LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs Match Review: DK Brush DNS Aside to Setup a Meeting with World Champions T1

DN SOOPers are looking to start a winstreak today with their series against Dplus KIA. They need four wins in a row to make the LCK Cup Grand Final. However, they fell short today, falling 3-1 to Dplus KIA. They did not seem like the team that played yesterday, and barely found their footing. Their only game win came from a draft advantage. DK will now play on Sunday against T1 in the LCK Cup Lower Bracket.

LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs: Dplus KIA Versus DN SOOPers Match Review

Ezreal in League of Legends — Image of Ezreal, courtesy of Riot Games

Game One Draft

DN SOOPers – Blue Side

Gwen
Vi
Taliyah
Corki
Nautilus

Dplus KIA – First Pick

Ambessa
Xin Zhao
Azir
Ezreal
Leona

Game One Summary

Smash and Career miscoordinate their 2v2 play in the bot lane. Smash Arcane Shifts in, which Peter punishes. deokdam and Peter earn two kills, with First Blood going to Peter. DNS starts to break open the game with a play on the top side of the map. The initial dive fails, but Lucid moves up too far. Siwoo dies in the ensuing dive.

DNS overchase in the DK jungle and lose all four members. After DK starts to build an advantage, they get caught in the mid-lane. Career dies first in the Cloud Soul fight. It looks great for DNS, but they split their attention. DK kills all five, with no one else on DK dying. As a result, they get Soul and Baron. Dplus KIA wins the Elder Drake fight and ends the game.

Total Apex Ratings

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 6
Lucid – 6
ShowMaker – 7
Smash – 7
Career – 5

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 6
Pyosik – 5
Clozer – 6
deokdam – 6
Peter – 6

Player of the game – Smash

Game Two Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

K’Sante
Jarvan IV
Ryze
Aphelios
Lulu

DN SOOPers – First Pick

Rumble
Sejuani
Yone
Kalista
Renata Glasc

Game Two Summary

Both junglers play around the bot lane after their first clears. In the extended play, Smash secures the First Blood Kill on Pyosik under Tower. ShowMaker punishes a flashless DuDu by rotating the top lane with Realm Warp. Shortly after deokdam secures two kills on the enemy bot lane thanks to Peter and Pyosik. DK disengages perfectly from DNS’s ultimate on the Rift Herald fight. They get the first significant gold lead of the game. With DNS getting outscaled, they target Siwoo in the side lane, shortly after Clozer kills Smash underneath DNS’s mid Tower.

DNS secures the Baron with the two-player advantage. DNS can not secure an advantage off the Baron, besides the Ocean Soul point. DK crushes team fights after team fights to increase their lead and get a Baron. DK is late to the Ocean Soul, and DNS gets the objective and leaves. One skirmish happens before the Elder Drake, but nothing changes. The Elder fight is messy from both sides, but DK emerges victorious.

Total Apex Ratings

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 8
Lucid – 6
ShowMaker – 7
Smash – 8
Career – 6

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 4
Pyosik – 5
Clozer – 7
deokdam – 6
Peter – 6

Player of the game – Smash

Game Three Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

Aurora
Lee Sin
Leblanc
Jhin
Bard

DN SOOPers – Second Pick

Renekton
Wukong
Galio
Varus
Rakan

Game Three Summary

Both teams fight over the bot lane Scuttle Crab. Career, without Summoner Spells, dies for First Blood. Fortunately for DK, the kill goes over to Peter. DNS wins the first Drake fight after Lucid chases too deep. DNS eekes out advantages throughout the map, but do not run away with the game yet. Lucid fails his flank onto deokdam and DNS moves over to the Baron. DK eventually gets two kills before Siwoo dies. DNS continuously punishes DK as they try to enter objectives. The Chemtech Soul goes to DNS. DNS ends the game with their second Baron push.

Total Apex Ratings

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 6
Lucid – 3
ShowMaker – 5
Smash – 5
Career – 3

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 7
Pyosik – 8
Clozer – 8
deokdam – 8
Peter – 7

Player of the game – Pyosik

Game Four Draft

DN SOOPers – Blue Side

Kennen
Naafiri
Viktor
Yunara
Neeko

Dplus KIA – First Pick

Sion
Aatrox
Ahri
Ashe
Seraphine

Game Four Summary

The First Blood kill takes place in the mid-lane at 10 minutes. ShowMaker went back in on low health and gave over the kill to Clozer. Similarly to the third game, the mid-game is slow with DNS having a slight lead. DNS gets stuck in the pit on the fourth Drake fight. Pyosik smites the objective, but the fight goes in DK’s favor. DK moves over to the Baron and earns a gold lead for themselves. DNS can not stop the push from DK as they lose and drop out of the LCK Cup.

Total Apex Ratings

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 7
Lucid – 6
ShowMaker – 7
Smash – 8
Career – 8

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 5
Pyosik – 5
Clozer – 6
deokdam – 4
Peter – 4

Player of the game – Smash

Series Summary

DK beat DNS 3-1 in the LCK Cup Playoffs — Image of DK beating DNS, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

The series played out similarly to yesterday. DK surged to a 2-0 lead, but then lost game three. The significant difference being that DK had to win a slog fest second game. The draft from DK in DNS’s only win was nearly unplayable. They needed to build a significant advantage early, but DNS played slowly. A big takeaway from today’s series is that DK did not crumble under the pressure. They could throw game two after losing Baron and Ocean Soul. However, they stood firm to close out the game. DK will face T1 on Sunday in the Lower Bracket.

Total Apex Series Ratings

Dplus KIA