DK comes back to beat KT Rolster 3-1, secures spot at CKTG 2026

The ticket to the biggest League of Legends tournament of 2026 has officially gone to Dplus KIA after a 3-1 victory over KT Rolster in the LCK Playoffs on Friday. This performance not only demonstrated adaptation under pressure against a team that had previously defeated them 0-3 days earlier, but also confirmed the visible growth of the roster as Esports World Cup runners-up. Before the match, many concerns existed about DK's mental state facing elimination pressure. KT Rolster held a psychological advantage after their convincing 3-0 victory over DK the previous week, while ShowMaker's team had yet to shake off the shadows of that heavy defeat. Yet, the recovery after failure was exactly what gave weight to DK's return to the CKTG stage this year. The first game showed clear signs of mental pressure as KT quickly seized control of the mid lane and early skirmishes. However, meticulous preparation in champion picks and ban phases helped DK reverse the situation from game two. The match stretched to 42 minutes with fierce back-and-forth action, where every champion exchange and coaching decision became a decisive moment. Shooter Sin "Smash" Geum-jae continued to assert his MVP status from Esports World Cup, consistently creating advantages from early game to late-game teamfights. Alongside him, Oh "Career" Hyung-suk made a notable return after his game one struggles, quickly regaining confidence and syncing well with Smash in the bottom lane. With this victory, DK officially entered the LCK top 4, sending KT Rolster down to compete at the Demacia Cup Global Invitational. However, their journey does not stop here. Four players making their CKTG debut including Smash, Career, Siwoo, and ShowMaker must face T1 in the semifinal on Sunday. Three more wins are required for DK to claim the LCK 2026 championship title. And if history repeats with their resilience after crisis, this could only be the beginning of an exciting campaign at the world stage.