Faker (gamer)
Faker | |
---|---|
Current team | |
Team | T1 |
Role | Mid |
Game | League of Legends |
League | LCK |
Personal information | |
Name | 이상혁 (Lee Sang-hyeok) |
Nickname(s) | Unkillable Demon King[a] |
Born | Seoul, South Korea | May 7, 1996
Career information | |
Playing career | 2013–present |
Team history | |
2013–present | T1[b] |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Medal record | |
Signature | |
Lee Sang-hyeok (Korean: 이상혁; born May 7, 1996), better known as Faker, is a South Korean professional League of Legends player for T1. He gained prominence after joining SK Telecom T1 (now T1) in 2013, where he has since played as the team's mid-laner. Throughout his career, he has secured a record of 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 was signed by SKT in 2013, and quickly established himself as one of the league's top players. In his debut year, he achieved both an LCK title and a World Championship victory with SKT. From 2014 to 2017, Faker added five more LCK titles to his name, along with two MSI titles in 2016 and 2017, and two additional World Championships in 2015 and 2016. During this time, he also emerged victorious in the All-Star Paris 2014 and the IEM World Championship in 2016. Between 2019 and 2022, Faker secured four more LCK titles, becoming the first player to reach a total of 10. 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 a World Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, an MSI MVP award, two LCK season MVP awards, an LCK Finals MVP award, an LCK Player of the Year award, an LCK Mid Laner of the Year award, 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, the first to have played 900 games, and the first to have won 600 games in the LCK. 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 and 2023, PC Player of the Year at the Esports Awards in 2023, and he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Asia Entertainment & Sports in 2019. Additionally, he was inducted into the ESL Hall of Fame in the same year. He was also chosen as the inaugural inductee for the LoL Esports Hall of Legends, being officially announced by Riot Games in May 2024.
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 US$5 million.[1]
Early life
Faker was born in Seoul on May 7, 1996.[2] 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,[3] Faker exhibited a natural inclination for self-education, often challenging himself with Rubik's cubes and independently learning foreign languages.[4] While he didn't 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.[5]
In 2011, when League of Legends made its debut in Korea, Faker was quick to embrace the game and became adept at it in a short span of time. While attending Mapo High School , the same institution as Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu,[6] 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.[4][7]
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.[8] Originally competing under the alias GoJeonPa, Faker joined the team as their mid laner, subsequently adopting the name Faker as his official gaming handle.[4] 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.[9] 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.[10] 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;[4][11] it not only propelled SKT T1 2 to a reverse sweep victory over the Bullets but also marked Faker's inaugural major title win.[12] 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.[12]
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).[13][14] Competing back again in Champions Summer 2014, while the team qualified for the playoffs, they were eliminated again in the quarterfinals.[13] 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.[15] 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.[16]
During the 2015 offseason, Faker re-signed with SK Telecom, despite receiving offers of nearly US$1,000,000 from various Chinese companies.[17] Throughout the 2015 LCK season, Faker shared the mid lane position with teammate Lee "Easyhoon" Ji-hoon.[15] 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.[18] 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.[15] 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.[19] 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.[20] By this point in his career, Faker had garnered several nicknames, including the "Unkillable Demon King" and "God".[4]
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.[21][22] 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.[23] Following the victory, Faker garnered attention for his unconventional celebration, as he consumed a raw stalk of broccoli on stage.[24][25]
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.[13] 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.[26][27] 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.[28][29] 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.[12] 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.[30] By the end of 2016, Faker had gained widespread recognition and had been likened to "the Michael Jordan of esports".[12][31]
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."[32] 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.[33] 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.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36] 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.[37]
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 finished in fourth place.[38] As the 2018 LCK Summer Split began, Faker found himself benched in favor of Choi "Pirean" Jun-sik starting from July 21, 2018.[39] 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.[40] 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.[7]
In preparation for the 2019 season, SKT again underwent significant changes to their roster, but they retained Faker.[41][42] Faker and SKT won the 2019 LCK Spring Split, as they defeated Griffin in the finals. The win marked Faker's seventh LCK title.[43][44] In May 2019, SKT represented the LCK at the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational, where they were ultimately defeated by G2 Esports in the semifinals.[45] 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.[46] 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.[47] However, SKT ultimately won the 2019 LCK Summer Split by defeating Griffin in the playoff finals, giving Faker his eighth LCK title.[48] At the 2019 World Championship, Faker became the first player to reach 100 international wins, after SKT defeated Splyce in the quarterfinals.[49] 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.[50]
After the 2019 season, SK Telecom T1 underwent a rebranding and became simply known as T1.[51] 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.[52] 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.[28] In April 2020, he surpassed Go "Score" Dong-bin for the most games played in the LCK, reaching a total of 545 games.[53] Faker and T1 went on to win the 2020 LCK Spring finals against Gen.G, marking Faker's ninth LCK championship.[54] 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.[55] 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.[56][57]
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.[58][59] In the Spring Split playoffs, T1 faced Gen.G in the semifinals but ended up losing the series.[60] In the Summer Split, T1 reached the playoff finals, where they ultimately lost to DWG KIA to finish in second place.[61] In the LCK Regional Finals, T1 defeated Hanwha Life Esports, securing their place in the 2021 World Championship group stage.[62] 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.[63]
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 $20 million per year from a Chinese team competing in the LPL, according to T1 CEO Joe Marsh. Faker elected to stay with T1.[64] 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.[2] 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.[65] 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.[66] Faker's performance earned him a place on the LCK's first All-Pro team, an accolade he had not received since 2020.[67] 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.[68] At the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational, T1 reached the finals for the first time since 2017 after defeating G2 Esports in the semifinals.[69] However, they lost to Royal Never Give Up (RNG) in the MSI finals.[70] On July 8, in match against Gen.G the 2022 LCK Summer split, Faker became first player to achieve 500 wins in the LCK.[71] However, T1's success in the Summer Split playoffs was limited, as they were defeated by Gen.G in the finals.[72] 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.[73] 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.[74] Advancing to the World Championship finals, T1 faced off against DRX, with Faker encountering his high school peer, Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu.[75] T1 fell short in the series, ultimately losing to DRX by a score of two games to three.[76]
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.[77] 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.[78][79] Winning their last game of the season, T1 finished with a 9–9 record, securing the fifth seed in the LCK Summer playoffs.[80] 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.[81][82] 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.[83] At the 2023 LCK Awards ceremony in December, Faker was named the Mid Laner of the Year and the Player of the Year.[84][85]
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.[86] 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.[87] Faker became the first player to achieve 100 wins in World Championship after defeating G2 Esports.[88] On November 2, 2024, Faker earned his fifth Worlds title at the O2 Arena.[89] He was selected as the Finals MVP, which marked his second MVP title in World Championship.[90] On the same day, he also became the first player to have reached 500 kills on Worlds stage.[91]
National team career
Faker represented South Korea in the League of Legends demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games.[92] The tournament took place at BritAma Arena at Mahaka Square in Jakarta, Indonesia, from August 27 to 29, 2018.[93] 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.[94] The South Korean team earned a silver medal after a 1–3 loss to China in the finals.[95]
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.[96] 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.[97][98] With the gold medal, Faker received an exemption from mandatory military service.[99][100]
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.[101]
Seasons overview
Team | Year | Domestic | International | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
League | Split | Rift Rivals | Mid-Season Invitational | World Championship | ||||
Winter | Spring | Summer | ||||||
SK Telecom T1 K | 2013 | Champions | — | 3rd | 1st | — | — | 1st |
2014 | Champions | 1st | 5th–8th | 5th–8th | Did not qualify | |||
SK Telecom T1 | 2015 | LCK | — | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | |
2016 | LCK | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | |||
2017 | LCK | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | ||
2018 | LCK | 4th | 7th | 2nd | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | ||
2019 | LCK | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd–4th | 3rd–4th | ||
T1 | 2020 | LCK | 1st | 5th | — | None held[c] | Did not qualify | |
2021 | LCK | 4th | 2nd | Did not qualify | 3rd–4th | |||
2022 | LCK | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | |||
2023 | LCK | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | |||
2024 | LCK | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st |
Awards and honors
- International
- Five-time Worlds champion – 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024[30][103][104]
- Two-time Worlds MVP – 2016, 2024[30]
- Two-time Mid-Season Invitational champion – 2016, 2017[105]
- One-time Mid-Season Invitational Finals MVP – 2016[26]
- One-time Esports World Cup champion – 2024
- One-time Esports World Cup MVP – 2024
- 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[106]
- Two-time LCK Season MVP – Summer 2013, Winter 2014[4]
- One-time LCK Finals MVP – Summer 2015[107]
- One-time LCK Player of the Year – 2023[85]
- One-time LCK Mid Laner of the Year – 2023[84]
- One-time LCK Most Improved Player – 2021[108]
- One-time LCK Best Initiating Player – 2022[109]
- Two-time LCK First All-Pro Team – Spring 2022, Spring 2023[67][110]
- Two-time LCK Second All-Pro Team – Summer 2022, Spring 2024[111][112]
- One-time LCK Third All-Pro Team – Spring 2020[113]
- South Korea Esports
- Asian Games gold medal winner – 2022[98]
- KeSPA
- One-time KeSPA League of Legends Mid Player Award – 2013[114]
- Two-time KeSPA League of Legends Best Player – 2015, 2016[115]
- Two-time KeSPA League of Legends Popularity Award – 2015, 2016[115]
- Two-time KeSPA League of Legends eSports Award of the Year – 2015, 2016[115]
- Halls of Fame
- LoL Esports Hall of Legends inductee – 2024[116]
- Esports Hall of Fame – 2019[105]
- Five-time Korea Esports Hall of Fame Esports Star – 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023[117][118]
- Media
- Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Entertainment & Sports – 2019[119]
- Two-time The Game Awards Best Esports Athlete – 2017, 2023[120]
- Esports Awards PC Player of the Year – 2023
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.[121] In 2017, Faker served as an advertising model for the Philippines' Bacchus energy drink.[122] Lotte Confectionery introduced an ice cream brand named after him in 2020.[123] Faker has also appeared in commercials alongside notable personalities, such as footballer Son Heung-min to endorse SK Telecom products.[124] In 2023, Razer unveiled a customized "Faker Edition" of their DeathAdder V3 Pro mouse.[125]
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.[126][127]
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.[128]
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 ₩30 million (US$25,000) to the Community Chest of Korea.[129] In January 2022, Faker donated ₩50 million (US$41,700) 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.[130] The following August, Faker extended his philanthropic reach by donating ₩30 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association, contributing to the aid efforts for victims affected by the 2022 floods in South Korea.[131]
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.[132] 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.[133]
Litigation
On July 19, 2022, Faker and T1 took legal action by filing 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 ₩2 million (US$1,520). 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.[134][135]
Notes
- ^ Various news outlets have commented on Faker being known as the "Unkillable Demon King":
- Jacob Wolf (October 26, 2016). "The almighty mid lane: SKT's Faker vs. Samsung's Crown". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Julia Lee (February 6, 2017). "Faker broke a Twitch record on his first day streaming". Rift Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Tyler Erzberger (October 31, 2017). "Ambition's and Faker's legacies intertwine once again". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Miles Yim (October 2, 2019). "Faker's Michael Jordan-like return highlights League of Legends World Championship story lines". Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Tyler Erzberger (November 1, 2019). "How Faker and his father made way for the Unkillable Demon King's return". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Jerome Heath (March 5, 2020). "Faker becomes first player to reach 2,000 kills in LCK". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Matt Porter (December 18, 2020). "10 things you didn't know about League of Legends supremo Faker". Red Bull. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- Rich Stanton (December 1, 2022). "'The unkillable demon king' of esports ends speculation and stays put". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Known as SK Telecom T1 2 in 2013, SK Telecom T1 K in 2014, and SK Telecom T1 from 2014 to 2019.
- ^ Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[102]
References
- ^ Binner, Andrew (July 27, 2020). "Meet eSports phenom Lee Sang-hyeok – The Ronaldo of gaming". Olympics. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ a b McNicol, Andrew (April 2, 2022). "Who is Faker, the 'Unkillable Demon King' of esports?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Jeon, Hyeon-seok (July 22, 2020). "[Why] 神이라 불리는 게이머 "인간에겐 안 질 것"". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Kimes, Mina (June 10, 2015). "The Unkillable Demon King". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "The Rise of a Legend – The Story of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok". Dot Esports. April 8, 2015. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ [기획 영상] 충격 실화! '페이커', '데프트'는 같은 고등학교였다. sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Erzberger, Tyler (November 1, 2019). "How Faker and his father made way for the Unkillable Demon King's return". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Geracie, Nick (October 5, 2022). "Faker hopes to find glory once again on North American soil". Nerd Street. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Erzverger, Tyler (May 5, 2021). "Usurping the Unkillable Demon King". Upcomer. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ The Greatest Rookie Ever | T1 Faker's Untold Story. Red Bull Gaming. August 10, 2022. Event occurs at 5:40. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Gilliam, Ryan (May 10, 2017). "Ryu, the happiest League of Legends player in North America". The Rift Herald. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Erzberger, Tyler (October 27, 2016). "Faker: the global phenomenon". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c Popko, John (December 31, 2022). "A Decade of Faker: Ranking the ten years of the T1 mid laner's career". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Worlds Collide at LCS All-Star 2014". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c Kim, Byungho; Hyun, Woo (August 2, 2018). "The History of Faker's Slumps". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Li, Xing (March 24, 2019). "Where they've gone: A look at former SKT players and how they're doing". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- ^ Kulasingham, Nilu (November 3, 2014). "Faker reportedly declined contracts valued up to $1 million in total by Chinese companies". OnGamers. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Lingle, Samuel (January 7, 2015). "Faker gets benched, comes back with a pentakill". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- ^ Deesing, Jonathan (February 21, 2017). "Edward Gaming Beats SKT in Mid-Season Invitational". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ McLaughlin, Declan (April 6, 2021). "The eight moments that define Faker's eight-year career". Upcomer. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Alexander, Jem (October 27, 2019). "The best League of Legends players: top pros from across the globe". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Gubert, Jéssica (December 20, 2022). "League of Legends stars with the most World Championships". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Dyer, Mitch (November 2, 2015). "Worlds: How SK Telecom T1 Won the 2015 League of Legends Championship". IGN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ East, Tom (October 12, 2016). "Watch Faker's strange LoL Worlds celebration". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Gu, Rachel (November 1, 2015). "League of Legends team becomes first ever two time World Champions". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Bencomo, Brian (October 31, 2022). "A legendary career: Faker's results at Worlds and MSI". Nerd Street. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Esguerra, Tyler (May 30, 2022). "Every MVP in League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational history". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Heath, Jerome (March 5, 2020). "Faker becomes first player to reach 2,000 kills in LCK". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Kang, Yoo-Rim (November 12, 2020). "Meet Faker, the 24-year-old who carries an entire sport on his shoulders". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c Erzberger, Tyler (October 30, 2016). "SKT joins Patriots, Bulls, Lakers as one of the great sports dynasties". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Gay, Jason (October 23, 2016). "E-Sports: A League of Its Own". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Volk, Pete (November 29, 2016). "Faker re-signs with SKT after 'unprecedented offer,' Bengi and Duke leave". The Rift Herald. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Says, Sielinth (April 26, 2017). "Faker Keeps His Throne In Korean League Finals". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Teixeira, Miri (May 10, 2022). "The biggest stories of T1's MSI history". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Goslin, Austen (August 9, 2017). "What you need to know before the LCK playoffs, including why SKT isn't looking good". The Rift Herald. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "How SKT and Samsung stack up in the Worlds final". ESPN. November 3, 2017. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Erzberger, Tyler (November 14, 2017). "Capturing the thrill of the loss". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Won, Yoo-sik (April 13, 2018). 아쉽게 결승 무대를 밟지 못한 KSV-SKT T1-kt 롤스터. Inven (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Rand, Emily (August 2, 2018). "With Faker benched, SKT searches for identity". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Goslin, Austen (September 7, 2018). "How to watch the LCK Summer Split 2018 Finals: Schedule and stream". The Rift Herald. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Erzberger, Tyler (December 19, 2018). "Faker: 'China took all our crowns away. Next year, we'll get them all back'". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Hyun, Woo (November 20, 2018). "Faker Remains With SK Telecom T1". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Erzberger, Tyler (April 12, 2019). "What's old is new again: Faker vs. Chovy". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Stavropoulos, Andreas (November 19, 2019). "Faker extends his contract with T1 until 2021". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Endres, Elena (November 1, 2019). "Can G2 repeat their MSI success and beat SKT at Worlds 2019?". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ Lee, Hanbit. '페이커' 이상혁, 라이엇 주최 대회 모두 석권…개인 커리어 통산 16관왕. sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Leckie-Zaharic, Alex (June 22, 2019). "Faker benched during Griffin's dominant win over SKT in LCK finals rematch". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Kim, Byungho (August 31, 2019). "[2019 LCK Summer Finals] Faker Claims His Eighth LCK Trophy". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "Worlds behind the numbers: Faker notches 100th career international win". ESPN. October 27, 2019. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ Yim, Miles (October 2, 2019). "Faker's Michael Jordan-like return highlights League of Legends World Championship story lines". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "Comcast Spectacor, SK Telecom launch T1". ESPN. October 15, 2019. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ "Esports star Faker gets ownership stake in new deal with T1". AP News. February 18, 2020. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Martinello, Eva (April 3, 2020). "Faker has officially played more LCK games than any other League player". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Sim, Youngbo; Jang, David (April 25, 2020). "2020 LCK Spring Split Finals peaked at 1,074,561 viewers". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Jang-won, Lim (August 27, 2020). "T1, Faker victims of first postseason League of Legends upset". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Lupasco, Cristian (September 8, 2020). "T1 beat Afreeca Freecs in Gumayusi's debut, advance to LCK regional finals". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Lupasco, Cristian (September 9, 2020). "Gen.G sweep T1 to qualify for 2020 League of Legends World Championship". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "T1's Faker says he voluntarily benched himself". Reuters. March 13, 2021. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Heath, Jerome (April 1, 2021). "Faker shines in T1's win over DRX in 2021 LCK Spring Split playoffs". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Jeon, Young-jae (April 5, 2021). "Stage set for DWG KIA-Gen.G showdown in LCK finals". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ DaMour, Henrique (August 28, 2021). "DWG KIA take home 2021 LCK Summer Finals after 3–1 victory against T1". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ O'Dwyer, Samuel (September 2, 2021). "T1 defeat Hanwha Life Esports 3–2 in LCK Regional Finals, qualify for Worlds group stage". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Ousley, Parkes (October 30, 2021). "Despite 3–2 loss to DWG KIA, T1 and Faker begin a new era". Upcomer. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "Faker Was Offered $20 Million A Year To Play In China – IGN". IGN. April 11, 2022. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Datuin, Sage (February 18, 2022). "T1 mid laner Faker reaches 1,000 games played". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Banerjee, Rijit (March 20, 2022). "T1 finish LCK Spring Split undefeated with perfect 18–0, Faker shines on Veigar". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ a b Kelly, Michael (March 22, 2022). "Four-fifths of historic T1 lineup headline LCK 2022 Spring Split All-Pro team". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Utama, Kenny (April 4, 2022). "Here's how T1 made history with their 10th championship". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Bernado, Anna (May 28, 2022). "League of Legends: T1 sweep G2 3–0 to reach first MSI 2022 Finals, their first since 2017". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Cowley, Ric (May 30, 2022). "MSI 2022: G2 and T1's highlights of the tournament". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Miter, Mateusz (July 8, 2022). "Faker logs 500 wins in the LCK, bolsters legacy as first player to reach the milestone". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Utama, Kenny. "T1 went down swinging in the LCK summer finals 2022". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Garcia, Ethan (October 10, 2022). "Faker becomes first League star to hit 100 games played at Worlds and his win rate is immense". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Esguerra, Tyler (October 14, 2022). "Faker breaks legendary Uzi record at Worlds after Chinese icon's four-year reign on the charts". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Daniel (November 4, 2022). "League of Legends Worlds: How Faker is viewed as the 'Michael Jordan' of esports". The Athletic. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Copitch, Josh (November 6, 2022). "'The miracle run,' The greatest story in esports culminated at Worlds 2022". KSBW. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Kim, Byung-Ho (January 20, 2023). "[LCK 스프링] 전설 '페이커' 이상혁, LCK 통산 최다 어시스트 기록". Inven (in Korean). Naver Sports. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Michael (July 27, 2023). "Could the Faker-less T1 actually miss the 2023 LCK Summer Split playoffs?". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Miter, Mateusz (August 2, 2023). "Faker's surprise LCK return propels T1 to win over Kwangdong Freecs". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Nam, Jeong-seok (August 6, 2023). 이상혁 복귀로 '완전체'가 된 T1, 플레이오프에서의 성적은?. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Park, Ji-hwan (August 28, 2023). "Dplus KIA, KT Rolster top LCK regionals to earn ticket to Worlds". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Lee, Si-jin (August 20, 2023). "Faker to advance to 2023 LoL World Championship". The Korea Herald. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ "South Korean superstar gamer Faker wins historic League of Legends championship". South China Morning Post. Agence France-Presse. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Jang, David; Kim, Soojin (December 13, 2023). "[2023 LCK Awards] T1 Sweeps Positional Player of the Year Awards". InvenGlobal. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Jang, David; Kim, Soojin (December 13, 2023). "[2023 LCK Awards] "All Roads Lead to Me", Faker Claims Player of the Year". InvenGlobal. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Michael (February 4, 2024). "Faker keeps raising the bar with twin career milestones over LCK weekend". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Michael (April 7, 2024). "5000 and counting: Faker keeps on racking up LCK records". Dot Esports. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "'페이커' 롤드컵 최초 100승…한화생명e스포츠-T1-젠지 8강". Naver (in Korean). October 14, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Faker goes above and beyond as T1 defend LoL Worlds title". Dot Esports. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "'페이커' 또 대기록 썼다…T1, 중국팀 꺾고 롤드컵 사상 첫 'V5'". Naver (in Korean). November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "페이커 또다시 빛났다…T1, BLG 꺾고 롤드컵 'V5' 달성(종합)". Naver (in Korean). November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Chan, Matthew (May 31, 2018). "South Korea Reveals League of Legends Roster for 2018 Asian Games". IGN Southeast Asia. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Hayward, Andrew (August 30, 2018). "A Guide to Esports at the 2018 Asian Games". The Esports Observer. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Ji-young, Sohn (November 8, 2018). "Meet 'Faker': Korean League of Legends talent extraordinaire". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Ye, Josh (August 30, 2018). "China tops South Korea in epic League of Legends showdown at the Asian Games 2018". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Ye, Josh (May 24, 2023). "South Korea's LoL team for 19th Asian Games features iconic stars, MVPs, and world champs". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ Boram, Kim (September 28, 2023). "(Asaid) Sidelined LOL star Faker Lee Sang-hyeok proud of his teammates for beating China in semis". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ a b Yang, Mary; Paik, Ji-hwan (September 29, 2023). "Korea takes League of Legends gold despite Faker absence". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ "Asian Games 2023: South Korea's League of Legends esports gold – without the GOAT, Faker – earns military service exemption". South China Morning Post. Associated Press. September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Martin Quin Pollard; Ian Ransom (September 30, 2023). "Butterfly queen Zhang, Faker strike gold in Hangzhou". Reuters. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "LoL Esports". lolesports.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Rand, Emily (April 23, 2020). "Riot cancels Mid-Season Invitational, announces changes to worlds". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ "T1 Defeats Weibo Gaming To Win 2023 'League of Legends' World Championship". Hypebeast. November 19, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ Mike Stubbs (November 3, 2024). "T1 Wins The 'League Of Legends' World Championship… Again". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 3, 2024. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ a b "Lee Sang-hyeok, "Faker", voted by fans into the Esports Hall of Fame". ESL. January 10, 2019. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Kant, E.G. (April 2, 2022). "T1 defeat Gen.G to win LCK 2022 spring in historic undefeated season". Upcomer. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ 박, 박운성 (August 29, 2015). "LoL, [포토] '페이커' 이상혁, 롤챔스 결승 MVP!". TV리포트 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ Kim, Byungho; Pack, Takyun; Jang, David (December 28, 2021). "Recipients of the 2021 LCK Awards revealed, ShowMaker takes seven titles". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Jang, David (December 22, 2022). "[LCK Awards] All recipients of the 2022 LCK Awards". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Jang, David (March 22, 2023). "All five T1 players voted to the All-LCK First Team". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ Jang, David (August 16, 2022). "LCK Awards recipients for the 2022 summer split revealed". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Lee, Yong-jun (March 26, 2024). '쵸비' 정지훈, 스프링 정규 리그 MVP...어워드 '싹쓸이 3관왕' ['Chovy' Jeong Ji-hoon, spring regular league MVP... won three awards in a 'sweep']. The Korea Daily (in Korean). Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Jang, David (April 23, 2020). "Riot Korea announces 2020 Spring Split All-LCK Teams and MVP". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ So, Seong-ryeol (February 10, 2014). "LoL, '2013 대한민국 e스포츠 대상'에서 '올해의 대상' 팀 배출". TV리포트 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c Kim, Kyeongbeom (November 24, 2016). "Faker sweeps the 2016 KeSPA eSports Awards". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Richman, Olivia (May 22, 2024). "Faker Becomes First Inductee In the Hall of Legends". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- ^ "'2022 이스포츠 명예의 전당 헌액식' 개최…'페이커' 이상혁, 4번째 스타즈 선정". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ 김, 지윤. "T1, 2023 올해의 팀상 수상". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ "30 Under 30 Asia 2019: Entertainment & Sports". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Lee, Julia (December 7, 2017). "Faker wins Best Esports Player at The Game Awards". The Rift Herald. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Sacco, Dom (May 12, 2022). "T1 and Faker sign exclusive sponsorship deal with sports agency which has offices in London". Esports News UK. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Kim, Ji-hyun (May 2, 2017). '최고의 미드 라이너' 페이커가 필리핀서 광고 찍은 이유. 인사이트 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Searl, Nate (April 30, 2020). "Faker gets his own ice cream brand in South Korea". Upcomer. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Heath, Jerome (August 24, 2020). "Faker stars in SK telecom 5GX commercial with Tottenham's Son Heung-min". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Bernardo, Anna (February 22, 2023). "League of Legends GOAT Faker teams up with Razer for DeathAdder V3 Pro Faker Edition". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Hwang, In-seong (November 30, 2018). '안녕하세요' 서도현, 연봉 50억 페이커..."동생이라 밥 사달라 하기 어려워". KNS뉴스통신 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ '더 드리머' 페이커 vs 문호준, '꿈의 대결' 성사…20일 방송. Chosun (in Korean). July 16, 2020. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Jones, Ali. "League of Legends star Faker is donating his October revenue to charity". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Rand, Emily (March 9, 2020). "Faker announces donation to combat coronavirus". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Yee, Jonathan (January 5, 2022). "Faker donates ₩50M to COVID-19 relief, name now engraved in wall of fame". One Esports. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Kwon, Daniel (August 17, 2022). "T1 Faker donates 30 million KRW to Flood Relief Efforts". InvenGlobal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Howell, Leo (February 6, 2017). "Faker sets Twitch streaming record with 245,100 concurrent viewers". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ Mickunas, Aaron (January 8, 2018). "Tyler1's stream hits 300k viewers in 20 minutes, breaking Faker's record and crashing Twitch". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- ^ Stanton, Rich (July 20, 2022). "LoL megastar Faker files suit against 'fans' who slandered his mum and posted obscene drawings". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Sacco, Dom (July 20, 2022). "What are the legalities around the Faker lawsuit? We asked UK barrister Nick Williams about laws around malicious comments and the differences between Korean and UK law". Esports News UK. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
External links
- Faker on Twitter
- Lee Sang-hyeok at IMDb