Post
The South Korean League of Legends mid-laner widely considered the greatest esports player of all time.
Lee Sang-hyeok ('Faker') joined SK Telecom T1 in 2013 at age 17 and has remained on the same team for over a decade — a near-unprecedented loyalty in esports. He has won the League of Legends World Championship five times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024), more than any other player. T1 is now partly his own company; Faker holds equity. He turned down major offers from Chinese leagues over the years to remain in Korea on T1.
Example
T1's 2023 Worlds win, after a years-long drought of Korean LoL world titles, was widely framed as Faker's career-defining final-form moment — only for him to win again in 2024 and break his own record.
Why it matters
Faker is the single most influential player in League of Legends history and one of the most recognized esports athletes globally. His loyalty to one team, his longevity, and his cultural status in South Korea (where he's a celebrity comparable to top traditional athletes) define what an esports career can look like.
Related concepts