# 2023 LCK season

The 2023 LCK season was the twelfth season of South Korea's LCK, a professional esports league for the MOBA PC game League of Legends. The season was divided into two splits: Spring and Summer. The Spring Split began on 18 January and culminated with the playoff finals on 9 April 2023. The Summer Split began on 7 June and culminated with the Summer Split finals on 20 August 2023.
The Spring Split winners, Gen.G, and runners-up, T1, qualified for the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational. Gen.G also won the Summer Split, directly qualifying them for the 2023 World Championship. T1 qualified for the 2023 World Championship via Championship Points, while both KT Rolster and Dplus Kia also qualified for the 2023 World Championship through the regional qualifier.

## Format

The regular season format was double round-robin. The games were played five days per week for both round robins.
Starting from the 2023 season, LCK introduced new format for the playoffs, where double elimination would be applied starting from the semifinals. LCK also eliminated the rules for call-up and send-down between LCK and LCK Challengers League from this season.

## Spring

The Spring Split regular season ran from 18 January to on 19 March 2023. The top six teams from the regular season advanced to the playoffs, which took place from 22 March to 9 April 2023. The finals took place at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul. The top two teams from the playoffs qualified for the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational.

### Regular season

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | T1 | 18 | 17 | 1 | .944 | Advance to upper semifinals |
| 2 | Gen.G | 18 | 13 | 5 | .722 | Advance to upper semifinals |
| 3 | KT Rolster | 18 | 13 | 5 | .722 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 4 | Dplus Kia | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 5 | Hanwha Life Esports | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 6 | Liiv Sandbox | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 7 | Kwangdong Freecs | 18 | 6 | 12 | .333 | |
| 8 | Fredit Brion | 18 | 4 | 14 | .222 | |
| 9 | DRX | 18 | 3 | 15 | .167 | |
| 10 | Nongshim RedForce | 18 | 2 | 16 | .111 | |

### Playoffs

| Upper quarterfinals | Upper quarterfinals | Upper quarterfinals | Upper semifinals | Upper semifinals | Upper semifinals | Upper final | Upper final | Upper final | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | 1 | T1 | 3 | | | | | | |
| 3 | KT Rolster | 3 | 3 | KT Rolster | 2 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Liiv Sandbox | 1 | | | | 1 | T1 | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Gen.G | 1 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Dplus Kia | 1 | 5 | Hanwha Life Esports | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Hanwha Life Esports | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Hanwha Life Esports | 3 | | | | | | | 1 | T1 | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 |
| | | | Lower semifinals | Lower semifinals | Lower semifinals | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 | | | |
| | | | 3 | KT Rolster | 3 | 3 | KT Rolster | 1 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Hanwha Life Esports | 1 | | | | | | |

## Summer

The Summer Split regular season began on 7 June. The top six teams from the regular season advanced to the playoffs, which took place from 22 March to 9 April 2023. The top six teams from the regular season advanced to the playoffs, which took place from 8 to 20 August 2023. The finals took place at the Daejeon Convention Center in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.

### Regular season

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | KT Rolster | 18 | 17 | 1 | .944 | Advance to upper semifinals |
| 2 | Gen.G | 18 | 16 | 2 | .889 | Advance to upper semifinals |
| 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 4 | Dplus Kia | 18 | 11 | 7 | .611 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 5 | T1 | 18 | 9 | 9 | .500 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 6 | DRX | 18 | 6 | 12 | .333 | Advance to upper quarterfinals |
| 7 | Liiv Sandbox | 18 | 5 | 13 | .278 | |
| 8 | Fredit Brion | 18 | 5 | 13 | .278 | |
| 9 | Nongshim RedForce | 18 | 5 | 13 | .278 | |
| 10 | Kwangdong Freecs | 18 | 4 | 14 | .222 | |

### Playoffs

| Upper quarterfinals | Upper quarterfinals | Upper quarterfinals | Upper semifinals | Upper semifinals | Upper semifinals | Upper final | Upper final | Upper final | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | 1 | KT Rolster | 2 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | 3 | 5 | T1 | 3 | | | | | | |
| 6 | DRX | 0 | | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | T1 | 2 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Dplus Kia | 1 | 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | 0 | | | | | | |
| 5 | T1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | T1 | 3 | | | | | | | 2 | Gen.G | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | 5 | T1 | 0 |
| | | | Lower semifinals | Lower semifinals | Lower semifinals | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | T1 | 3 | | | |
| | | | 1 | KT Rolster | 3 | 1 | KT Rolster | 2 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Hanwha Life Esports | 0 | | | | | | |

## World Championship qualification
### Championship points

| Pos | Team | Spr | Sum | Total | Qualification |
| 1 | Gen.G | 90 | AQ | AQ | 2023 World Championship |
| 2 | T1 | 70 | 100 | 170 | 2023 World Championship |
| 3 | KT Rolster | 50 | 80 | 130 | Advance to regional qualifier upper final |
| 4 | Hanwha Life Esports | 30 | 50 | 80 | Advance to regional qualifier upper final |
| 5 | Dplus Kia | 20 | 30 | 50 | Advance to regional qualifier lower semifinal |
| 6 | DRX | 0 | 10 | 10 | Advance to regional qualifier lower semifinal |
| 7 | Liiv Sandbox | 10 | 0 | 10 | |
| 8 | Kwangdong Freecs | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Nongshim RedForce | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Fredit Brion | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

### Regional qualifier

The regional qualifier was a tournament consisting of the top four teams in the LCK based on championship points that had not directly qualified for the 2023 World Championship. The top two teams faced off, and the winner earned a spot in the World Championship. Simultaneously, the bottom two teams played against each other, with the losing team being eliminated. The remaining two teams then competed for the last LCK spot in the 2023 World Championship.
| | | | Upper final | Upper final | Upper final | Advance to World Championship | Advance to World Championship | Advance to World Championship |
| | | | 3 | KT Rolster | 3 | | | |
| | | | 3 | KT Rolster | 3 | KT Rolster | KT Rolster | KT Rolster |
| | | | 4 | Hanwha Life Esports | 1 | KT Rolster | KT Rolster | KT Rolster |
| Lower semifinal | Lower semifinal | Lower semifinal | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Advance to World Championship | Advance to World Championship | Advance to World Championship |
| | | | 4 | Hanwha Life Esports | 1 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Hanwha Life Esports | 1 | Dplus Kia | Dplus Kia | Dplus Kia |
| 5 | Dplus Kia | 3 | 5 | Dplus Kia | 3 | Dplus Kia | Dplus Kia | Dplus Kia |
| 6 | DRX | 0 | | | | | | |
Source: LoL Esports

## Awards
### Spring

* Most Valuable Player: Keria, T1
* 1st Team All-Pro:
** T Zeus, T1
** J Oner, T1
** M Faker, T1
** B Gumayusi, T1
** S Keria, T1
* 2nd Team All-Pro:
** T Kiin, KT Rolster
** J Peanut, Gen.G
** M Chovy, Gen.G
** B Deft, Dplus KIA
** S Kellin, Dplus KIA
* 3rd Team All-Pro:
** T Doran, Gen.G
** J Canyon, Dplus KIA
** M Bdd, KT Rolster
** B Peyz, Gen.G
** S Lehends, KT Rolster

### Summer

* Most Valuable Player: Lehends, KT Rolster
* 1st Team All-Pro:
** T Kiin, KT Rolster
** J Cuzz, KT Rolster
** M Bdd, KT Rolster
** B Aiming, KT Rolster
** S Lehends, KT Rolster
* 2nd Team All-Pro:
** T Doran, Gen.G
** J Peanut, Gen.G
** M Chovy, Gen.G
** B Peyz, Gen.G
** S Delight, Gen.G
* 3rd Team All-Pro:
** T Zeus, T1
** J Canyon, Dplus KIA
** M Zeka, Hanwha Life Esports
** B Viper, Hanwha Life Esports
** S Life, Hanwha Life Esports

### Season

* Player of the Year: Faker, T1
* Positional Players of the Year:
** Top: Zeus, T1
** Jungle: Oner, T1
** Mid: Faker, T1
** Bottom: Gumayusi, T1
** Support: Keria, T1
* Sponsorship Awards:
** Secret Lab Assist King Award: Delight, Gen.G
** Best Monster Slayer Award: Peanut, Gen.G
** Logitech G Best Power Play Award: Deft, Dplus
** JW Pharmaceutical Vision Award: Kael, Liiv Sandbox
** OP.GG Search King Award: Faker, T1
** LG Ultragear Objective Steal Award: Cuzz, KT Rolster
** LCK Global Marketing Award: Morgan, Fredit Brion
** HP Omen Best KDA Award: Aiming, KT Rolster
** BBQ First Blood Award: Oner, T1
** Woori WON Banking Gold King Award: Gumayusi, T1
* LCK 10th Anniversary Award: Seong Seung-heon and CloudTemplar
* Best Showmanship Award: Kwangdong Freecs
* Meme of the Year: CloudTemplar

## Broadcast

The LCK was broadcast at the following platforms:
* Korean: Naver, Afreeca TV, YouTube
* English: Twitch, YouTube
* Chinese: HuyaTV
* French: OTP
* Vietnam: YouTube, Facebook
* Japan: Twitch