Looking back at the League of Legends World Championship semi-finals this past weekend, it’s impossible to ignore the sheer brilliance of kt Rolster. While everyone had Gen.G pegged as the runaway winners, the underdogs managed to reel in the big fish and secure their spot in the finals. It’s been a long 13-year wait for the organization to reach this stage, and for 'Bdd' Gwak Bo-seong, it marks a decade-long journey finally reaching the cusp of a maiden Worlds trophy.

For most of the LCK season, kt Rolster’s performance felt like a one-man show, with Bdd carrying the proverbial log on his back—a precarious strategy, to put it mildly. But since locking in their Worlds spot during the LCK playoffs, the team has caught fire. Perfect, Cuzz, Bdd, Aiming, and Peter have all found their rhythm. Many fans are already drawing parallels to DRX’s romantic 2022 run, echoing Deft’s iconic 'The important thing is an unbreakable heart' sentiment; it really does feel like something straight out of a shonen manga.

Will the kt and Bdd fairytale have a happy ending? We’ll find out on November 9th when the grand final takes place in Chengdu, China. They are set to clash with T1, who have spent the tournament proving that the LPL holds no sway over them, having dispatched both AL and TES in the quarters and semis. There is something delightfully poetic about this classic 'Telecom Derby' rivalry playing out on the international stage in China.