Gen.G Esports’ loss to TOP Esports in the semifinals of the Mid-Season Cup 2020 LPL – LCK not only marks a milestone highlighting the Korean teams’ inferiority against Chinese representatives but also sets a sorrowful record for LCK fans.
The “clean sweep” defeat with a score of 0-3 for Gen.G Esports yesterday, May 30, 2020, marks a milestone of 2063 days since the last time an LCK representative suffered an “absolute defeat” against an LPL representative in their regional clashes.
Looking back nearly 6 years, the name from LCK that faced a painful defeat similar to Gen.G’s was Najin White Shield – the 3rd seed representative of Korea participating in the 2014 World Championship. In the quarterfinals of that year’s World Cup, a roster featuring familiar names like GorillA, Zefa, and Watch was defeated by the Chinese team – OMG, with a score of 3-0 in a match held on October 6, 2014, marking the first time a Korean team suffered a “3-0” defeat at an international tournament.
In reality, Gen.G’s loss was just in a friendly tournament, but this milestone will undoubtedly remain a painful wound for fans of League of Legends in the Land of the Morning Calm.
At this point, there seems to be no doubt about the status between the two regions, LPL and LCK. However, the losses of LCK teams in the recent tournament are enough to astonish everyone, as there is indeed a skill gap, but the gap is so significant that it is genuinely unexpected.
In the end, LCK is clearly facing a significant challenge, with an urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul in tactical thinking, playstyle, and youth training. In a context where LPL continues to produce high-quality young talents every year, some LCK teams even have to turn to veterans like Smeb to bolster their ranks.
Indeed, LPL cannot yet be compared to LCK in terms of titles, but that is a matter of the past. If they continue to maintain their current playstyle and perfectionist mindset, it won’t be long before LCK is surpassed by LPL.