The recent buzz in the LOL esports world centers on the K Cup held by the LCK, where most powerhouse teams fielded their primary lineups. Many LCK supporters regard this competition as the pinnacle clash between S-series champion mid laners, as every champion mid from S10 through S15 took part as starters. Moreover, numerous viewers used this event to analyze team strength rankings following the LCK transfer window's conclusion.

However, something unexpected happened to many GEN fans: the legendary domestic team GEN lost consecutively to C9 and a Vietnamese team in the K Cup. Ultimately, GEN ended with zero wins and four losses, becoming the first team eliminated from the LCK region. Many GEN fans questioned why mid laner Chovy and AD carry Ruler did not participate. A lot of fans believe that if Chovy and Ruler had played, GEN would have had a real chance at winning the K Cup.

Chovy will be sidelined for one month

Recently, GEN's mid laner Chovy posted a video addressing this issue. He explained that although he was exempt from military service after winning the Asian Games gold medal, he still needed to attend a special training camp simulating military drills. This means he will not represent GEN in any matches for over a month. GEN also revealed that AD carry Ruler will join Chovy in attending this training camp. (Kanavi, who returned to LCK this year, was also reported to undergo a similar one-month military training simulation.)

After Chovy posted his video explaining the suspension, many viewers focused on the hairstyles of Chovy and Ruler. On certain short-video platforms, Chovy's buzz cut quickly topped trending charts. Many female fans praised Chovy's stylish look. Meanwhile, Ruler's new hairstyle scared many LPL viewers, with some admitting that his style perfectly suits a "bully" persona. (Chovy’s popularity on these platforms is huge; no wonder he is called the “Douyin Seiichu”—even a simple haircut lands him at number one.)

Scout’s debut was a crushing defeat

Besides GEN’s shutout elimination, the biggest highlight of this K Cup was the duel between champion mid laners from various teams, especially NS's mid laner Scout, who publicly challenged T1’s Faker before the matches began. Many fans viewed the Scout vs. Faker matchup as the tournament’s main attraction. However, many LOL viewers were disappointed because Scout’s skill level has dropped significantly. While his laning phase was somewhat normal, during team fights, Scout was completely dominated and crushed by Faker. Many LPL fans, seeing Scout’s performance, regretted having previously misjudged him.

Previously, many LPL fans believed Scout’s repeated poor performances were just "acting," aimed at returning to the LCK. But after watching the K Cup, many concluded that Scout has not shown full loyalty to LPL and is no longer a top-tier mid laner. Still, some Scout supporters argue that NS as a team is weaker than T1 overall, so it’s understandable that Scout lost to Faker during team fights. (What do you think—can Scout prove his true strength back in the LCK?)