Who Is Faker and Why He Dominates League of Legends

Early Life and Introduction to Gaming

Lee Sang-hyeok, widely known by his gaming alias Faker, started showing signs of brilliance at an early age. Faker was born on May 7, 1996, in Seoul, South Korea.

He was raised in Gangseo District by his father and his grandparents. Naturally more introverted than his peers, Faker engaged in self-educational pursuits, spending his formative years learning to solve Rubik's Cubes, picking up foreign languages, and mastering various computer science concepts.

He did play some arcade games of his time, particularly Tekken and King of Fighters, but he did not indulge in computer games a lot. Gradually, he started exploring computer games more, particularly Maplestory and Warcraft III.

Rise to Prominence in Esports

Faker's foray into professional gaming started when he was only 17, and he became a mid-laner for SK Telecom T1 (now T1), which was in 2013.

His impressive talent and the ability to build strategies to win games helped him to reach the finals on his first tournament in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), where he won for the first time.

In his first year with the team, Faker and his teammates won both titles at the LCK and the World Championship, laying the foundation for his illustrious career.

It is clearly visible that Faker has shown unparalleled domination in esports over the years. To this day, he holds 5 World Championship titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024) along with 2 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) titles and 10 LCK titles.

He is clearly the most accomplished and talented player in the history of League of Legends. The rest of his accomplishments are made up of 2 World Championship MVP titles and several LCK MVP titles.

Personal Life and Net Worth

With all this fame, he still prefers to keep his life private, and there hasn’t been any public news of a girlfriend/spouse in his life.

Faker’s success resulted in his worth being in a range of 30-50 million dollars, most of which comes from his winnings, sponsorships, and his ownership and executive role at T1 Entertainment and Sports. He holds sponsorships with other big companies such as Razer and Secretlabs.

Collaborations & Wins

Complementary to his phenomenal gameplay, Faker stands out in the esports arena for his brand collaborations and creative partnerships.

Over time, he has worked with prominent international companies like Razer, Secretlab, and Logitech, and has promoted gaming products and accessories tailored to his professional gaming needs.

Besides these collaborations, he also closely works with T1 Entertainment & Sports, previously called SK Telecom T1.

Apart from being the star mid-laner, he is also involved in organizational management and esports global expansion.

Faker has five World Championship titles, two Mid-Season Invitational titles, and ten LCK titles, an embodiment of the very essence of success in League of Legends and gaming as a whole.

Many of the collaborations, as well as the accolades, aptly showcase the fact that he has developed his gaming into an international brand and business, and transformed his impact on the esports world beyond just his gameplay.

Challenges and Setbacks

No one can deny the fact that Faker has, and still will probably continue to, face challenges like any other athlete.

The most devastating one being the 2018 World Championship where his team lost despite his incredible individual performances.

He has talked about the importance of having a strong will, and learning from disappointment. He considers failures as a major part of success and encourages.

Due to the nature of the profession esports, Faker has had to deal with health issues as well. The gaming limitations also led Faker to having to deal with issues with his joints. This is the reason he added more physical activity to his routine.

Legacy and Impact

As of 2023, he is perhaps the world’s most recognized name in esports, and for good reason. His name has become synonymous with the game, and his sportsmanship has made this community aim for professionalism.

It is for this reason that in 2024, Faker was inducted into the League of Legends Esports Hall of Legends, a honor bestowed by Riot games.

As for 2025, he was still a active competitor with the intention of playing for his team in the 2025 World Championship. Despite the whispers of retirement, Faker and his team are still for the game.