[LCK Preview] The top 3 LCK matches of week 3 that everybody, and I mean everybody, should watch

Jan 26, 2021

The first two weeks of the 2021 LCK Spring split were much more fierce than in previous years. From hyped series such as DAMWON KIA vs T1 in week 1, which drew record breaking viewership, to Fredit BRION taking the upset match victory over DAMWON KIA, there’s currently not a single team in the league that’s winless. That also means that there isn’t a single team that’s undefeated, so the race for 1st place in the standings continues to be incredibly fierce.

Week 3 of the 2021 LCK Spring split is less than 24 hours away. We, at Inven Global, chose the top three hyped matches of week 3, where the results of these matches will further determine where teams will end up in the standings.

DAMWON KIA vs Hanwha Life EsportsOdds are on DK, but Chovy definitely has what it takes to steal the series.

*They might've stumbled, but their dominance continues to reign on*

If you went up to any avid viewer of the LCK in 2020 and asked about the match up, they would all undoubtedly say that DK would come out on top. However, 2021 is very different. It’s a match between a team that’s dominant but shown moments of weakness, versus a team that is gradually improving over time. DK definitely had their risky moments during this split, most notably when they lost to the last place team, Fredit BRION. On the flip side, HLE has shown continuous growth as a team, and their potential exploded when they defeated Gen.G 2-1.

*Will 'God Mode' Chovy grace the viewers at home with his presence, once again? (Image via HLE)*

The key matchup will be between Heo “ShowMaker” Su and Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon. Chovy, in his recent match against Gen.G, flipped on his “God Mode” switch and put on a performance where he single handedly rendered the entire Gen.G squad helpless. He was named the sole Player of the Game (PoG). He knew the lane matchup against the champion that he claims to hate the most, Syndra, and proved it against Gwak “Bdd” Bo-seong in that series. ShowMaker is also a renowned Syndra player, so it’ll be interesting to see Chovy face off against ShowMaker's Syndra.

T1 vs Liiv SANDBOXWill Effort's evil plan to take down his former team be successful?

*Which players from their immense roster be starting for the team in week 3?*

This matchup may look dull on the surface. However, both of these teams are currently tied at 7th place in the standings, and this matchup will determine who will continue their climb and who will fall further down.

The key matchup of this series will be in the bot lane. T1’s rookie bot laner Lee “Gumaysui” Min-hyeong scored the first pentakill of the split, and when paired up with the young prospect, Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, they can dance with the best of the best. On LSB’s side, Lee “Effort” Sang-ho, who was the former starting support player for T1 just last year, will be facing off against the young duo, so it’ll be curious if he can come out on top against his former team.

Gen.G vs DKBattle of the Titans

Both of these teams suffered a loss in a matchup that many predicted them to win over their opponents. They took a loss when they looked untouchable, but DK and Gen.G are still dominant in the split so far, and remain at the top of the standing so far.

The bot lane matchup will be the key point of the match. Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk and Kim “Life” Jeong-min have been considered the best bot lane in the LCK since last year, and they look as dominant as ever. They’ve also shown that they’re not afraid to experiment new picks (such as the Jarvan IV support). Gen.G will look to snowball their games through bot side, while DK will look to snowball the lead through strategizing around their top side.