With the regular season behind them, the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) is turning its attention to the Play-In stage, where four teams will fight for the last two playoff spots in Seoul’s LoL Park. The Play-In begins Wednesday with Nongshim RedForce taking on OKSavingsBank BRION in the opening best-of-five.

According to league officials, the five-day event will determine which two squads join the already-qualified playoff field. The bracket pairs Nongshim RedForce, the fifth-place finisher from the Legend Group, against Rise Group’s third seed OKSavingsBank BRION. Rise Group’s first-place Dplus KIA will meet second-place BNK FEARX on Thursday.

2025 LCK Play-In Preview

A key storyline centers on the Fearless Draft format, which removes previously used champions from later games in a best-of-five series. While seen as less influential in the regular season’s best-of-three matches, the format could create pivotal moments in extended series, particularly in decisive fifth games. Coaches from all four Play-In teams have highlighted champion pool depth and strategic planning as critical factors.

Nongshim RedForce and Dplus KIA enter with favorable head-to-head records. Nongshim has defeated OK Savings Bank Brion 11 straight times since 2023, including clean wins at this year’s LCK Cup. However, RedForce stumbled late in the season, losing 12 consecutive matches, while Brion secured momentum with a dramatic victory over DRX on the final day.

Dplus KIA has similarly dominated BNK FearX, compiling a 13-1 record over the past three years, including three victories this season. Still, the double-elimination format means early results may not dictate the final outcome, with teams potentially meeting again deeper in the bracket. Meanwhile, Gen.G mid laner Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon collected the most Player of the Match awards during the regular season, with other honors set to be announced at the year-end LCK Awards.

The LCK, founded in 2012, remains one of League of Legends’ premier circuits and has produced nine world champions. The 2025 competitive calendar features three international events: the First Stand in March, the Mid-Season Invitational in June and July, and the World Championship beginning in late September.