Play-in Matches for the Korean League of Legends Tournament – LCK Cup 2025
The Play-in stage of the LCK Cup 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 7 to February 9 at LCK Arena in Seoul.
The fourth-week Play-in round of LCK Cup 2025 will run from February 7 to February 9 at LCK Arena, Seoul. Following an intense group stage, only six teams remain in contention for a Playoff berth. Meanwhile, three powerhouses—Dplus KIA, Gen.G, and KT Rolster—have secured direct advancement to the next stage thanks to the Elder Group’s dominant 16-9 victory over the Baron Group.
T1 and Hanwha Life Await Their Opponents, DRX to Face DN Freaks Again
The remaining six teams will battle for the final two Playoff slots. Based on group stage performances, T1 and Hanwha Life Esports locked in the first and second seeds, respectively, earning direct passage to Play-in Round 2. Meanwhile, the other four teams—DRX, Nongshim RedForce, OK Savings Bank BRION, and DN Freaks—will begin in Round 1, where they will compete in a BO3 (best-of-three) single-elimination format.
One of the most anticipated matchups in Round 1 is the rematch between DRX and DN Freaks. In their previous encounter, DRX secured a victory despite the absence of their key ADC, "Teddy" Park Jin-sung. Now, with Teddy returning to the roster, he will face off against DN Freaks’ rising star, "Berserker" Kim Min-chul. The outcome of this match could prove crucial in shaping both teams’ journeys in LCK Cup 2025.
The other Round 1 clash between Nongshim RedForce and OK Savings Bank BRION is equally unpredictable. While Nongshim previously defeated BRION 2-0 in the group stage, BRION shocked the competition by taking down Gen.G, one of the tournament's strongest teams. This makes their upcoming battle a must-watch as both sides aim to advance.
Fearless Draft and Champion Pool Battles
The LCK Cup 2025 continues to utilize the Fearless Draft system—a distinctive pick-ban format where champions selected in a series cannot be picked again until the series concludes. This unique mechanic leads to an increasing number of unavailable champions as the series progresses:
- In a BO3 series, up to 30 champions may be removed from play if all three games are played.
- In a BO5 series, as many as 50 champions could be banned, nearly one-third of the game’s 170 total champions.
With this special restriction in effect, teams must rely on a deeper champion pool and flexible strategies. During the group stage, this system led to the appearance of several rarely seen champions, including Udyr, Urgot, Tryndamere, and Anivia, setting the stage for an unpredictable Play-in round ahead.