by Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) have stamped their authority on the global stage with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Karmine Corp (KC) in the grand final of the inaugural edition of the League of Legends First Stand Tournament.
The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) champions showcased their superiority throughout the tournament, storming past the world’s best teams to claim their first international title in history.
After emerging victorious in the LCK Cup to qualify for the 2025 First Stand Tournament, Hanwha Life Esports entered the tournament as strong favourites with top esports betting sites.
?? @HLEOFFICIAL ARE THE #FST2025 CHAMPIONS! ?? pic.twitter.com/mFV5nsjv4s
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) March 16, 2025
Despite the weight of expectations, few anticipated the level of dominance they would display.
During the round-robin stage, HLE bulldozed their way through the competition, finishing with a 4-0 record against champions from other regions.
Their momentum carried into the playoffs, where they dismantled LPL representatives Top Esports in a clean sweep to set up a showdown against League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) Winter champions Karmine Corp.
The best-of-five final began with a surprise, as underdogs Karmine Corp delivered a spirited performance to snatch the opening game.
Key mid-game teamfight victories allowed them to take control, securing Baron and eventually closing out the game in 36 minutes.
However, any hope of a KC miracle was quickly extinguished as Hanwha Life reasserted their dominance.
Game two was a masterclass in control, with HLE dictating the pace and denying their opponents a single turret en route to a methodical 30-minute victory.
Game three turned into a bloodbath, featuring 39 kills overall.
HLE’s relentless aggression overwhelmed KC, racking up 28 kills while once again conceding just a single turret.
By the fourth game, KC were out of answers.
HLE built a commanding 6k gold lead by the 20-minute mark, suffocating their opponents before securing the series-winning Nexus destruction at 36 minutes.
The final three games was a testament to HLE’s sheer dominance, as KC managed just one turret, one Herald, five Grubs, and two Drakes combined.
With the 3-1 victory, Hanwha Life Esports completed one of the most commanding international tournament runs ever seen.
YOUR @OPPO PLAYER OF THE SERIES: ZEKA! pic.twitter.com/TuEzC0JHEb
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) March 16, 2025
Mid laner Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo was the star of the show, earning Finals MVP honours after posting an impressive 23/7/26 KDA across the series.
Meanwhile, top laner Choi “Zeus” Woo-je continues to prove why he is one of the most dominant League of Legends players in the world.
After winning back-to-back LoL World Championship titles with T1, his decision to join Hanwha Life Esports for the 2025 season has already paid dividends, delivering another major trophy.
