Group Alpha of Death looms over Seoul this weekend as three Korean squads—Gen.G, DRX and Nongshim RedForce—face successive foreign opponents in Week 2 of VCT Pacific Stage 2. All six teams in the pool opened with 1–1 records, leaving each Korean side’s fate hinging on a single victory. Riot Games (Korea), developer of Valorant, stages the matches July 25 to 27 at the SOOP Colosseum in Sangam‑dong, Mapo‑gu.

This marks the first time since the league’s launch that three clubs from one nation share a group. Korea, which qualified four teams in total after RedForce’s spring promotion, now boasts the largest representation in Pacific history. In Week 1, DRX battled both Gen.G and RedForce; Gen.G and RedForce will meet only in Week 4. That leaves each Korean squad with two matches against non‑Korean opponents in Weeks 2 and 3—win once and they’ll all sit atop the standings.

Gen.G opens against Global Esports, which bolstered its roster by signing Chae "yoman" Young-mun ahead of Stage 2. Global has found a groove on the new map Corroded with refined agent lineups, but Gen.G holds a 2–1 edge in the head‑to‑head series and has swept every meeting since finalizing its 2024 roster.

In another marquee match, Nongshim RedForce takes on Stage 1 champions Rex Regum Qeon. RRQ has struggled against RedForce despite its title defense: RedForce won both encounters this season, including a 22–20 overtime thriller—the longest map in Pacific history. With Goo "Rb" Sang-Min newly added, RedForce aims to extend its unbeaten run.

Meanwhile, on July 26, T1 hosts Zeta Division at Inspire Arena in Incheon for what Riot calls T1 Home Ground. Beyond the Korea‑Japan rivalry, the match features brothers Kim "Meteor" Tae-oh of T1 and Kim "TenTen" Tae-young of Zeta Division. It is their first Pacific‑stage showdown. T1 leads the series 5–0 and enters Week 2 after a 1–1 opener, while Zeta fell 0–2. On this special stage, will the veteran Meteor claim victory, or can TenTen steal the show?