At the League of Legends S15 World Championship, the semifinal matches are underway. On the previous match day, GEN and KT faced off in an internal battle in the lower bracket. Before the game started, all spectators believed GEN would defeat KT to reach the finals because the skill gap between the two teams was huge. Except for KT’s mid laner BDD, the other four positions were at a disadvantage. However, the match result once again slapped the audience hard in the face.

After only four games, KT defeated GEN 3-1 to advance to the finals, causing a major upset to the championship favorite. The mid laner Chovy became the biggest weak point for the team. In the three lost games, he was completely outclassed by his opponent. It seems the nickname "soft-footed shrimp" is a burden Chovy will carry for life. Meanwhile, KT’s ADC Deft performed well only in the second game but was below par in the other three.

As for the jungler, Sanshu, it was even worse. He was feared to be exploited before the match and indeed got outplayed by Cuzz. Kiin was also not clean, being solo killed by Perfect in lane. Support player Duro’s performance was average. Interestingly, stubborn as he was, he went to eat Xiao Yang Shengjian before the match, but GEN truly got "cursed." Blaming only one person for GEN’s loss to KT is unfair since no one performed cleanly, though Chovy’s defeat was somewhat exaggerated.

After falling short in the semifinals, Chovy’s career world championship record stands at 8884844 — seven appearances with no semifinal breakthrough. This year was arguably his best chance to win the title, but he suddenly faltered and gave away the finals spot. Even the coach was grinding his teeth in frustration at the players. With his contract expiring at year-end, it’s uncertain whether Chovy will remain with GEN next year.

KT’s performance in this match was surprisingly strong. BDD has a chance to become legendary this year because KT’s journey fits the world championship theme "Those who fight leave their name." During the LCK playoffs, KT was underestimated by everyone. GEN was full of fighting spirit, training hard to secure their ticket. After the world championship began, KT exceeded expectations and continuously silenced doubters.

Moreover, in previous semifinals, every team that defeated GEN went on to win the championship: EDG in S11, DRX in S12, and T1 in S14 all stepped over GEN to claim the title. KT might continue this tradition. However, if the upper bracket finalist is T1, KT’s chances seem slim, as BDD always seems to recharge steadily whenever facing Faker.

Nevertheless, KT has repeatedly broken doubts this year. For this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, BDD is sure to keep stepping up. After KT reached the finals, Riot officially tweeted that so far, no one worldwide has successfully predicted the outcomes of the Swiss stage plus knockout matches. Wow, millions of viewers were completely wiped out — KT really proved many people wrong this year.

The official LOL prediction event requires forecasting which teams will advance 3-0, 3-1, or 3-2 in the Swiss stage, along with five teams moving on (no exact scores needed). For the knockout stage, match results and scores must be predicted. At the end of the Swiss stage, only four people worldwide predicted correctly. After T1 defeated AL, only one remained, who predicted GEN would win against KT.

Chovy’s performance throughout the year has actually been quite solid — flawless in the Swiss stage and quarterfinals. But at the semifinals, he suddenly collapsed. Maybe the world championship trophy is truly not meant for him. If BDD wins the title, then among the five great LCK mid laners, only Chovy will be without a world championship.
So, what do you think — can KT win the championship?
Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion!