The LCK intra-league battle has begun! GEN faces off against HLE! This might be Peanut's final dance!

The 2025 League of Legends World Championship quarterfinals are about to begin. During the draw, the LPL region had the best fortune: AL was matched with the underperforming T1 in the upper bracket, meaning beating T1 would secure a spot in the finals. TES drew G2, probably their most favorable opponent. So no matter what, two LPL teams will be defending against T1! Regardless of the outcome, they are giving their all to break through this LPL “wall”! On the other side, CFO got KT, which is less fortunate, with three LCK teams in the lower bracket. GEN and HLE are set for an intra-league clash, kicking off the quarterfinals. Who will break through and advance to the semifinals first?

Both teams have strong reasons to advance. GEN’s Chovy has been lying low for years, relentlessly chasing the answer he seeks! He has already dominated the LCK era and won back-to-back MSI titles internationally. Now the Worlds opportunity is right before him — just three BO5 series away from fulfilling his dream, and he won’t give up. HLE’s Peanut, who rose to fame with ROX and returned to his old home HLE, may have a new team logo, but his charismatic face and original passion remain unchanged! After this year, he will begin military service, which means his professional career will pause, and his return will likely be in another role, not as a player. If he loses this match, it will be his farewell battle, his final professional dance!

Looking at recent form, GEN has shown clear dominance over HLE. Except during the first split’s lane swap meta when GEN lost to HLE, they have mostly been superior! The top lane matchup between Kiin and Zeus is evenly matched in skill, but Kiin is more consistent. Chovy dominates Zeka with ease, especially since Zeka is currently out of form. In the jungle, Peanut is in better shape than Canyon. The bottom lane duel is balanced: Viper is strong in lane, while Ruler excels in team fights. My prediction is GEN will likely win. If they get past HLE, their next destination could be Chengdu!