeka’s positioning issues becoming a recurring theme. Park “Viper” Do-hyeon showed flashes of brilliance but couldn’t match Ruler’s consistent impact across the series.
This victory likely secures Gen.G the LCK’s first seed at Worlds 2025, continuing their dominant year after winning MSI. For HLE, the loss stings, but they should still qualify through championship points. The superteam experiment showed promise but ultimately fell short against Gen.G’s perfectly balanced roster.
