LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs Match Preview: DRX Hoping For A Better Result

Dplus KIA and DRX were allies in Group Baron. Now they must face off for the second time in the LCK Cup. In their previous meeting, DK emerged victorious with a dominant victory. That series was a best-of-three. Tomorrow, they will play against each other in a best-of-five. The winner joins FearX, T1, and Gen.G Esports in Round 2. The loser will battle DN SOOPers to stay in the LCK Cup.

Recent LCK Cup Match History

DK and DRX competed together in the Group Battle as a part of Group Elder. As a result, they did not play against each other until the Play-Ins. When the teams met, DK ran away with the series. DRX lost fights over the first Scuttle Crab in both games. ShowMaker earned three kills both times. DK never let their lead slip and closed out with a 2-0 victory.

Keeping a Stable Early Game

DRX beat NS 3-0 in the LCK Cup Play-Ins — Image of DRX beating NS again, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

The reason for DRX’s struggles in their previous meeting was their decision-making in the early-game. They showed in their series against Nongshim Redforce that if they play stable early games, they can dominate. They will need to do the same against DK. DK has shown that it has a higher level than NS, but they are not unbeatable. DK made mistakes in game 2, which they would have lost without a significant lead. DRX can cause an upset if they manage to reach the mid-late game within touching distance of DK.

Securing Engage For Andil

Andil has improved during the LCK Cup. Last year, he tended to be unreliable and struggled in some series. In 2026, he carried games for DRX, ensuring that they won. He is not without his flaws, and in some games, he underperforms. That often comes when DRX draft ranged supports for him. He tends to play over-aggressively on those champions. That leads to him dying early in fights or when he looks to place wards down. Giving him champions like Alistar, Rell, and Nautilus is ideal for his playstyle. If the series goes to five games, we might see Andil run out of comfort champions.

The Inexperience of Career

Since the T1 series, Career has stood out for DK. However, not in the way that he wants to be. Career dies often due to his mispositioning. Even in the series against DRX, where DK dominated, he was a liability. It is unlikely that his tendencies will shift drastically in a week. DRX should target Career to expose his flaws if they want to win. On the other side, DK can utilize those plays as bait. Almost dangle Career to DRX, and then punish them when they engage on him. Similar to Andil, Career has struggled the most when he plays Ranged Supports.

Dplus KIA Versus DRX Predictions

Dplus KIA 3-1 DRX

There is no doubt that DRX should be more competitive in the series. They identified their problems from the previous DK series and fixed them against NS. However, will those fixes be permanent or temporary? That will have a significant impact on the series. The 3-0 victory gives them confidence, but DK is another beast. NS was lethargic in that series and barely offered much fight back. DRX will need to improve further if they want to defeat DK and shock the LCK Cup.

DN SOOPers Waiting in the Lower Bracket

BFX Beat DNS 3-2 in the LCK Cup Playoffs — Image of BFX beating DNS, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

DN SOOPers lost their series to FearX earlier today. The loser of DK Versus DRX will play against DNS. That series is a win-or-eliminate situation for both teams. DK and DRX will want to avoid that series at all costs. For the winner, they will play against Gen.G Esports or T1 in Round 2. Gen.G has the privilege to choose between the winner and FearX.