LCK 2026 Round 4 Day 17 Recap: The Rise Group Play-Ins Spots Locked After NS Victory
Dplus KIA needed to beat Hanwha Life Esports to have a chance to finish top-two in the LCK Legend Group. They missed out on their opportunity today. The highest they can finish now is third, while HLE has one foot in the Round 2 door. DK is not safe from Play-Ins yet, as they will either need to beat Gen.G Esports or T1 must defeat KT Rolster tomorrow. The three LCK Rise Group teams in Play-Ins are HANJIN BRION, FearX and Nongshim Redforce, following NS’s 2-0 victory over KRX.
Delight Returns to Help HLE See off DK
After missing out on HLE’s victory over KT Rolster last week, Delight returned. He came back with a bang in the series against DK. Every fight HLE won in game one was thanks to his engagements on Smash. He also had pivotal Encores as Seraphine in game two. DK could have won both games. They had the lead in game two before Delight caught Smash multiple times.
They recovered in the second game against a gold deficit and an Ocean Soul point for HLE. Lucid’s Cyclone and Drake steals kept DK in the game for longer. However, one Enchanted Crystal Arrow caught Career. That led to Baron, and more kills for HLE. At a disadvantage, DK could not hold HLE off. HLE’s victory gives them a chance at first place and puts them in the driving seat for a top-two finish.
Champions Played
Dplus KIA
- Siwoo – Olaf, Jayce
- Lucid – Jarvan IV, Wukong
- ShowMaker – Twisted Fate, Viktor
- Smash – Yunara, Mel
- Career – Lulu, Shen
Hanwha Life Esports
- Zeus – Camille, Yorick
- Kanavi – Lee Sin, Naafiri
- Zeka – Ryze, Orianna
- Gumayusi – Ziggs, Ashe
- Delight – Alistar, Seraphine
Nongshim Redforce Secure the Play-Ins
With only HANJIN BRION locked for the Play-Ins in the Rise Group, KRX had a chance to push up the standings. However, they needed to first get past NS to keep the dream alive. They failed to achieve their goal and lost 2-0 to the team above them in the standings. Both teams looked shaky in their gameplay, but ultimately it was NS who came out on top in the pivotal moments.
KRX’s lack of coordination led to their demise in the series. They often took fights where the rest of the team was not ready. KRX’s loss eliminates them from the postseason. For the third year in a row, Aiming will miss out on a World Championship, while KRX has not been in an international event since their historic 2022 World Championship victory.
Champions Played
Nongshim Redforce
- Kingen – Kled, Gnar
- Sponge – Naafiri, Wukong
- Scout – Ryze, Galio
- Diable – Lucian, Ezreal
- Lehends – Milio, Karma
KRX
- Frog – Olaf, K’Sante
- Willer – Lee Sin, Zaahen
- Ucal – Annie, Orianna
- Aiming – Yunara, Jhin
- Andil – Lulu, Shen
Play-Ins Locked
NS’s victory over KRX has locked the Play-Ins spots for the LCK Rise Group. While seeding is still up for grabs, KRX can no longer qualify for the postseason. They will play their final series against DN SOOPers on Saturday. FearX and Nongshim Redforce join HANJIN BRION in the Play-Ins stage. Either Dplus KIA or KT Rolster will fill the final slot, with the latter having a higher chance. The highest NS can finish is second place. BRO’s series record will be higher than NS’s regardless of the results for both teams.
BFX has a chance to finish in first place if they beat BRO tomorrow. While all three teams will feature in the Play-Ins, the seeding for it matters. The team that finishes in first place in the Rise Group will start the Play-Ins in the Upper Bracket. That will mean they must face DK or KT in the first round, but they have a lifeline. The other two teams will start in the Lower Bracket against each other.
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