Despite all four Korean teams securing playoff spots, they faced a recurring nightmare in VCT Pacific Stage 1 champions Rex Regum Qeon, suffering three consecutive defeats that effectively barred them from the Stage 2 Grand Finals, set to take place in Tokyo.

The initial atmosphere in the playoffs wasn't entirely grim. While Nongshim RedForce stumbled in a 0-2 loss against Talon Esports on the 13th, T1 managed to claw back with a 2-1 victory over RRQ to advance to the second round. However, the tide turned sharply on Thursday the 14th; DRX suffered a 1-2 comeback loss to Talon Esports, and T1 was swept 0-2 by Paper Rex, signaling a shift in momentum.

Friday the 15th offered a brief glimmer of hope as Nongshim RedForce swept DetonatioN FocusMe 2-0. Yet, the day ended in disappointment as Gen.G fell 1-2 to RRQ, ending their Stage 2 journey. That loss also slammed the door shut on Gen.G's hopes of qualifying for Champions Paris, effectively concluding the 2025 season for the roster.

On Saturday the 16th, the lower bracket second round saw DRX completely dismantled by RRQ. Trailing 4-8 in the first half on Icebox, DRX failed to bridge the gap and eventually conceded the map 7-13. The second map, Lotus, saw a tight 6-6 stalemate at the half, but DRX crumbled in the second half with a 3-7 deficit, resulting in a clean 0-2 series defeat.

By Sunday the 17th, T1 became the latest victim of the RRQ machine in the third round of the lower bracket. T1 struggled in the opener as the entire RRQ roster maintained a positive kill-death margin. Although T1 bounced back in the second map with Ham 'iZu' Woo-ju’s Neon and Kang 'Dyeh' Dong-ho’s Omen spearheading a 13-11 win, they lacked the finishing touch in the Haven decider, ultimately falling 13-15 in overtime.

This marks the first time since the inception of the international league system in 2023 that no Korean team has reached a VCT Pacific Stage final. On a brighter note, T1 did secure their ticket to Champions Paris as one of the top two teams in championship points, following their earlier victory over Nongshim RedForce in the lower bracket second round on the 16th.