T1 is riding a wave of good fortune, having secured two consecutive wins in the first week of the 2025 LCK Round 3 and extended the contract of 'Faker' Lee Sang-hyeok until 2029. Now, they face a daunting 'Saturday Showdown' in the second week against Hanwha Life Esports, the second-placed team in the Legend Group.

Looking at the regular season history, T1 has struggled against Hanwha Life Esports, trailing with a 1-5 record. Since T1's 2-0 victory in the 2024 LCK Spring regular season back in January 2024, Hanwha Life Esports has consistently had the upper hand in every subsequent regular season encounter.

T1 is certainly hitting a purple patch. Having defeated Hanwha Life Esports to clinch an MSI spot during the selection event in Busan, T1 also managed to topple Gen.G 2-1 at the Inspire Arena on Friday the 25th—a team that had previously been a hurdle at MSI. Adding to the festive mood, the organization officially announced a four-year contract extension for 'Faker' Lee Sang-hyeok.

Hanwha Life Esports had a shaky start to Round 3 with a 0-2 drubbing by Gen.G. However, the team is looking to turn things around following a clinical 2-0 victory against KT Rolster, a side that had been showing solid form during the latter half of LCK Round 2.

Elsewhere, all eyes are on OK Savings Bank BRION. After bringing in head coach 'Duke' Lee Ho-seong, the team kicked off the first week of Round 3 with a clean sweep, and the question remains: can they maintain this four-match winning streak to lead the Rise Group's upper-tier race?

Since the arrival of Lee Ho-seong, OK Savings Bank BRION has secured two consecutive comeback victories, both ending 2-1 against Dplus KIA and DRX. With jungler 'Croco' Kim Dong-beom leading the charge, the team is receiving praise for the visible growth of its members and increasingly stable coordination.

With momentum on their side, OK Savings Bank BRION faces BNK FearX on Thursday the 31st, followed by Dplus KIA on Sunday, August 3rd. Currently sitting second in the Rise Group, OK Savings Bank BRION holds a razor-thin lead over third-placed BNK FearX, separated only by a single set point. As finishing in the top three is essential for a Play-in spot, these upcoming matches are critical.

Meanwhile, the 'Gold King' of LCK Round 3's first week was none other than Hanwha Life Esports bot laner 'Viper' Park Do-hyeon. Park Do-hyeon was instrumental in the team's victory, notably securing a penta-kill on Corki during the second set against KT Rolster, which also earned Park Do-hyeon a Player of the Match (POM) award. DRX bot laner 'Teddy' Park Jin-seong followed closely in second place regarding average gold income.

The 2025 LCK Round 3 features two matches daily, Wednesday through Sunday, held at the LCK Arena in LoL Park, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Rounds 3 through 5 are divided into the Legend Group and the Rise Group. The 2025 LCK Round 3 is broadcast live via online platforms including LCK YouTube channel, SOOP, Naver Esports & Game. Tickets for onsite viewing can be purchased via the Woori Bank Won Banking app and the Interpark website (in both Korean and global versions). Reservations via the Woori Bank Won Banking app open 52 hours before each match, while Interpark opens 48 hours prior.