A Korean League of Legends team is the favorite at the first international event of 2025. Who gets the only spot? It’s decided in this match.
Hanwha Life Esports surprises with their performance at LCK Cup 2025. The team had a somewhat tough period during the Group stage: HLE lost two matches back then, to Dplus and Gen.G. But in the Playoffs, Hanwha Life players are in their beast mode! They started by eliminating T1 themselves. Then, HLE avenged their group stage losses by defeating both Gen.G and Dplus.
It feels like a special power of this team is to win best-of-five (Bo5) sets with the fearless draft. Their final picks certainly work great. Could this be the case in the LCK Cup 2025 grand final as well?
Gen.G Esports are certainly eager to win this match. Not only is this the way to qualify for the new League of Legends international tournament, First Stand, but it also is a personal revenge. Could they prove that the previous loss to HLE was simply a hiccup?
Everything about the main match of the LCK Cup 2025 between Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G Esports is here: the stream, live score, info on Сhampions, some details, and a brief recap.
Where to watch the LCK Cup 2025 grand final, HLE vs Gen.G?
The stream of this match is embedded below, so you can watch the LCK Cup 2025 grand final right here. Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G Esports played on Feb. 23.
Hanwha Life vs Gen.G: Live Score
Only victory can satisfy these teams! Even as a major region, Korea has only one slot at LoL First Stand 2025. Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G Esports have a Bo5 match to determine who gets this spot. For the losers, this competitive chapter ends here.
HLE 3:2 Gen.G — Hanwha Life Esports win the series
Game | Winners |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hanwha Life Esports |
| 2 | Gen.G Esports |
| 3 | Hanwha Life Esports |
| 4 | Gen.G Esports |
| 5 | Hanwha Life Esports |
Banned LoL Champions
Game | HLE bans | Gen.G bans |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rumble, Poppy, K'Sante, Jax, Renekton | Skarner, Kalista, Jayce, Rell, Rakan |
| 2 | Skarner, Kalista, Jayce, Jinx, Lulu | Maokai, Galio, Varus, Xayah, Rakan |
| 3 | Aurora, Sylas, Varus, Lulu, Jax | Skarner, Kalista, Jayce, Smolder, Gnar |
| 4 | Skarner, Kalista, Jayce, Jax, Sett | Nocturne, Wukong, Aurora, Pyke, Olaf |
| 5 | Lillia, Aurora, Jax, Kindred, Ryze | Skarner, Kalista, Jayce, Anivia, Olaf |
Picked Champions
HLE picks | Hanwha Life Esports | Position | Gen.G Esports | Gen.G picks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camille (G1) K'Sante (G2) Aatrox (G3) Gnar (G4) Gwen (G5) | Zeus | Top | Kiin | Mordekaiser (G1) Rumble (G2) Vayne (G3) Sion (G4) Ornn (G5) |
| Sejuani (G1) Xin Zhao (G2) Maokai (G3) Zyra (G4) Wukong (G5) | Peanut | Jungler | Canyon | Nidalee (G1) Vi (G2) Lee Sin (G3) Karthus (G4) Trundle (G5) |
| Yone (G1) Azir (G2) Ahri (G3) Sylas (G4) Viktor (G5) | Zeka | Mid | Chovy | Ambessa (G1) Taliyah (G2) Galio (G3) Viego (G4) Aurelion Sol (G5) |
| Kai'Sa (G1) Ashe (G2) Miss Fortune (G3) Jhin (G4) Caitlyn (G5) | Viper | Bot | Ruler | Ezreal (G1) Corki (G2) Zeri (G3) Varus (G4) Jinx (G5) |
| Alistar (G1) Poppy (G2) Rell (G3) Pantheon (G4) Karma (G5) | Delight | Support | Duro | Leona (G1) Nautilus (G2) Rakan (G3) Bard (G4) Lulu (G5) |
Match recap
Hanwha Life Esports totally proved their might in Bo5 games. Patience and clever draft picks were their power again.
The match was strongly in favor of the Blue side team. It feels like Gen.G just got the wrong sequence. However, their mistakes in game 1 did not let Gen.G Esports be better.
Game 5 was, in a way, the definition of cautious play in LCK Cup 2025. It was long farming from both sides. Is this how Korean teams play League of Legends now? Hanwha Life Esports benefited from that style more, so they celebrated the victory.
Hanwha Life Esports are the LCK Cup 2025 Champions. They advance to the LoL First Stand event.
“LCK Cup 2025 is the first tournament after I changed the team. I thought it would be more difficult, but things went really well. I did not expect to win it at all. But here we are, holding the trophy. So, I’m really glad and happy. I want to keep this momentum going, and I wish we can win the First Stand as well.”
Game 1
The game was a rollercoaster: both teams had their periods of advantage. Sure, only one could destroy the Nexus in the end.
Gen.G started the game with successful pressure all over the map and an early kill on Top. HLE returned that kill back very quickly.
An even game continued for a while, but then Hanwha Life Esports collapsed on their opponents and earned a few impressive kills. Gen.G wasn’t out of this game just yet. Hanwha Life obviously overstepped after stealing a Dragon, and they were wiped after a team fight. Gen.G secured Atakhan and started a new wave of pressure.
With a Dragon fight, it was the turn of HLE to succeed. They got the objectives and kills. After a period of slow action, HLE went for their third Dragon while Gen.G killed Baron. HLE was quick to rotate to the Baron pit to start a fight and win it. HLE did not let the opponents recover this time. They started a siege and demolished the base of Gen.G.
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Game 2
This time, Gen.G played on the blue side, and their early game looked pretty solid. The players tried to build a foundation for the future action. HLE generally followed a similar plan, but they had very little chances of succeeding.
The teams exchanged kills, but Gen.G were ahead with objectives: three Drakes, six Voidgrubs, and Rift Herald. In game 2, Gen.G Esports' synchronization was better and they made fewer mistakes. They effectively pushed on all the lanes to increase their advantage, and they took down the turrets one after another.
Atakhan was a nice addition to Gen.G’s set of objectives. Following their classic style, Gen.G players pressured cautiously, avoiding overextension. That was pretty successful, as the defense of HLE fell apart slowly. Gen.G secured a Soul, earned an Ace, and just won the game.
Game 3
Hanwha Life Esports started strong, with two early kills and generally aggressive pressure. That beginning led to a one-sided game 3.
The teams exchanged early objectives: three Voidgrubs for HLE and the first Dragon for Gen.G. Random kills were happening across the map — all in favor of Hanwha Life. They got the rest of Voidgrubs, Rift Herald, and two Dragons.
Gen.G somehow managed to survive one massive team fight, but another one happened soon, and HLE earned an Ace in it. Hanwha Life Esports did not wait for Baron. They started a siege, delivered some kills, and destroyed the Nexus.
Game 4
Again, a team on the blue side got an early advantage. Gen.G used a mistake by HLE to earn the First Kill and go slightly ahead with gold.
After a slow laning phase, the teams fought the second pack of Voidgrubs. HLE and GEN.G got three each, but Gen.G killed more opponents. The next fight, around a Dragon, made the power balance even.
Hanwha Life Esports started finding random kills around the map, but Gen.G waited for proper moments to respond. Gen.G secured Atakhan and Baron, and that was their period to shine. They finished it with a destroyed Nexus.
The LCK Cup 2025 grand final HLE vs Gen.G reached the decisive game 5.
Game 5
Even if HLE got the first blood, the early game still was pretty even. The teams were focused on farming and growing the power of their Champions.
At a later point, HLE had three Dragons, and Gen.G secured the Atakhan buff. Still, having one kill at minute 25 is insane! The game was pretty slow: Hanwha Life and Gen.G were very cautious.
Gen.G denied a Dragon Soul from HLE, and after that short fight, the teams returned to farming.
HLE secured Baron, and Gen.G couldn’t do too much in that fight. Hanwha Life earned a couple more kills and destroyed some structures — before getting an Ocean Soul and another Baron. With these buffs, they started a siege, a very cautious one. Only after destroying all the Inhibitors, HLE approached the Nexus and rushed for the final fight. This effort paid off and they were crowned the LCK Cup 2025
Head-to-head beyond the LCK Cup 2025
The international success of Gen.G Esports is certain. The team won the LoL MSI 2024 and reached the top 4 at Worlds 2024. Hanwha Life Esports did not even qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational 2024, and they finished the World Championship 2024 5th-6th.
At the Swiss Stage of League of Legends Worlds 2024, Gen.G defeated Hanwha Life with 2:1.
As for the regional tournament, not everything has gone Gen.G’s way recently. Even before the LCK Cup 2025, this team got smashed by the unexpected power of HLE.
In the grand final of LCK Summer 2024, Gen.G were the favorites against Hanwha Life. However, HLE did not give up when the opponents reached the match point, and they won that tournament.
That bitter experience and the loss at the LCK Cup 2025 Round 3 may make Gen.G fans somewhat worried. But the way their team destroyed Dplus KIA in the lower final creates hope.
The LoL event First Stand 2025 features the best teams from five major regions. It happens from March 10 to March 16. After that, there will be just a little break before the teams return to regional competitions — to battle for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2025 qualification.
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