Golden Road No More: Gen.G Loses to Hanwha Life in LCK Finals

Hanwha Life Esports shattered Gen.G’s golden road dreams by dethroning the reigning champions in the LCK Summer Split finals. The seismic victory ended Gen.G’s two-year reign and marked HLE’s triumphant ascent to LCK supremacy, claiming their first seed at Worlds in thrilling fashion.

2024 marked the second consecutive year that a team came agonizingly close to reaching the elusive Lol grand slam — winning every domestic split and the Mid-Season Invitational — only to be one step off. Last year it was JD Gaming from the LPL, and this time it was Gen.G.

Gen.G’s journey through 2024 has been a spectacular one. After securing the LCK Spring Split and the coveted MSI title, they seemed unstoppable. Heading into the Summer Split finals, they were poised to claim the grand slam that no esports team in League history has long eluded. In a stunning upset, however, HLE secured their first victory over Gen.G on the biggest stage since 2021, ending Gen.G’s two-year dominance of the LCK and earning the region’s first seed at the 2024 World Championship.

Hanwha Life’s journey to the top has been a historic one to watch. After defeating T1 in the semi-finals with a convincing 3-1 victory, HLE entered the Grand Finals with momentum. They delivered precise teamfights while expertly dismantling Gen.G’s attempts at proactive playtimes and times around the dragon pit.

The victory was extra sweet for three players—Doran, Peanut and Delight—because they were all part of Gen.G just a year ago. Now, in an ironic twist of fate, they were the ones to stop their former team’s golden path.

Peanut, HLE’s star jungler, made history with this victory. In the post-match interview, he reflected on his journey, telling how he won his first regional title with ROX Tigers eight years ago—and now he’s the first jungler ever to win seven LCK championships.

On the other hand, his teammate Zeka secured his first-ever LCK title and won the MVP award for his performance in the grand finals. In the post-match interview, he emphasized how his previous struggles against Gen.G’s Chovy, who had an astonishing 16-1 match record against him before this series, were crucial to his growth. “The process of losing to Chovy until today is what made me win today,” Zeka said before thanking his teammates.

For Gen.G, the loss will undoubtedly be a bitter pill to swallow, but their journey is far from over. They will go into Worlds looking to regroup and reclaim their throne on the international stage.

As the 2024 World Championship approaches, fans can expect more drama, surprises, and unforgettable moments. But for now, the LCK belongs to Hanwha Life Esports, the team that put a stop to Gen.G’s golden path.