LCK 2026 Playoffs T1 Versus Dplus KIA Preview: DK With An Uphill Battle
T1 and Dplus KIA met in the LCK Cup Lower Bracket Semi-Final. DK reverse-swept T1 in the match. DK qualified for Hong Kong but did not reach the First Stand. Both teams have been involved in a reverse sweep in the playoffs. T1 lost to Hanwha Life Esports, while DK defeated FearX. Both teams will be at Worlds, but who can stay alive and chase another LCK title?
Becoming a Common Matchup
T1 and DK have played each other numerous times in the LCK post-season. Only a couple of post-seasons have not featured the matchup since 2023. In that time, DK has won two series. Once in 2024 and once this year. In 2024, DK earned the 3rd seed, knocking T1 to the final qualifying match. T1 still qualified after a five-game series against KT Rolster. DK’s win in the LCK Cup knocked T1 out of the playoffs and out of First Stand contention. Last year, T1 and DK played in the LCK Playoffs. The match was for the final spot at Worlds. T1 won the matchup 3-1. It was the last time Beryl appeared on the LCK stage.
Featured Matchup
Doran Versus Siwoo
Neither player is their team’s best player. They do not mind dying while drawing resources from opponents. Doran especially thrives after dying multiple times in a game. He is not a dominant laner, but is one of the best teamfight top laners. The team that gets the most out of their top laner in the series will have the upper hand. T1 tends to play away from Doran. If he stays close to Siwoo throughout, they can leverage Peyz and Keria.
Matching The Bot Lane
The story for any team when facing T1 is whether they can keep up with Peyz and Keria. Few have achieved that feat this year. Sometimes, playing away from T1’s bot lane is better. Get the top side ahead, and they can face T1’s bot lane. Even then, Peyz and Keria can outplay them. Smash and Career are one of the bot lanes that have challenged them in 2026. They have been inconsistent during the playoffs. They can not get away with being inconsistent in this series. Peyz and Keria will punish any mistakes. The last time Smash and Career struggled, T1 dominated the series.
Returning to Their LCK Prime
Since T1 won the 2022 LCK Spring, only Gen.G Esports and Hanwha Life Esports have won the LCK. DK’s most recent win was in Summer 2021. Both teams will want to break that streak this year. That will take a big effort. After winning the series, they must get past Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G Esports. Winning the series will also get them a better seeding for the World Championship. Neither team will want that to be their focus. Winning the LCK is more important to them. The first step is winning the series tomorrow.
T1 Versus Dplus KIA Prediction
T1 3-2 Dplus KIA
T1 usually beats DK. 2026 has been different. The LCK Cup win was not the only time. They won two series during the Regular Season. The first was in Round 1, the second in Round 4. Of the two teams, T1 should handle the pressure better. They have plenty of veteran experience on their roster. DK, on the other hand, only has ShowMaker to lean on. The rest of the roster is building experience. They are not there yet, but this could be a big stepping stone for the future.
Meeting Hanwha Life Esports
HLE is waiting in the Lower Bracket Final for the winning team. They lost 3-1 to Gen.G Esports. HLE will not go lightly in the matchup.
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