T1 and Gen.G, which team will compete with China's Bilibili for the championship?
Oct 27, 2024
|
|
Korea's arch enemy in many sports is by far Japan. However, the situation is different in e-sports. China can be said to be Korea's best rival.
In terms of the overall e-sports industry size, investment, and interest, China has already surpassed Korea, but Korea is still superior, at least in terms of skills. In any case, it goes without saying that the two countries continue to have a heated competitive structure and create synergies due to the presence of rivals.
As of the 26th, the final structure between Korea (LCK) and China (LPL) has already been completed regardless of the results of the semifinals, with the '2024 League of Legends World Championship" (Lold Cup) now only one match and the final. In China, No. 1 seed Billy Gaming, which won both the LPL spring and summer season this year, reached the LOL World Cup final for the first time in history, while Korea will play the semifinals on the 27th (Korean time), with LCK Yanggang Gen.G and T1 to determine Billy's opponent in the final.
In the case of the first competition held in 2011, both Korea and China were in the early days of the service of the League of Legends, and considering that even professional teams have not been properly formed yet, there has never been a Korean or Chinese team in the final for 13 years since 2012, which is the first year of the LOL World Cup.
Among them, South Korea has won eight times and finished second six times, while China has won three times and finished second four times to divide the LOL World Cup. In the past, the two countries have faced each other in five finals, showing South Korea's absolute dominance with four wins and one loss. This is the sixth face-to-face meeting this year.
First of all, Billy's rise is not easy, so it is expected to be an easy match. Bilibili was on the verge of being eliminated by losing to LNG and T1 in the same region in the Swiss stage (round of 16), but later survived by winning against PSG and G2. In the quarterfinals, Billibilli, who started the tournament by defeating Hanwha Life e-Sports, which was the No. 1 seed in LCK, 3-1 to win the tournament, shut down Weibo Gaming in the same region 3-0 in the semifinals and ran to the final. As the world's best top liner 'Bin'Cheon Zevin has fully revived, he has completely regained the power of the LPL's strongest team this year.
LCK Fate rivals Gen.G and T1 met again on the way to the LOL World Cup final. T1 is the defending champion and the best player in a recognized international competition, aiming to win the fifth LOL World Cup ever. He only joined the LOL World Cup as LCK's fourth seed, but he is still invoking 'crazy mode' in international matches. In LCK, Gen.G has recently shown a particularly weak appearance, which is a more difficult crisis for T1 than the final. Gen.G's momentum has fallen to the point of reaching the semifinals with a 3-2 victory after struggling with Flyquest, which is considered a weak player in the quarterfinals, so it is a great opportunity to make up for the disappointment in LCK.
Gen.G won his first-ever championship by beating Billy Billy in two consecutive international competitions in the MSI held in May, so he is confident in the final. However, Samsung Galaxy, a full-length team, has won two LOL World Cups, but since it took over the team in 2017 and changed its name to Gen.G, it has only reached the semifinals twice and must overcome the jinx, which has never been on the final stage of the LOL World Cup before meeting Billy. The final match between South Korea and China will be held at the O2 Arena in London, England, on November 2.
bluesky@sportschosun.com
