Faker (gamer)

Lee Sang-hyeok (; born May 7, 1996), better known as Faker, is a South Korean professional ''League of Legends'' player. Debuting in 2013, he has played as the mid-laner for T1 (formerly SK Telecom T1) for his entire career. He has won a record 10 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) titles, two Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) titles, and a record five World Championship titles. Faker is widely regarded as the greatest ''League of Legends'' player in history and has drawn comparison analogizing him to basketball player Michael Jordan for his esports success.

Originally from Gangseo District, Seoul, Faker established an early reputation as a dominant solo queue player before being signed by SKT in 2013 at the age of 17. In his debut year he won an LCK title and the World Championship. From 2014 to 2017, he won five further LCK titles, two MSI titles in 2016 and 2017, and two additional World Championships in 2015 and 2016, becoming the first team to win the championship more than once and to win back-to-back titles. During this time, he also emerged victorious in the All-Star Paris 2014 and the IEM World Championship in 2016. Between 2018 and 2022, Faker won four more LCK titles, but struggled to win international tournaments. He went on to win the 2023 and 2024 World Championships back-to-back with a core team of mostly younger players. He also represented the South Korean national team at the 2018 Asian Games, earning a silver medal, and the 2022 Asian Games, earning a gold.

Faker's individual achievements include accolades such as two World Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, an MSI MVP award, two LCK season MVP awards, an LCK Finals MVP award, two LCK Player of the Year awards, two LCK Mid Laner of the Year awards, and two LCK First All-Pro Team designations. He holds several LCK records, including being the first player to reach 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 kills, the first to have earned 5,000 assists, and the first to have won 600 games in the LCK. In 2025 he became the first person to play 1,000 LCK games with a win over KT Rolster, at which point he had won 667 games and lost 333. Faker also holds the record for the most kills in World Championship matches and was the first player to surpass 100 World Championship wins. His accomplishments have earned him recognition as the Best Esports Athlete at The Game Awards in 2017, 2023 and 2024, PC Player of the Year at the Esports Awards in 2023 and 2024, and he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Asia Entertainment & Sports in 2019. Additionally, he was inducted into the ESL Esports Hall of Fame in the same year. In May 2024, Riot Games announced him as the inaugural inductee for the LoL Esports Hall of Legends.

Faker is one of the most marketed esports figures, appearing in numerous commercials and talk shows. In 2020, he became a part-owner and executive of T1 Entertainment & Sports. His annual salary, as of 2020, was estimated by the Olympics to be nearly .

Early life

Faker was born in Seoul on May 7, 1996. His early years were spent under the care of his grandparents and his father, Lee Kyung-joon, in Gangseo District, Seoul. Described as an introverted child by his father, Faker exhibited a natural inclination for self-education, often challenging himself with Rubik's cubes and independently learning foreign languages. While he did not indulge in computer games extensively during his youth, he did find enjoyment in games like ''Tekken'' and '' King of Fighters'' at a local arcade. However, as time passed, he gradually ventured into the realm of PC gaming, exploring titles such as ''Maplestory'' and ''Warcraft III''.

In 2011, when ''League of Legends'' made its debut in South Korea, Faker was quick to embrace the game and became adept at it in a short span of time. While attending , the same institution as Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu, Faker asked his father if he could drop out of school to pursue a career in esports. His father granted his request a month later.

Professional career

Rookie season success (2013)

Faker began his professional career in 2013 when he caught the attention of SK Telecom T1 2 (later known as SK Telecom T1 K), a team affiliated with the SK Telecom T1 organization. Originally competing under the alias GoJeonPa, Faker joined the team as their mid laner, subsequently adopting the name Faker as his official gaming handle. He made his professional debut on April 6, 2013, at a televised match held in Seoul, South Korea, where he secured solo kill against the South Korean All-Star mid laner Kang "Ambition" Chan-yong. In his first professional tournament, OGN Champions Korea 2013 Spring tournament, Faker accounted for 31.6% of his team's kills and secured 133 kills over 20 games, positioning himself as the tournament's third highest performer in both categories. The subsequent split, OGN Champions Korea 2013 Summer, SKT T1 2 advanced to the tournament finals, where they faced off against the KT Rolster Bullets. In the match, Faker was suddenly engaged by Yoo "Ryu" Sang-wook from the Bullets, but he executed a perfectly timed sequence of moves to reverse the situation and kill Ryu. The play is regarded as one of the most famous ''League of Legends'' plays of all time; it not only propelled SKT T1 2 to a reverse sweep victory over the Bullets but also marked Faker's inaugural major title win. In Fall 2013, SKT T1 2 represented South Korea and the SK Telecom T1 organization at the Season 3 World Championship, commonly referred to as Worlds. Throughout the tournament, they had a record of 15 wins and 3 losses. SKT T1 2 faced off against China's Royal Club in the finals and won in what was one of the most lopsided finals in League of Legends history.

Five more international titles (2014–2017)

Faker won his second domestic title in 2014, as SKT followed their 2013 success by going the entire OGN Champions Winter 2013–2014 season without losing a single game. After losing in the quarterfinals of Champions Spring 2014, the team won All-Star Paris 2014, the precursor to the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI). Competing back again in Champions Summer 2014, while the team qualified for the playoffs, they were eliminated again in the quarterfinals. At the 2014 League of Legends World Championship qualifiers, SKT faced Samsung Galaxy White in a deciding qualifier match. In the match, Faker was the first player to die, known as giving away first blood, in three consecutive games, as SKT lost the match and did not qualify for the World Championship. In the following offseason, Riot Games introduced new regulations stating that each organization could only have one team participating in each league, leading to the merger of SK Telecom's two teams, SKT T1 K and SKT T1 S, which became simply known as SK Telecom T1.

During the 2015 offseason, Faker re-signed with SK Telecom, despite receiving offers of nearly from various Chinese companies. Throughout the 2015 LCK season, Faker shared the mid lane position with teammate Lee "Easyhoon" Ji-hoon. Although Faker started the Spring Split season opener match against NaJin e-mFire, he was benched in the second game after losing the first, with Easyhoon taking his place. However, Faker returned for the third game and led his team to victory by securing a pentakill. In the 2015 LCK Spring Split finals, Easyhoon started all three games, resulting in SKT's victory. Despite technically winning another domestic title, Faker expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome and stated his determination to deliver a better performance than Easyhoon in the future. During the break between splits, SKT participated in the 2015 Mid-Season Invitational, reaching the finals where they faced Edward Gaming in a best-of-five match. Throughout the tournament, Easyhoon played as the team's starting mid laner, but Faker was subbed in for game four after SKT fell behind 1–2. They won game four, and in game five Faker selected the champion LeBlanc, a character he had never lost with competitively. However, SKT was unable to secure a victory in the final game, resulting in a second-place finish. During the 2015 LCK Summer Split, SKT advanced to the finals against KT Rolster. While Easyhoon had been the primary mid laner for most of the split's matches, Faker played all three games of the finals and won, clinching his fourth LCK title. By this point in his career, Faker had garnered several nicknames, including the "Unkillable Demon King" and "God".

SKT successfully secured a spot in the 2015 League of Legends World Championship, with Faker solidifying his position as the starting mid laner. Easyhoon only participated in four matches during the tournament, allegedly serving the purpose of "keeping Faker's ego in check," as stated by SKT coaches. Over the course of the tournament, SKT lost only one game, game three of the Finals against KOO Tigers, as the team went on to win their second Worlds title. With the win, Faker became one of two players to have ever won the title twice. Following the victory, Faker garnered attention for his unconventional celebration, as he consumed a raw stalk of broccoli on stage.

Faker started the 2016 year by winning the IEM Season X World Championship. This accomplishment was followed by a win in the 2016 LCK Spring Split finals. Due to their performance in the Spring Split, SKT earned a spot in the 2016 Mid-Season Invitational. Despite a moderately balanced group stage performance, with a 6–4 record, SKT ultimately claimed the championship title by sweeping Counter Logic Gaming in the finals. Faker's gameplay throughout the tournament, including the second-most kills of any player in the tournament, earned him the MVP title, marking the first time he had been named MVP at either MSI or Worlds. On July 11, 2016, during the 2016 LCK Summer Split Faker became the first player in the history of the LCK to secure 1,000 kills. While SKT fell short of winning their fourth consecutive LCK title after a loss to KT Rolster in the playoffs, their overall performance during the season still earned them a qualification for the 2016 World Championship. In the World Championship, SKT reached the finals against Samsung Galaxy, with SKT winning by a score of 3–2 series. Faker won third world championship title and an was named the MVP of the tournament. By the end of 2016, Faker had gained widespread recognition and had been likened to "the Michael Jordan of esports".

In the lead-up to the 2017 season, Faker extended his contract with SKT. The contract, as stated by an SKT press release, was hailed as the "best contract in esports history." During the 2017 LCK Spring Split, Faker secured another LCK title, after the team swept KT Rolster with a 3–0 victory in the finals. At the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational, SKT finished atop their group with an 8–2 record. In the finals, they defeated G2 Esports, becoming the first team ever to win two consecutive Mid-Season Invitationals. However, in the subsequent LCK Summer Split, the team often found themselves falling behind early in matches and struggled to maintain their previous form. Despite this, SKT managed to reach the LCK Summer Finals, where they lost to Longzhu Gaming. The team still qualified for the 2017 League of Legends World Championship and reached the finals, with Faker being the sole member of SKT to participate in four World Championship finals. Prior to the finals match against Samsung Galaxy, Faker ranked second among all mid laners in the tournament for kills and assists. He also held had played the highest number of unique champions in the event. SKT lost in the World Championship finals against Samsung Galaxy, by a score of 0–3. This loss marked Faker's first World Championship finals defeat and left him visibly upset, requiring consolation from his teammates to gather himself and shake hands with the Samsung Galaxy players post-game.

International shortcomings (2018–2021)

Following the conclusion of the 2017 season, SKT underwent a semi-rebuild, and Faker struggled to find success throughout the 2018 season. During the 2018 LCK Spring Split playoffs, SKT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Championship. As the 2018 LCK Summer Split began, Faker found himself benched in favor of Choi "Pirean" Jun-sik starting from July 21, 2018. SKT's struggles continued throughout the summer split, and they failed to qualify for the playoffs, as they were unable to advance past the group stage. Faker made a return to the starting lineup for the LCK Regional Finals 2018, which served as qualifiers for the 2018 League of Legends World Championship. However, SKT could not secure a spot at Worlds, marking an end to their 2018 season.

In preparation for the 2019 season, SKT again underwent significant changes to their roster, but they retained Faker. Faker and SKT won the 2019 LCK Spring Split, as they defeated Griffin in the finals. The win marked Faker's seventh LCK title. In May 2019, SKT represented the LCK at the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational, where they were ultimately defeated by G2 Esports in the semifinals. Following the MSI, SKT participated in the 2019 Rift Rivals event, where teams from the LCK, LPL, LMS, and VCS competed. SKT, alongside three other LCK teams, clinched their league's first Rift Rivals championship title by defeating LPL teams. After winning Rift Rivals, Faker became the first player to have won all of the Riot-organized ''League of Legends'' international tournaments — All-Stars, Rift Rivals, the Mid-Season Invitational, and World Championship. In the 2019 LCK Summer Split, SKT found themselves in ninth place in the league standings, leading to Faker being benched for a match against Griffin. However, SKT ultimately won the 2019 LCK Summer Split by defeating Griffin in the playoff finals, giving Faker his eighth LCK title. At the 2019 World Championship, Faker became the first player to reach 100 international wins, after SKT defeated Splyce in the quarterfinals. However, SKT were defeated in the semifinals by G2 Esports, marking the first time that Faker had been eliminated from Worlds in the knockout stage.

After the 2019 season, SK Telecom T1 underwent a rebranding and became simply known as T1. In February 2020, T1 announced that Faker had renewed his contract with the organization for three years, and as part of the deal, Faker also became a co-owner of T1 Entertainment and Sports, taking on a player-executive role. On March 5, 2020, during the 2020 LCK season, Faker became the first player to secure 2,000 kills in the LCK. At that point, Faker had a career win rate of 67.4% in the LCK, with 357 wins and 173 losses. In April 2020, he surpassed Go "Score" Dong-bin for the most games played in the LCK, reaching a total of 545 games. Faker and T1 went on to win the 2020 LCK Spring finals against Gen.G, marking Faker's ninth LCK championship. However, in the Summer Split starting in July 2020, Faker was predominantly benched in favor of Lee "Clozer" Ju-hyeon, who had recently turned 17. In the playoffs, Faker was subbed in for the second game against Afreeca Freecs, but ultimately, T1 was eliminated from the competition. In the LCK regional qualifier for the 2020 World Championship, Faker returned to the starting roster. T1 defeated Afreeca Freecs in the semifinals but lost to Gen.G in the finals, failing to qualify for the World Championship.

In the 2021 LCK Spring Split, Faker elected to bench himself for three weeks following T1's loss to DRX on February 19. Recognizing his own underwhelming performance, Faker stated that he needed time off to regroup and improve. He returned to the starting roster on March 13, 2021, and secured a victory over Gen.G. In the Spring Split playoffs, T1 faced Gen.G in the semifinals but ended up losing the series. In the Summer Split, T1 reached the playoff finals, where they ultimately lost to DWG KIA to finish in second place. In the LCK Regional Finals, T1 defeated Hanwha Life Esports, securing their place in the 2021 World Championship group stage. As T1 prepared for the group stage of the World Championship, Faker stood as the most experienced player on the team, having competed in over 150 games between MSI and Worlds, compared to his teammates, who collectively had played 65 games in international competitions. T1 finished at the top of their group and advanced made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by DWG KIA.

Fourth and fifth Worlds titles (2022–present)

During the offseason before the 2022 season, Faker's contract with T1 expired, and he received an offer of $20million per year from a Chinese team competing in the LPL, according to T1 CEO Joe Marsh. Faker elected to stay with T1. In the 2022 season, which marked Faker's 10th year as a professional player, he achieved several milestones in the 2022 LCK Spring Split. He became the first player in the LCK to reach both 2,500 kills and 700 games. Additionally, on February 18, 2022, Faker played his 1,000th professional game, becoming the second player in ''League of Legends'' history to reach the milestone. T1's finished the 2022 Spring Split regular season with an undefeated 18–0 record, an achievement that had not been accomplished by any team in the history of the LCK. Faker's performance earned him a place on the LCK's first All-Pro team, an accolade he had not received since 2020. T1 excelled in the Spring Split playoffs, culminating in a 3–1 victory over Gen.G in the finals. This marked Faker's and T1's 10th LCK title. At the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational, T1 reached the finals for the first time since 2017 after defeating G2 Esports in the semifinals. However, they lost to Royal Never Give Up (RNG) in the MSI finals. On July 8, in match against Gen.G the 2022 LCK Summer split, Faker became first player to achieve 500 wins in the LCK. However, T1's success in the Summer Split playoffs was limited, as they were defeated by Gen.G in the finals. T1 secured their qualification for the 2022 World Championship. During the group stage, Faker became the first player to participate in 100 games at the World Championship, with his record standing at 72 wins and 28 losses. Additionally, Faker surpassed Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao to claim the record for the most kills in World Championship history, accumulating over 350 kills across multiple editions of the tournament. Advancing to the World Championship finals, T1 faced off against DRX, with Faker encountering his high school peer, Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu. T1 fell short in the series, ultimately losing to DRX by a score of two games to three.

During the 2023 LCK Spring Split, Faker achieved another LCK record. On January 20, 2023, in a match against KT Rolster, Faker surpassed Kang "Gorilla" Beom-hyeon to claim the record for the most career assists in the history of the LCK at 4,137. On July 2, in the 2023 LCK Summer Split, Faker was sidelined due to an arm injury. His absence from competitive play extended for a duration of four weeks. During this time, T1's record fell from 6–2 to 7–9. Faker returned to the starting roster on August 2, helping the team defeat the Kwangdong Freecs. Winning their last game of the season, T1 finished with a 9–9 record, securing the fifth seed in the LCK Summer playoffs. T1 reached the LCK Summer finals, where they lost to Gen.G. Finishing with the most championship points in the LCK, the team qualified for the 2023 World Championship, marking Faker's eighth Worlds appearance. Faker won his fourth Worlds title on November 19, 2023, after T1 defeated Weibo Gaming in the finals. With the win, Faker became the first person to win four World Championship titles and, at age 27, the oldest player to win one. At the 2023 LCK Awards ceremony in December, Faker was named the Mid Laner of the Year and the Player of the Year.

On February 1, 2024, Faker picked up his 600th win in the LCK in a match against DRX, becoming the first player to reach the milestone. Two days later, against OK Brion, Faker became the first player in LCK history to reach 3,000 kills. On April 7, 2024, in a regular season match against Dplus Kia, Faker earned his 5000th career assist in the LCK, becoming the first player in history to do so. Faker became the first player to achieve 100 wins in World Championship after defeating G2 Esports. On November 2, 2024, Faker earned his fifth Worlds title at the O2 Arena. He was selected as the Finals MVP, which marked his second MVP title in World Championship. On the same day, he also became the first player to have reached 500 kills on Worlds stage.

National team career

Faker represented South Korea in the ''League of Legends'' demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games. The tournament took place at BritAma Arena at Mahaka Square in Jakarta, Indonesia, from August 27 to 29, 2018. Faker expressed feeling a greater sense of pressure compared to regular ''League of Legends'' competitions due to the diverse viewership demographic at the Asian Games. The South Korean team earned a silver medal after a 1–3 loss to China in the finals.

Faker once again represented South Korea in the 2022 Asian Games as one of six members of the ''League of Legends'' division of the South Korea national esports team. While he took home a gold medal in the event after South Korea defeated Saudi Arabia, China, and Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, respectively, Faker was absent from the matches due to flu symptoms. With the gold medal, Faker received an exemption from mandatory military service.

Legacy

Riot Games announced on May 22, 2024, that Faker was chosen as their inaugural entry into the Hall of Legends, being officially inducted in a private ceremony at The Shilla Seoul in South Korea on June 6, 2024.

Seasons overview

Awards and honors

;International
* Five-time Worlds champion – 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024
* Two-time Worlds MVP – 2016, 2024
* Two-time Mid-Season Invitational champion – 2016, 2017
* One-time Mid-Season Invitational Finals MVP – 2016
* One-time Esports World Cup champion – 2024
* One-time Esports World Cup MVP – 2024

;Regional
*One-time Rift Rivals champion – 2019

;LCK
* 10-time LCK champion – Summer 2013, Winter 2014, Spring 2015, Summer 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Summer 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022
* Two-time LCK Season MVP – Summer 2013, Winter 2014
* One-time LCK Finals MVP – Summer 2015
* Two-time LCK Player of the Year – 2023, 2024
* Two-time LCK Mid Laner of the Year – 2023, 2024
* One-time LCK Most Improved Player – 2021
* One-time LCK Best Initiating Player – 2022
* Two-time OPGG Search King – 2023, 2024
* Two-time LCK First All-Pro Team – Spring 2022, Spring 2023
* Two-time LCK Second All-Pro Team – Summer 2022, Spring 2024
* One-time LCK Third All-Pro Team – Spring 2020

;South Korea Esports
*Asian Games gold medal winner – 2022

;KeSPA
* One-time KeSPA ''League of Legends'' Mid Player Award – 2013
* Two-time KeSPA ''League of Legends'' Best Player – 2015, 2016
* Two-time KeSPA ''League of Legends'' Popularity Award – 2015, 2016
* Two-time KeSPA ''League of Legends'' eSports Award of the Year – 2015, 2016

;Halls of Fame
* LoL Esports Hall of Legends inductee – 2024
* Esports Hall of Fame – 2019
* Six-time Korea Esports Hall of Fame Esports Star – 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024

;Media
* Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Entertainment & Sports – 2019
* Three-time The Game Awards Best Esports Athlete – 2017, 2023, 2024
* Two-time Esports Awards PC Player of the Year – 2023, 2024

Media figure

Endorsements and television

Faker has become a prominent figure in marketing campaigns for various brands. Companies such as Nike, Razer, Red Bull, and Creative Artists Agency have leveraged Faker's image to promote their products and services. In 2017, Faker served as an advertising model for the Philippines' Bacchus energy drink. Lotte Confectionery introduced an ice cream brand named after him in 2020. Faker has also appeared in commercials alongside notable personalities, such as footballer Son Heung-min to endorse SK Telecom products. In 2023, Razer unveiled a customized "Faker Edition" of their DeathAdder V3 Pro mouse.

Faker made an appearance on the KBS2 talk show ''Hello Counselor'' in November 2018 and was featured on the esports talk show '' The Dreamer'' in July 2020.

Philanthropy

Following his absence from the 2018 World Championship, Faker announced his decision to donate all the revenue generated from his streaming activities in October 2018 to the UN Foundation.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, Faker actively contributed to relief efforts, although not always publicly. In March 2020, he publicly announced a donation of () to the Community Chest of Korea. In January 2022, Faker donated () to the Seoul Social Welfare Fund. As a result of his contributions, his name was honored on the wall of fame in Seoul's Gangseo District, recognizing his significant contributions to COVID-19 relief initiatives. The following August, Faker extended his philanthropic reach by donating to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association, contributing to the aid efforts for victims affected by the 2022 floods in South Korea.

Streaming

On February 6, 2017, Faker embarked on his first livestream on Twitch, attracting a peak viewership of 245,100 viewers. This viewership figure set a record for the highest number of concurrent viewers for an individual streamer in the history of the platform. However, in early 2018, Tyler1, another popular ''League of Legends'' streamer, surpassed Faker's record. Tyler1's stream quickly amassed 300,000 viewers within 20 minutes, surpassing Faker's previous achievement and causing a temporary overload on Twitch's servers.

Litigation

On July 19, 2022, Faker and T1 filed a lawsuit through Apex Law, LLC against a group of individuals who had engaged in malicious online personal attacks against Faker. The lawsuit was based on the insult law in Korea, which stipulates that public insults can result in imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of no more than (). The specific details of the lawsuit were not extensively disclosed, but it was revealed that the defendants, referred to as "John Does", had made slanderous remarks directed at Faker's mother and posted highly inappropriate drawings. The legal representatives of T1 described these actions as exceedingly offensive. T1 CEO Joe Marsh clarified that the intention behind the lawsuit was not to address standard criticism that public figures often face, but rather to address repeated comments that crossed the line into threats and harassment.

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Faker
1996 births
Living people
Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea
Esports players at the 2018 Asian Games
Esports players at the 2022 Asian Games
League of Legends mid lane players
People from Gangseo District, Seoul
South Korean esports players
South Korean Twitch (service) streamers
Sportspeople from Seoul
T1 (esports) players
The Game Awards winners
Asian Games medalists in esports
Medalists at the 2022 Asian Games