On October 31 KST, Hanwha Life Esports defeated G2 Esports 2-0 in Round 4 of the 2026 LoL World Championship, held at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, USA, to advance to the final stage of the Swiss round. With just one step remaining to reach the quarterfinals, their next opponent is the LPL's BLG.
Speaking with Inven after the match, Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong shared the key behind the victory, explaining that the team prepared for the match against G2 based on feedback from their previous losses and fond memories from MSI.
He said, "Looking back at our previous match, I talked a lot with my teammates about why we lost, and we took time to identify our strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, we felt the jungle-bot synergy was lacking, so we worked on improving that. Also, having defeated G2 at MSI, we kept those good memories in mind while preparing."
With the victory over G2, Hanwha Life Esports continues its journey toward the quarterfinals. Gumayusi honestly shared, "I feel like every round has been tough because we keep facing strong opponents. And tomorrow, we're up against BLG. I think it'll be an exciting match. On the other hand, it makes me think, 'Has the Swiss Stage always been this tough?'"
As Gumayusi noted, Hanwha Life Esports' Swiss Stage run has been brutal. After TES, Gen.G, IG, and G2, they now face BLG. He said, "I feel like out of all possible matchups, we're drawing the strongest possible opponents. It's rare for things to unfold like this, so it feels quite strange. However, if we overcome this and reach the quarterfinals, I believe it will serve as the stepping stone for Hanwha Life Esports to become the main protagonists of this World Championship."
He continued with confidence, "We have the memory of beating BLG to become champions at MSI, and I don't think BLG's recent momentum is particularly strong. If we play just a bit better than we did today, I believe we can win." He added, "We can still elevate our overall macro play, confidence, and raw team fighting capability. Personally, I also feel I can expand my lead even more in the laning phase."
Having brought Hanwha Life Esports its first MSI title this year after joining the team, Gumayusi has cemented his reputation as an international title specialist. Nicknamed after the gizzard shad, a fish in peak season during autumn, he consistently delivers strong performances at Worlds every year, making his desire to win the team's first Worlds trophy even stronger. He has no intention of falling short at the threshold of the quarterfinals.
He expressed his determination, saying, "We absolutely cannot be eliminated like this. At the very least, I want to reach the finals. I'm known as an autumn gizzard shad, but since it's still a bit warm here and feels like summer, maybe that's why my form fluctuated early on. Still, I feel like my form is steadily improving. I'll do my best until the end so we can ultimately win the championship."
Finally, Gumayusi concluded the interview by offering reassuring words to fans following them on this tough journey: "Some fans might be upset because of our matchups, and going down to two losses probably made you even more anxious. To eliminate those worries, we will do our best to win decisively and reach greater heights. Please keep watching and supporting us."
