This weekend witnessed the conclusion of three regional League of Legends competitions, one of which was the South Korean Road to MSI event. The tournament was structured to select two teams that will serve as the LCK's delegate at the Mid-Season event Invitational and secure a place at the Esports World Cup. Notably, its format stands apart from the formats found in most other regions.
Unlike the conventional knockout bracket that culminates in a grand final, this event featured a final round resembling a last-chance scenario. In this round, the team that lost in the upper bracket final had one final opportunity by facing the remaining team from the knockout stage for an MSI slot. In other words, instead of setting up a match between the winners of the upper and lower brackets—potentially repeating an earlier encounter—the teams already qualified for the grand final moved forward to MSI regardless.
- After a 3-1 victory by Hanwha Life over T1 in the upper bracket final, Hanwha Life clinched the first MSI spot along with an Esports World Cup ticket.
- T1, having been relegated to the lower bracket, showed resilience by narrowly defeating Gen.G with a 3-2 score.
- This win allowed T1 to join Hanwha Life at MSI in the weeks ahead.
The event demonstrated high stakes and intense competition, underscoring both the unpredictable nature of esports tournaments and the determination of the teams involved. Both Hanwha Life and T1 have now secured their paths to the upcoming MSI, setting the stage for further high-profile contests on a global level.
