An unexpected turn of events occurred during the LCK Play-in stage, which began on the 3rd. BNK FearX, which had been relegated to the lower-tier Rise Group following a winless run in the LCK Cup and a sluggish start to the regular season, became the first team to secure a playoff spot. They managed to defeat both Dplus KIA, the 'head of the snake,' and Nongshim RedForce, the 'tail of the dragon' from the Legend Group.

The driving force behind this success stems from the draft picks of BNK FearX head coach 'Ryu' Sang-wook, who has been highly regarded for the past three years. In particular, the mid-lane Morgana and Twisted Fate picks showcased against Dplus KIA were praised for catching the opponent off-guard. After confirming their playoff berth, Ryu Sang-wook remarked, "A good draft is not something I can achieve alone," crediting the coaching staff and players for creating such a result together.