The LCK first split playoffs, following a 5-day hiatus, are finally set to commence the loser's bracket finals. The teams BFX and DK have demonstrated considerable strength this season. Other squads find it difficult to secure even one game against GEN, whereas DK and BFX have each claimed a game from GEN during the super week and playoffs. When facing T1, both teams were highly motivated; BFX relegated T1 to the loser's bracket, and DK outright knocked T1 out.

Judging from previous match performances, BFX has a good chance of defeating DK, but DK's recent form is also solid. If mid-laner Brother Xu can hold his own, the other four players can carry him to victory. Should Brother Xu step up and his teammates perform consistently, DK's combat effectiveness would be formidable. The showdown between the new-generation AD carries, Smash and Diable, is another key highlight of this match, leaving fans curious about who will come out on top.

LCK Plans to Introduce Gambling Sponsorship

Recently, KesPa (Korea e-Sports Association) proposed tax reforms and the introduction of sports lottery schemes to establish a pyramid development path, aiming to address the league's persistent financial losses. In their report, KesPa disclosed the cumulative losses of the ten LCK teams over the past few years. From S11 to S13, the total losses for the ten LCK teams exceeded $70 million.

It seems not only the LPL is struggling; the LCK is also in an awkward position. Apart from T1, which is profitable, the remaining nine teams have been operating at a loss for years. Hosting the loser's bracket finals and grand finals overseas this year is one way the LCK is trying to reduce deficits, but with T1 eliminated, ticket sales have somewhat stalled. Introducing gambling sponsorship isn't inherently problematic—without finding ways to generate revenue, the clubs genuinely cannot sustain themselves.

Doinb Discusses the Current State of the LPL

Since the start of the new season, viewership in the LPL region continues to decline sharply. So far in the first split, not a single match video on Bilibili has surpassed one million views. The most-watched matches, featuring BLG and AL, peak at around seven to eight hundred thousand views. The league is truly in need of a boost in popularity. Former LOL world champion and current DOTA streamer Doinb recently analyzed the current state of the LPL during his live stream.

Doinb believes only two individuals can save the LPL: one is Uzi, and the other is TheShy. He mentioned that even if "哥哥" (referring to another popular player) returns, it wouldn't help as much, as his influence, though top-tier, ranks only third in the LPL, trailing behind the other two in terms of reach. Doinb's point holds weight: only if Uzi and TheShy make a comeback will people watch LPL matches again. While Uzi's return seems unlikely, it remains to be seen whether officials can persuade TheShy to come back.

TheShy Makes an Appearance Playing Ping Pong in Singapore

After streaming a few times in late January, TheShy disappeared for nearly a month. Recently, the WTT Singapore Smash officially announced TheShy as a guest, participating in on-site ping pong events. TheShy was seen playing a few games with professional players at the venue. It seems TheShy has now expanded his activities into table tennis, which might explain why he hasn't been streaming—probably due to a busy schedule of commercial engagements.

The LPL genuinely needs TheShy to return to the stage to boost viewership, but he appears to have no plans for a comeback. Checking his Korean server account reveals he hasn't played a single game this new season and remains unranked. His last ranked game was on January 18th. Given such a long break from the game, a return in the near future seems unlikely, at least not before the third split.

Conclusion:

LCK's plan to introduce gambling sponsorship may not necessarily succeed due to concerns about influencing youth. However, with the league consistently operating at a loss, securing major sponsors is crucial to reducing deficits. Hosting matches overseas brings limited revenue, and without T1's participation, viewership drops significantly—after all, much of LCK's popularity revolves around T1.

So, do you think TheShy will return?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!