DWG KIA and DragonX are both traditional teams in the LCK, having once lifted the trophy in Korea’s premier League of Legends tournament. However, that is a story of the past, as DRX is now just a name. The former champions of the LCK Summer 2017 and LCK Spring 2018 currently sit at the bottom of the standings this summer, with only one win and eleven losses (as of before today’s match).
With an opponent that poses virtually no resistance, despite their declining form, the reigning Korean champions DWG KIA still had the upper hand to crush their opponent, much like they did in the LCK Summer Finals 2020.
In fact, DRX showed complete inferiority against their opponent, losing 0-2 without winning a single game, both matches failing to even reach the 30-minute mark. In the second match, Coach kkOma’s team shocked the LCK audience by unexpectedly bringing Trundle to the mid lane.
This is the very first time in the history of the Korean League of Legends tournament that Trundle has been chosen in this role. However, the course of the match indicated that this was not a ‘troll game’ move or a sign of disrespect from DK, but rather a calculated decision.
DRX’s early reveal of the two solo lane champions, Irelia and Renekton, made it easy for DK to counter. Whether it’s Irelia or Renekton, Trundle holds a favorable matchup against both champions. Moreover, picking Trundle in DK’s fourth pick left DRX with no clue, as this champion can be played in almost any role aside from AD carry (Keria from T1 even brought Trundle back to the support position).
Thanks in part to DK’s high-level ban/pick phase and partly due to DRX’s weakness, Trundle in the hands of ShowMaker delivered a flawless performance. DK’s mid-laner achieved a KDA of 4/1/11, showcasing overwhelming strength and durability, helping his team annihilate their opponent in just under 24 minutes of gameplay.
