Hanwha Life Esports upset SK Telecom T1 in LCK Summer Split
Hanwha Life Esports pulled off a major upset versus SK Telecom T1.
SKT is thriving in the 2019 LCK Summer Split while Hanwha is fighting to stay out of the 2020 LCK Spring Promotion Tournament. That fact had Hanwha entering this match as the clear underdog but their desperation to avoid relegation served them well as they scored a shock victory.
Hanwha kept it simple in game one. The team created pressure in different areas of the map, which gave SKT jungler Kim “Clid” Tae-min more fires than he could hope to put out. Hanwha snowballed that advantage out of control and SKT couldn’t find a way to get back into the game.
SKT learned from their mistakes and played more proactive in game two. Clid looked for early ganks to create pressure of his own. Hanwha still managed to get picks and break even with SKT.
On Hanwha’s side, bot laner Gwon “Sangyoon” Sang-yun stood out. His presence on the map knocked SKT off balance, causing the enemies to jump into unfavorable fights. Top laner Kim “Khan” Dong-ha was the best and worst player for SKT, putting his teammates into unfavorable situations but also coming through in the clutch moments where they needed him. He closed out the game in style alongside bot laner Park “Teddy” Jin-seong, with the duo taking the final fight for SKT to even the series.
At match point, Hanwha returned to its original, aggressive strategy. The team played through the bottom lane, enabling Sangyoon. Hanwha capitalized on SKT’s repeated mistakes. SKT was out of position in every team fight, allowing Hanwha to take kills for free.
Hanwha turned those kills into objectives and gold. Powered up with the baron buff, Hanwha marched into the base and took the nexus to seal the series.
SKT fell from second to fourth with the loss while Hanwha moved up to eighth place, moving out of relegation territory for the moment. The standings are constantly changing and every game counts as the split nears completion.
Read Also
League of Legends
The Top-Earning League of Legends players of all-time
Hannan Mundia
League of Legends is one of the most profitable competitive games around, with its popularity meaning that players at the top are very well paid. Here we will compile a list of the top-earning League of Legends players of all-time. The esports scene has exploded in popularity in recent years, largely due to League of Legends. The game paved the way for other competitive games and has been going strong ...
League of Legends
LoL Worlds 2026 returns to the USA: Locations, venues, dates and slots revealed
Owen Harsono
Riot Games have revealed important details for the highly anticipated worlds 2026 tournament, including locations, dates, and some great news for South American fans. Here’s everything we know about LoL Worlds 2026 so far. On March 22, First Stand grand finals day held in São Paulo, Riot Games confirmed the tournament will be hosted in the United States. This will be the fifth time in history that Worlds has been ...
League of Legends
How to watch League of Legends 2026 First Stand
Hannan Mundia
2026 First Stand is shaping up to be the most intriguing League of Legends tournament of this year, prompting the question of how fans can watch it. Riot Games is usually fairly lax about streaming its events, but that doesn’t mean just anyone can stream them live. With this year’s First Stand being the first opportunity fans have to watch how their favorite teams stack up on the big stage, ...
League of Legends
List of qualified teams at First Stand 2026: Who are the favorites?
Hannan Mundia
With the first split of every competitive League of Legends region concluded, the list of qualified teams for the 2026 First Stand tournament is set. Last year's First Stand saw just five teams compete. The stakes are upped this year, with eight First Stand teams coming together for a chance to win the first international event of the year. Here are the teams that made it and who the outright ...
League of Legends
League of Legends 2026 First Stand preview
Hannan Mundia
First Stand will be the first competitive League of Legends international event of 2026. This preview goes through all of the necessary details, including First Stand's location, prize pool, and schedule, ensuring fans can tune in live to support their favorite teams and players. The 2026 First Stand is the newest of the three international competitions in the circuit. Launched in 2025, this year’s tournament is slated to start on ...
Esports Betting
FEARX vs Dplus 2026 LCK Cup playoffs: Preview, betting tips & predictions
Hannan Mundia
FEARX and Dplus KIA will compete in the 2026 LCK Cup lower bracket final to determine which team will face Gen.G in the grand final, and this betting preview highlights all of the important details about this upcoming match. While FEARX and Dplus KIA both went into this split as the underdogs, the two teams have surprised many with their performances since. Reaching the top three in a competitive region ...
Esports Betting
LYON vs Team Liquid 2026 LCS Lock-In predictions, key stats, odds & more
Hannan Mundia
LYON and Team Liquid are slated to face off in the 2026 LCS Lock-In playoffs, and this betting preview highlights the stats and form behind both teams to help you make more accurate predictions and picks. Despite the subpar performance of both teams in the Swiss stage, Team Liquid and LYON have seemingly bounced back in the playoffs. Both teams comfortably won their lower bracket quarterfinals matches without giving a ...
