DK, T1 promise to put on a show at LCK Summer Split finals

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DK, T1 promise to put on a show at LCK Summer Split finals

Published: 24 Aug. 2021, 17:23

The 2021 League of Legends Champions Korea Summer Split Finals will be played this Saturday at the CJ ENM Studio in Ilsan, Gyeonggi. [RIOT GAMES]

With the 2021 League of Legends Champions Korea Summer Split finals rapidly approaching, an official pre-finals press conference was held on Tuesday afternoon.

The event featured head coach Kim "kkOma" Jeong-gyun and mid laner Heo "ShowMaker" Su from DWG KIA, and interim head coach Son "Stardust" Seok-hee and mid laner Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok from T1.

While DWG KIA — who have won the past two domestic titles and are gunning for a threepeat — are considered the favorites, this is their first LCK final since losing their sheen of invulnerability at the Mid-Season Invitational this May. A loss would not qualify as a massive upset.

T1 also have hardly been a paragon of consistency this summer split, but their form has drastically improved since the mid-July firing of their main coaching duo of Yang "Daeny" Dae-in and Lee "Zefa" Jae-min. As their potential ceiling as a team is as high as any, the finals are expected to be competitive.

All four participants were keen to respect their opponents. ShowMaker and Faker chose each other as the opponent they were most wary about, with both exchanging gracious pleasantries and hoping to put on a match of the highest caliber.

Stardust said he was looking out for DWG KIA's world-class duo of ShowMaker and Kim "Canyon" Gun-bu, while kkOma acknowledged the strength of T1's bottom lane.

As for which bot laner would partner with all-pro support Ryu "Keria" Min-seok for the finals — Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung was the undisputed starter in the latter half of the regular season, but Park "Teddy" Jin-sung returned to the lineup for the postseason and put on impeccable displays — Stardust said an internal decision would be made soon.

Many reporters were keen to nudge Faker and kkOma into hyping up their 10th-title showdown, as both legends currently hold nine LCK titles, but the two deftly sidestepped all questions of that vein.

To his former mid laner, kkOma offered: "I hope you always stay healthy, have lots of things to smile about, and only have good things happen to you." Faker replied by wishing kkOma good health as well, and hoped to put on a "good series in the finals regardless of who wins."

The 2021 LCK Summer Split Finals will be played this Saturday at the CJ ENM Studio in Ilsan, Gyeonggi.

BY JEON YOUNG-JAE [jeon.youngjae@joongang.co.kr]