LCK – Korea’s League Champions Korea Moved To Online Format Ahead Of Playoffs To Protect Players

LCK – Korea’s League Champions Korea Moved To Online Format Ahead Of Playoffs To Protect Players
Credit: Image via Riot Games

The LCK, Korea’s domestic League of Legends league, is switching to online matches, Riot Korea announced.

The league, which has been held without an audience to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to secure the safety of its players, is taking “preemptive measures” following the recent acceleration of the virus in Seoul.

LoL Park, the home of the LCK, had been operating under strict safety guidelines since the spring season in February. All spaces used by players, their headsets, and microphones were disinfected before and after use. But despite this, Riot Korea has decided to take extra precautions.

Up until the finals of the LCK regional qualifier on Sept. 9, all matches will be held online. The league originally planned to hold the LCK Summer Final in a safe environment but with the social distancing guidelines at the venue raised to level two, this is no longer an option.

Riot Korea will dispatch referees and operating personnel to carry out smooth matches going into September. They’ll be dispatched with a safety checklist, including temperature measurement, masks, and hand sanitizer, before entering each of the team’s player houses.

The “protection of players and league members” is Riot’s top priority.

Broadcast staff working in LoL Park for the remainder of the season will also be subject to the same safety checklist, including the analysis deck, commentators, and anyone else involved in the production of the league.

LCK recently created great content for all fans worldwide with the weekly MAD movies. The team produced another remarkable highlight reel from week seven, showcasing two teamfights and one solo kill from the point of view of T1’s substitute mid laner, Clozer, on Zoe. Clozer made his LCK debut on July 31, filling in for Faker.

The first fight featured Clozer coming to the bottom lane to aid his ADC and support against the opposing jungler and top laner. With swift mechanics and thanks to Zoe’s passive that allows her to steal summoner spells, Clozer dismantled KT Rolster and quickly eliminated three players.

The second clip showed Clozer destroying KT once again with his impressive mechanics. In a short time frame, he used all of his abilities and synced them perfectly together to get rid of the opposing Orianna.

The solo kill came during T1’s match against Sandbox Gaming. Clozer got a huge burst of damage against SB’s mid laner on LeBlanc, then landed a Sleepy Trouble Bubble. In the blink of an eye, he took the champ’s remaining 50 percent health to land the amazing solo kill.

MORE ABOUT