Heading into the 2024 League of Legends World Championship, Hanwha Life Esports has carried each the burden of victory and skepticism. Regardless of defeating Gen.G within the LCK Summer time Finals, many followers nonetheless regard Gen.G as favorites to take dwelling the Worlds trophy and doubt HLE capability to make an impression.
For Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo, HLE’s mid laner, this doubt is one thing he understands—however feels able to show unsuitable.
As the primary seed from the LCK, HLE got here into Worlds 2024 beginning straight in the primary stage. On the primary day of competitors, they secured a robust win towards PSG Talon, adopted by an intense victory over G2 Esports on the second day. These two wins have introduced HLE only one step away from qualifying for the knockout stage, however doubts about their run in direction of the trophy nonetheless linger within the League neighborhood.
In an interview with Dot Esports, Zeka opened up in regards to the distinction between home success and the worldwide stage, stating he understands why sure followers are nonetheless not completely on board with HLE but. “I believe from their perspective we nonetheless have a protracted strategy to go,” the mid laner instructed Dot. “I suppose all we have now to do is maintain collaborating within the occasion and maintain proving ourselves.”
His phrases spotlight a standard wrestle for LCK groups as they transition from regional dominance to the unforgiving atmosphere of Worlds, the place reputations are made or damaged.
However for Zeka, the stress isn’t new. He was part of DRX’s legendary run in 2022, the place the staff began within the Play-In stage and went on to win Worlds in one of the crucial sudden, fairy-tale like tales in LoL Esports historical past. That miraculous run set the bar excessive for the mid laner, who is aware of properly that sustaining success is way tougher than attaining it as soon as—however that’s his heavy crown to bear.
Reflecting on the 2024 anthem and the way he too sees himself into its theme, Zeka mentioned that reaching for the Summoner’s Cup within the first place is “tough,” however maintaining it’s much more difficult. “Being good for one time doesn’t actually imply something,” he continued. “You must be constantly good, and I believe that’s the Crown for me.”
After securing a 2-0 document of their group, Zeka and HLE are one win away from qualifying for the Knockout stage and getting nearer to claiming the trophy. Forward of the match draw for the third day of the competitors, Zeka predicted that whoever HLE could be dealing with for a spot on the subsequent stage of the competitors could be “the actual deal”—and he wasn’t unsuitable.
That actual deal turned out to be none aside from LCK’s second seed, Gen.G. “We have now to win the match tomorrow, so I believe no matter who we truly get, it’s going to be an incredible banger,” concluded Zeka.
This conflict towards Gen.G will probably be essential, not only for a spot within the Knockout Stage, however for reaffirming HLE’s place as a prime contender within the match. On the opposite aspect of the Rift, Gen.G, regardless of their loss within the LCK Finals, stays one of the crucial revered groups on the earth, with a roster packed proficient gamers like Chovy and Canyon.
Followers simply have to tune in at 10am CT to observe the banger rematch of the LCK Summer time ultimate which can resolve the primary staff reaching the quarterfinals for Worlds 2024.
