DWG KIA emerge as LCK Spring 2021 champions: Final placements & recap
Riot Games, DexertoWorld champions DWG KIA won their second consecutive LCK title, booking a trip to MSI 2021 in dominant fashion and claiming the lion’s share of the $340k jackpot. Here’s how the 2021 Spring Split unfolded.
- DWG KIA clean-swept Gen.G in finals, with top laner Khan claiming a fifth LCK title.
- DAMWON jungler Canyon took the MVP award after another stellar split.
- T1 & Faker crashed out in semifinals after a 3-0 loss to Gen.G.
LCK Spring 2021 wasn’t completely full of surprises as DWG KIA – freshly rebranded from DAMWON Gaming – built on their 2020 Worlds win with dominating showings in both the regular season and playoffs.
Gen.G proved to be their closest contenders, but a lackluster performance in finals, epitomized by a DWG comeback in game two, meant ShowMaker & co. ran off as rampant winners of the Spring Split.
Fourth-placed T1 had a season marred by roster issues, which saw the likes of Faker and Keria only becoming established starters in the second half of the split. The org is still seeking its 8th LCK title.
LCK Spring 2021: Final standings
The $340k prize fund was distributed between the top-4 teams, as DWG KIA took the lion’s share.
| Placement | Team | Prize money | Championship pts. |
| 1 | DWG KIA | $178,393.60 | 90 |
| 2 | Gen.G | $89,196.80 | 70 |
| 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | $44,598.40 | 50 |
| 4 | T1 | $22,299.20 | 30 |
| 5 | DRX | 20 | |
| 6 | Nongshim RedForce | 10 |
Regular season standings
Below is how each team placed in the regular season.
| Placement | Team | Series | Games |
| 1 | DWG KIA | 16-2 | 33-10 |
| 2 | Gen.G | 13-5 | 29-15 |
| 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | 12-6 | 26-18 |
| 4 | T1 | 11-7 | 27-17 |
| 5 | DRX | 9-9 | 21-26 |
| 6 | Nongshim RedForce | 7-11 | 18-24 |
| 7 | KT Rolster | 6-12 | 18-27 |
| 8 | Liiv SANDBOX | 6-12 | 15-25 |
| 9 | Fredit BRION | 5-13 | 16-26 |
| 10 | Afreeca Freecs | 5-13 | 16-26 |
LCK Spring Playoffs 2021: Scores & results
Below are all the results from the playoff action, as DWG KIA emerged victorious once more.
Day 1: Wednesday, March 31
| Round | Match | PT | ET | BST |
| Quarterfinals | Hanwha Life Esports 3 – 2 Nongshim RedForce | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
Day 2: Thursday, April 1
| Round | Match | PT | ET | BST |
| Quarterfinals | T1 3 – 1 DRX | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
Day 3: Saturday, April 3
| Round | Match | PT | ET | BST |
| Semifinals | DWG KIA 3-0 HLE | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
Day 4: Sunday, April 4
| Round | Match | PT | ET | BST |
| Semifinals | Gen.G 3-0 T1 | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
Day 5: Saturday, April 10
| Round | Match | PT | ET | BST |
| Finals | DWG KIA 3-0 Gen.G | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
LCK 2021 Spring Split: Teams
| Team | Top | Jungle | Mid | AD Carry | Support |
| Afreeca Freecs | Kiin | Dread | Fly | Bang | Lehends |
| DWG Kia | Khan | Canyon | ShowMaker | Ghost | BeryL |
| DRX | Kingen | Pyosik | SOLKA | Bao | Becca |
| Fredit BRION | Hoya | UmTi / Chieftain | Lava / Yaharong | Hena | Delight |
| Gen.G | Rascal | Clid / Flawless | Bdd / Karis | Ruler | Life |
| Hanwha Life Esports | Morgan / DuDu | Arthur / yoHan | Chovy | Deft | Vsta |
| KT Rolster | Doran | Bonnie / Blank / GIDEON | Ucal / Dove | HyBriD | Zzus |
| Liiv SANDBOX | Summit | Croco / OnFleek | FATE | Route / Leo / Prince | Effort |
| Nongshim RedForce | Rich | Peanut | Bay | deokdam | Kellin |
| T1 | Canna / Zeus | Ellim / Cuzz / Oner | Faker / Clozer | Gumayusi / Teddy | Keria |
LCK Regular Split: Results
Week 1 results (January 13 – January 17)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| January 13 | Gen.G 2-0 KT Rolster | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| T1 2-1 Hanwha Life Esports | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 14 | Nongshim RedForce 2-1 Liiv SANDBOX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DRX 2-1 Afreeca Freecs | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 15 | Fredit BRION 0-2 Gen.G | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2-1 T1 | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 16 | Liiv Sandbox 0-2 KT Rolster | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Hanwha Life Esports 2-1 DRX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 17 | Nongshim RedForce 0-2 DWG KIA | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Afreeca Freecs 2-0 Fredit BRION | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 2 results (January 20 – January 24)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| January 20 | Liiv SANDBOX 2-0 Afreeca Freecs | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DRX 2-1 Nongshim RedForce | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 21 | T1 1-2 Gen.G | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 0-2 Fredit BRION | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 22 | KT Rolster 1-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DRX 2-1 Liiv Sandbox | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 23 | Afreeca Freecs 0-2 DWG KIA | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Fredit BRION 0-2 Nongshim RedForce | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 24 | KT Rolster 2-1 T1 | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Gen.G 1-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 3 results (January 27 – January 31)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| January 27 | Hanwha Life Esports 2-0 Fredit BRION | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2-1 Gen.G | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 28 | DRX 0-2 KT Rolster | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| T1 2-0 Liiv SANDBOX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 29 | Nongshim RedForce 0-2 Afreeca Freecs | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2-0 Hanwha Life Esports | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 30 | Fredit BRION 1-2 DRX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Liiv SANDBOX 0-2 Gen.G | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| January 31 | Afreeca Freecs 2-0 T1 | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Nongshim RedForce 2-0 KT Rolster | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 4 results (February 3 – February 7)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| February 3 | T1 2-1 Nongshim RedForce | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Gen.G 1-2 DRX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 4 | Hanwha Life Esports 2-1 Afreeca Freecs | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Fredit BRION 2-1 KT Rolster | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 5 | Liiv SANDBOX 0-2 DWG KIA | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Gen.G 2-0 Nongshim RedForce | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 6 | T1 2-0 Fredit BRION | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| KT Rolster 2-1 Afreeca Freecs | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 7 | Hanwha Life Esports 0-2 Liiv SANDBOX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2-0 DRX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 5 results (February 17 – February 21)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| February 17 | KT Rolster 1-2 DWG KIA | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Fredit BRION 2-0 Liiv SANDBOX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 18 | Nongshim RedForce 1-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Afreeca Freecs 0-2 Gen.G | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 19 | DRX 2-1 T1 | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| KT Rolster 2-0 Fredit BRION | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 20 | Nongshim RedForce 0-2 Gen.G | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Hanwha Life Esports 1-2 DWG KIA | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 21 | Afreeca Freecs 1-2 DRX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Liiv SANDBOX 0-2 T1 | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 6 results (February 25 – February 28)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| February 25 | Nongshim RedForce 0 – 2 T1 | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2 – 0 Liiv SANDBOX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 26 | Gen.G 2 – 1 Fredit BRION | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Afreeca Freecs 2 – 0 KT Rolster | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 27 | DRX 0-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| T1 1-2 DWG KIA | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| February 28 | Gen.G 2-1 Afreeca Freecs | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Liiv SANDBOX 0-2 Nongshim RedForce | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 7 results (March 4 – March 7)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| March 4 | KT Rolster 1-2 DRX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Fredit BRION 2-0 T1 | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 5 | Hanwha Life Esports 2-0 Nongshim RedForce | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Gen.G 0-2 Liiv SANDBOX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 6 | DWG KIA 2-0 Afreeca Freecs | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| T1 2-0 KT Rolster | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 7 | DRX 2-0 Fredit BRION | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Hanwha Life Esports 0-2 Gen.G | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 8 results (March 11 – March 14)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| March 11 | Fredit BRION 0-2 DWG KIA | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Afreeca Freecs 0-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 12 | KT Rolster 0-2 Liiv SANDBOX | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Nongshim RedForce 2-1 DRX | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 13 | Gen.G 0-2 T1 | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| Fredit BRION 2-0 Afreeca Freecs | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM | |
| March 14 | Liiv SANDBOX 1-2 Hanwha Life Esports | 12AM | 3AM | 8AM |
| DWG KIA 2-0 Nongshim RedForce | 3AM | 6AM | 11AM |
Week 9 results (March 18 – March 21)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| March 18 | Gen.G 2 – 1 DWG Kia | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| Hanwha Life Esports 2 – 0 KT Rolster | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 19 | Afreeca Freecs 0 – 2 Nongshim RedForce | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| T1 2 – 0 DRX | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 20 | Liiv SANDBOX 2-0 Fredit BRION | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| KT Rolster 1-2 Gen.G | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 21 | DRX 0-2 DWG KIA | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| T1 2-1 Afreeca Freecs | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM |
Week 10 results (March 25 – March 28)
| Date | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
| March 25 | Fredit BRION 0 – 2 Hanwha Life Esports | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| KT Rolster 2 – 1 Nongshim RedForce | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 26 | DRX 0 – 2 Gen.G | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| Afreeca Freecs 2 – 0 Liiv SANDBOX | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 27 | DWG KIA 2-1 KT Rolster | 1AM | 4AM | 8AM |
| Nongshim RedForce 2-0 Fredit BRION | 4AM | 7AM | 11AM | |
| March 28 | Hanwha Life Esports 0-2 T1 | 1AM | 4AM | 9AM |
| Liiv SANDBOX 2-1 DRX | 4AM | 7AM | 12AM |