Team BlossoM [3-0] Raven      

The team formerly known as Supreme Mixtape played this week under a new name. As their first series under sponsorship, it was even more important for them to win. Neither BlossoM nor Raven had won a series before this point, so whatever the outcome, someone’s losing streak was finally going to end.

The teams seemed evenly matched at first, reaching level 10 in their first game at around the same time. But the resulting teamfight led to a full wipe for Raven, including Abathur. BlossoM snowballed this for a keep during the first curse, and Raven seemed clueless as they tried to counter their momentum. Raven was up by two tributes on curse point, but they elected to trade the next tribute for a boss play instead. However, BlossoM delayed Raven for so long that they managed to pick up the next three tributes while the boss still remained unsecured! At that point, BlossoM simply walked up to the Core and claimed it.

The second game on Tomb of the Spider Queen again looked more even, and this time it was Raven who took control. Dominating the game with back to back to back turn-ins, Raven held a talent tier lead for most of the game. As soon as BlossoM finally reached 16, they turned and grabbed their first kill of the game on Hamelin’s Gul’dan. From there, BlossoM kept Raven’s death timers staggered enough to secure the comeback. Raven was absolutely shattered and showed no signs of life in the third game, making BlossoM’s first series win in HGC a very convincing one.

MVP Black [3-0] GG      

GG has had a rough schedule. They had to face all three titans in the region early in the season, leaving their record in shambles, and against MVP Black, they simply had no chance. Black made short work of their opponents by relying on Sgt. Hammer in all three games and playing around with the other four slots. Artanis even got his very first regional victory in the hands of KyoCha.

L5 [3-1] Tempest      

The anticipated series began dead even on Dragon Shire. The opponents matched each other blow for blow, with Tempest easily taking early Dragon Knights and L5 just as easily defending against them. As the game entered the late game, both teams were still even in experience and kills with only a slight structural lead separating them. But then ModernLife’s beautiful Sanctification completely nullified a key Twilight Dream by Swoy, leading to a Tempest victory in the first game.

The matches got wilder from there. Tempest attempted a Kael’thas/Morales combo against L5’s Zarya-empowered Stitches/Sonya composition in the next game, and Jeongha brought out Alarak in the third. After NaCHoJin ended Game Three in spectacular fashion, Tempest slowly fell apart in the final game. Fighting on Infernal Shrines, L5 denied Master’s Touch from duckdeok with repeated kills, while Sign appeared uncomfortable on Johanna. Tempest was never able to maintain control of the Shrines, even with ModernLife on Kerrigan.

Despite a shaky last game and finishing the series with the same 3-1 score they had against MVP Black, Tempest looked much improved from the previous week, with greater confidence and synergy. Unfortunately, L5 also displayed improved confidence and synergy. Both teams looked the best they have all season, but in the end, it seems Korea only has a “Top 2” with L5 and MVP Black.

MVP Black [3-0] Mighty      

Though this series wasn’t much closer than Black’s series against GG, Mighty showed why they’re leading the standings for the middle-tier teams. Even against an intimidating opponent, Mighty continued showing aggression that let them take early game leads. While their overextensions were inevitably punished, they were sure to avoid making the same mistakes twice.

But it wasn’t enough. If you watch only one MVP Black VoD this week, make sure it’s Game Two on Cursed Hollow; empowered by KyoCha’s Abathur, Merryday gave an unrivalled performance on Kharazim, holding the spotlight by fearlessly diving against the entire team again and again. This self-cast of Divine Palm is just one example.

Black’s 3-0 win here, together with Tempest’s single victory earlier in the day, means that L5 and MVP Black now tie for first place in standings, with identical win/loss match records. But as they’re scheduled against each other next, that tie won’t last for very long.

GG [3-2] Team BlossoM      

With only one win so far in the league, both BlossoM and GG were craving for a victory. Being the less experienced team, BlossoM hoped to drag GG out of their comfort zone and focus on teamfights. On the other hand, GG stuck with their core mechanics and trusted their front line, Hooligan, to control the teamfights. While both teams were evenly matched in individual mechanics and skirmishes, GG’s consistency and better understanding of the macro game helped them come out on top.

The series started on Tomb of the Spider Queen. GG drafted a heavy waveclear and push comp while BlossoM focused more on direct teamfighting. Although GG had full control of the early game, BlossoM was able to turn the game around with great late game teamfights under Molten Core. Unfortunately, BlossoM struggled to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the series. In Game Two, Scarlet made a fatal mistake by picking M.U.L.E. over Cleanse against GG’s heavy lockdown composition. Even though BlossoM took the lead again by winning Game Three, they almost lost control of their four level lead on Sky Temple.

Feeling desperate, BlossoM hoped to close out the series with a Stitches pick in Game Four, but it fell flat and GG was able to equalize the series without too much resistance. The final game was on Towers of Doom, and it seemed like BlossoM got their dream draft with N0CHAT on Zarya and DDuDDu on Valla, but they were unable to break through GG’s sturdy front line of Hooligan and Good, and dropped the series 2-3.

MVP Miracle [3-2] Raven      

The expectations were low going into Miracle vs Raven. With HongCoNo back on warrior and dami in his melee assassin role again, everyone expected an easy 3-0 for Miracle. What followed however, was the most chaotic series of the season. Raven ultimately failed to take the series against MVP Miracle, but they were finally able to win not just one, but two games, and made it clear that H82’s Artanis is without doubt the deadliest protoss leader in all of HGC Korea.

Raven blasted off the series with a unique Valeera/Tyrande/ETC stunlock composition on Battlefield of Eternity. Although MVP Miracle had some trouble adjusting to the blowup comp at first, they had no trouble dismantling Raven’s back line in the late game and snatching the win. In Game Two, Raven finally began to shine. The Dragon Shire game started off even, but H82’s Artanis started landing incredible swaps one after another, crippling Miracle’s defenses. Raven chose to draft the exact same composition again in Game Three, and H82’s Artanis once again decimated Miracle’s back line with his clever use of swap combo and Purifier Beam.

Humiliated, Miracle refused to back down; it was a matter of pride now. Both teams drafted the same exact compositions again in Game Four. Having developed some tolerance for H82’s Artanis, Miracle was able to take the game and bring the series to match point. It was here Raven brought out their trump card, the Nova-Zeratul double stealth composition. Unfortunately, Miracle was too experienced to fall for such cheap tricks, and although there were some moments where Raven’s Void Prison/Precision Strike/Falling Sword wombo seemed plausible, Miracle was able to close out the series without much trouble.