Who is Faker, The League of Legends Legend

Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, is one of the most renowned professional League of Legends players the game has and will probably ever see. The South Korean midlaner is already considered by many as the greatest of all time, long before his career even comes to a close. This 2023 professional season is already Faker’s tenth year as a professional.

Lee started his career in 2013 when he was picked up by SK Telecom T1, a team he led to becoming the 2013 World Champions. Faker has stayed with SK Telecom T1 up to the most recent 2023 season, now a part owner and competing under the team name T1.

Faker. Image Credit - Riot Games

Who is Faker?

Born in Seoul, South Korea on May 7, 1996, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is a South Korean professional League of Legends midlaner. He is widely considered the greatest player of all time, with multiple domestic and international titles to his name. He currently plays for T1 and will continue to in the near future. In November of 2022, T1 announced that Faker had re-signed with the organization for another three years.

The Legend of T1

Faker began his career with a bang, putting together an unprecedented rookie season that the professional scene could not prepare for. A season that to this day holds as one of the best with none coming close to matching it. In 2013 SKT T1 decided to follow the trend of creating a sister team to play in the League of Legends Champions Korea, thus SKT T1 #2 was formed and Faker began his legendary career.

SK Telecom T1 Season 3 Roster

Faker has been playing under the SKT T1 banner, now known as T1, ever since.

World Championships

In 2013, Faker in his first-ever year put together what many consider the greatest rookie season in Esports. After taking the domestic scene by storm, Faker led his team together with other rookies Bae “Bengi” Seong-woong and Chae “Piglet” Gwang-jin to the 2013 World Championship. The rookie-filled team didn’t flinch once on the international stage. Leading with a dominant Group Stage where SKT T1 #2 faced only a single loss at the hands of the Chinese team Oh My God; ending with a 3-0 sweep against the Chinese team Royal Club in the Grand Finals. The win marked Faker’s first-ever Worlds victory, earning SKT T1 #2 the grand $1M prize.

SKTT1 at Worlds 2013. Image Credit - Mary Watson.

Both SKT T1 teams failed to qualify for Worlds in 2014. And after the 2014 season, Korean teams were no longer allowed to field two rosters. This led to SKT T1 #1 and SKT T1 #2 being reformed into one new 10-man roster. In 2015, SKT T1 dominated Champions Korea winning both the Summer and Spring Season and winning Faker’s second world championship nearly undefeated. The team only lost a single game throughout the entire tournament, beating KOO Tigers 3-1 in the Grand Finals to earn Faker’s second-ever World Championship.

In 2016, Faker won his third and latest World Championship. This championship earned SKT T1 multiple spots in the history books, being the first team to win Worlds back-to-back, and the first team to win three World Championships. No other team to this date has done the same.

In 2022 Faker, now the oldest in his team and one of the oldest in the LCK returned to the Grand Finals of Worlds, where they played one of the best Worlds Finals the game has ever witnessed. Despite falling short of the coveted fourth Summoner’s Cup, Faker continues to play at levels that are unheard of for someone his age. T1 are currently looking like the best team in Korea, the question is, can they be the best team in the world? Will Faker become the only player to win the World Championship four different times?

Fun Facts About Faker

The Unkillable Demon King

During an interview at the Season 3 World Championships, Chinese midlaner Yu "Cool" Jia-Jun's nickname for Faker was translated into “Unkillable Demon King” because it described how difficult it was to kill him during a game. His original words meant something along the lines of “Unkillable Last Boss”. Because of this translation, the nickname has become synonymous with Faker and is used to this day.

The Most Worlds Games

As of Worlds 2022, Faker has played the most ever games at Worlds and was the first in the world to play 100 games at Worlds.

How Much has Faker Earned

Faker has earned a total of $1,434,271.14 throughout his career from tournaments. This total is only his winnings and does not include his salary from his team and any other sponsorships and endorsements.

How Tall is Faker

According to an interview in 2017, Faker is around 176 cm or 5'9.

How Old is Faker

Faker will be turning 27 years old on May 7, 2023. He is currently one of the oldest players in the league. According to InvenGlobal the average age of an LCK pro was 20.8 years old in 2017. Faker is six years older than the average LCK pro and is currently the oldest active player in the LCK.

How Many Times Has Faker Won Worlds

Faker is one of only two players to win Worlds three times.

How Long Has Faker Been Playing League of Legends

Faker has been playing professionally for nearly ten years now as of LCK Spring 2023.

Has Faker Ever Played Other Lanes

Faker has only ever played the midlane.

Why is Faker So Famous

Faker grew to fame after his explosive rookie year, leading his team to a world championship and exposing his name to the entire world. He was known for his top mechanical skill, at the time being the most efficient player in terms of Creep Score, to go along with the best mechanical skill of any professional player back in the early days of League of Legends Esports.

In the HOT6iX Champions Summer 2013, Faker truly marked his status as the best player in the world after his perfect Zed outplay against KT Rolster Bullets midlaner Yoo "Ryu" Sang-wook, who, at the time, was considered among the best midlaners in the scene. This play has become one of the most iconic moments in League of Legends history, still being referenced and mentioned years later.

What Champion Has Faker Played the Most

Faker has played Azir the most, with Ryze being his second-most-played champion.

When Did Faker Start Playing League of Legends

Faker has been playing League of Legends since 2011.

Faker: keyboard, mouse, devices

What Keyboard Does Faker Use?

Corsair K70-Lux

What Mouse Does Faker Use?

CORSAIR SABRE RGB PRO CHAMPION SERIES

What Headset Does Faker Use

Corsair Void Pro.

What mousepad Does Faker Use

Corsair MM400 Hard Plastic Edition Gaming Mouse Mat (CH-9000016-WW)