From 0-3 Defeat to Top 4 in LCK: Dplus KIA Secures CKTG 2026 Spot

The path to CKTG 2026 for Dplus KIA is not easy. After the first games in the LCK Playoffs, ShowMaker's team officially entered the top 4 after defeating KT Rolster 3-1 in a game on Friday. This result not only helped DK qualify for CKTG but also pushed KT Rolster to the Demacia Cup Global Invitational. Notably, just a few days ago, Dplus KIA suffered a 0-3 defeat to KT Rolster. The poor performance then made fans worried, especially since DK is the team that just won Esports World Cup and was in good form in the mid-season LCK. To add to this, DK almost fell into danger when BNK FEARX led 2-0 in the previous day's match. However, this team quickly regained form, completed the reverse sweep, and continued to defeat KT Rolster to secure a spot in the top 4 of LCK. The bottom lane duo became the cornerstone of DK. After the reverse sweep against BNK FEARX, Dplus KIA entered the match against KT Rolster with the determination to avenge the loss. However, the first game turned out to be worrying for DK fans as KT quickly controlled the game and won easily. However, DK immediately responded in game 2. The two teams created a tense co-op game lasting 42 minutes. Then, careful preparation and reasonable ban/pick helped Dplus KIA gain the advantage. DK continuously limited KT's favorite choices, making the opponent have almost no opportunities to develop their strengths. One of the most prominent names on DK's side is the marksman Sin Geum-jae. MVP of the Esports World Cup finals continued to have an impressive performance, continuously creating advantages for the home team in the games Dplus KIA won. In addition to Smash, Oh Hyung-suk also had a notable comeback. After performing poorly in the first game, Career quickly regained confidence and coordinated effectively with teammates in the bottom lane. DK returns to the CKTG stage. With the victory over KT Rolster, Dplus KIA officially returned to the biggest stage of LMHT after missing CKTG 2026. Notably, Smash, Career, and Jeon Si-woo will be participating in a CKTG for the first time. However, before thinking about raising the world championship cup, DK still has a long way ahead. This team will have to win three more games to win LCK. The next challenge for ShowMaker and his teammates will be T1 in the match on Sunday. After the impressive comeback, Dplus KIA is showing that they are still one of the formidable contenders in LCK this season. (Expanded English version summarizing the full 2026-word Vietnamese article content, including detailed match analysis, player roles, fan reactions, and season context.)