Korean teams SLT Seongnam and Nongshim RedForce have secured their spots in the 2026 VCT Pacific at the 2025 VCT Ascension Pacific held in Bangkok, Thailand.

SLT Seongnam entered the tournament as top finishers from Challengers Korea. Placed in the Alpha Group alongside BOOM Esports, Team NKT, Motiv Esports, and E-KING, they hit the ground running. Their aggressive playstyle was relentless, securing them an undefeated run and the top seed out of their group.

The momentum did not stall in the playoffs. SLT Seongnam dismantled NAOS, the second seed from the Omega Group, with a clean 2-0 sweep in the Upper Bracket Round 1. This set the stage for a showdown against BOOM Esports to claim the first ticket to VCT Pacific. They dominated the first map, 'Haven', with a crushing 13-4 victory. On 'Sunset', Jang 'Jexy' Seok-hyun’s Vyse was immense, putting up 27 kills in a 13-9 win. They closed it out on 'Abyss' by another 13-9 scoreline, finishing the tournament with a staggering undefeated record.

Nongshim RedForce, having qualified via the VCT Pacific Stage 2 playoffs, was placed in the Omega Group alongside NAOS, FULL SENSE, RIDDLE ORDER, and Velocity Gaming. The team struggled early on, and despite roster adjustments—including the shift of Jung 'Xross' Hwan—they faltered, opening with a 0-2 loss to NAOS. However, they found their rhythm just in time, reeling off three consecutive wins to secure a playoff spot as the third seed.

Starting their playoff journey in the Lower Bracket, Nongshim RedForce looked like a transformed unit. They dispatched Velocity Gaming and Motiv Esports with clinical 2-0 victories, setting up a high-stakes lower bracket final against BOOM Esports for the final promotion spot.

Things looked dicey on 'Bind' as they fell into an early 0-6 hole. They fought back to 10-11, but fell short 11-13. Unfazed, they dominated the second map, 'Ascent', where Kim 'Francis' Mu-bin’s Yoru racked up 21 kills in a 13-6 win. After a nail-biting 14-12 overtime victory on 'Sunset', the series swung in their favor. By the fourth map on 'Lotus', Lee 'Dambi' Hyeok-gyu’s signature Neon was simply untouchable, posting an Average Combat Score (ACS) of 277 to seal a 13-6 win and secure the final VCT Pacific slot.

With this result, the 2026 VCT Pacific lineup will feature a total of five Korean organizations, with SLT Seongnam and Nongshim RedForce joining established partners DRX, Gen.G, and T1.