After a season filled with tension, major regions are currently holding ceremonies to summarize the past year of League of Legends in their respective areas. Notably, the LCK Awards 2023 sees a team from the Land of the Morning Calm, T1, excelling as they recently claimed the Worlds championship. Of course, every award ceremony brings its share of controversies, and the LCK Awards 2023 is no exception, especially given the precedents set by this award last year.
The LCK Awards 2023 voting list features players from only three teams: T1, KT, and Gen.G.
This year, the LCK Awards seem to be a competition among just three teams: Gen.G, T1, and KT Rolster. Overall, these are the three teams with the best performances in the LCK this year. However, this raises a significant concern: Any player chosen from these lists is bound to spark controversy. This is because the voting process of the LCK Awards has never been transparent and has led to much frustration. A prime example is Zeka, who only truly stood out from the Quarterfinals of Worlds 2022 but ultimately won the Player of the Year award.
In fact, some fans do not expect T1 to win at the LCK Awards due to the controversial nature of the event. One opinion pointed out the inconsistencies in the lack of transparency regarding the evaluation criteria of the awards: “If you look at the entire year, Cuzz deserves the Jungle Player of the Year title. But if you consider the two LCK finals, it has to be Peanut. While if based on Worlds 2023, it would again be Oner.” This sentiment might also apply broadly to other positions, especially Mid Lane with the presence of Chovy, Faker, and Bdd.
The fatigue of LCK fans and League of Legends fans worldwide regarding the LCK Awards stems from the awards themselves reflecting unfair evaluations in the past. It is quite possible that in 2023, T1 players will find themselves in a situation of being “disregarded” like Zeka did last year after winning the LCK Awards. And at that time, T1 could again be the team receiving the most support from fans.