Preface: The S15 season's matches have ended completely, and most players have surely paid attention to the recent confrontations. The LPL's Demacia Cup has been quite intense, now entering the knockout stage. The match between IG and TES surprised many fans because, from the public's perspective, TES was expected to be stronger. After losing several key players, IG had basically become a mid-tier team. However, IG defeated TES 3-1 to reach the semifinals. What caught attention was TES’s official international account posting the match report as TES 1:3 Gen, showing they really wanted to break the 15-game losing streak.

TES officially dreams of ending LCK’s fifteen-game losing streak

Most players are quite familiar with TES. As a financially strong team in the LPL, their popularity rose significantly after acquiring the AD carry, JackeyLove. In recent years, TES has maintained a high level of competition, regularly participating in world-class tournaments. This season, they even won the first split championship of the LPL. Although their international results were not outstanding, it’s undeniable that TES remains a strong contender domestically. After the World Championship, TES’s international performance also drew considerable attention.

Throughout the entire year, TES faced LCK teams in 12 matches and lost all of them without winning a single game. The losses include 0-2 to Gen.G, 0-2 to KT, 0-3 and 0-2 to HLE, and a 0-3 semifinal defeat to T1. Including a 0-3 loss from the previous year, TES has now suffered 15 consecutive defeats against LCK teams. It’s hard to imagine a team being so thoroughly dominated by the LCK, with the "spinning top" song remaining popular daily. Perhaps the official really wanted to end this losing streak, which led to a very basic mistake by the staff.

Before the quarterfinal match against IG, most believed TES had the advantage. But unexpectedly, IG’s young top laner performed excellently, helping the team eliminate TES 3-1 and advance to the Demacia Cup semifinals for the first time. What was supposed to be a normal match report turned into a viral moment when TES’s official international account mistakenly posted the score as TES 1-3 Gen. This sparked widespread discussion globally, with many Korean fans mocking TES, saying the team has been mentally shaken by the LCK, now desperately wanting to win even a single game.

Honestly, TES’s current roster is somewhat weak. If those key players return after the first split officially starts, TES might still have a chance to compete for a Worlds spot. But continuing with these rookies will likely only yield mid-tier results, around quarterfinal level. It feels like the LPL is on the brink of collapse, with many veteran players retiring and no fresh blood coming in, while many LCK players have returned home. It’s uncertain where the LPL is headed or if it can sustain itself.

Farewell thoughts

It seems TES’s staff really wanted to secure a win against the LCK, otherwise they wouldn’t have mistakenly edited the match report to Gen. The spinning top keeps turning; whether the shame can be wiped away next season depends on the return of main players. Especially AD carry JackeyLove, who is seriously injured and has had many discussions with the team manager. Although he renewed his contract, his return date is still uncertain.

What do you all think about this situation?