Beyond the screen – Faker’s enduring humanity is as real as it gets

In the electrifying roar of nearly 40,000 fans in Chengdu on Nov 9, South Korean e-sports titans T1 clinched their third straight League of Legends World Championship, edging out KT Rolster in a relentless final that stretched over three hours.

The victory marked the team’s sixth overall title in their eighth world championship final appearance, a feat that cemented their dominance in the game’s premier tournament.

At the heart of this triumph stood Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as “Faker” – the 29-year-old mid laner whose unyielding precision has defined an era.

But as confetti rained down and fans erupted in cheers, Faker’s post-match words cut through the hype: “I simply focused on the game as a professional player. I’m just grateful that victory followed as a result.”

This quiet gratitude from a man often dubbed the “Unkillable Demon King” or simply “god” by his fans reveals more about his character than any highlight reel.

While the win adds another layer to his record six championships, Faker’s story transcends trophies.

It is one of resilience, introspection and a grounded humility that has elevated him from gaming prodigy to a cultural phenomenon rivaling K-pop royalty.

Born on May 7, 1996, in Seoul’s Gangseo district, Faker grew up in modest circumstances. He was raised primarily by his carpenter father Kyung-joon and his grandparents after his parents’ divorce.

An introverted child, he spent his time challenging himself with the Rubik’s Cube and also independently learnt foreign languages – though it has not been disclosed what other languages he understands.

Life was financially tough in an underprivileged family, but he shared a deep bond with his dad.

The elder Lee remembers the day Faker approached him about becoming a professional gamer during a dinner conversation.

“My mind went blank,” he told ESPN in an interview, adding that his teenage son was sure that it was something that he wanted to pursue as a career.

Lee needed one month to mull over a decision, but he finally gave in to Faker’s dreams.

“I thought... if I don’t let him do what he wants to do, there might be regret,” he said. “I might get blamed for it later (if I stopped him). So I went back to him after a month and asked, ‘Do you still want to do it?’ He said yes. I told him don’t lose, work hard.”

At age 17, Faker dropped out of high school to pursue e-sports full time, joining SK Telecom T1 (now T1) in 2013. His debut season was impressive – a world championship title in his rookie year, while he was also given the nickname “Unkillable Demon King” by his opponents.

But what truly sets Faker apart is not just his skill throughout the years; it is the person he has become amid the pressures of superstardom. At 29, with a career spanning over a decade and a social media following of more than two million fans, he embodies a philosophy of balanced ambition.

Amid a six-year stretch from 2017 to 2023 plagued by fewer victories and mounting expectations, he turned inwards, devouring books on self-improvement and strategy to fuel his growth.

“During that period, there weren’t as many victories as we wanted, and so I tried to read as many books as possible and tried to think about how we can improve, how I can do better,” Faker told CNA Lifestyle in February during his Singapore fan meet organised by Razer at its Asia-Pacific headquarters.

“I tried to focus on how I can enjoy the game more and how I can feel happiness through playing the game more, as I found the correlation between my happiness and good performance. So from then, I tried to focus on having less pressure and enjoy the game itself.”

His mindset has inspired many.

Crystal Lai, an assistant community manager who attended the event, said: “He is an inspiration not just as a player, but as a human... when you learn of his story, it gives you the courage to not give up as well.”

Faker’s personal life remains relatively low key, a deliberate contrast to the spotlight.

Financially astute from his early days, he funnels his estimated US$5 million (S$6.5 million)-plus annual salary and prize money into savvy investments in the background, including owning the aptly named Faker Tower – a commercial building in Gangseo.

He shuns extravagance, preferring Polo Ralph Lauren’s understated elegance to flashy labels, and his endorsements reflect this – a decade-long tie-up with Razer, ads for everyday items like fried chicken, and ambassadorships for Unicef alongside figure skater Kim Yu-na and actress Kim Hye-soo.

In 2019, SK T1 rebranded to T1 and he became a part-owner in 2020. One year later, he was offered a US$20 million move to China’s e-sports scene, according to the CNA interview, but he turned down the huge deal to stick to his roots and remain with his team.

His sole indulgence appears to be gaming – and occasional forays into K-pop culture as a fan, but nothing too serious. In 2024, Faker spent hours perfecting dance moves for an Enhypen TikTok challenge, a rare glimpse of his playfulness.

“I’ve never thought about being a K-pop star. Honestly, gaming is the only thing I care about, so I don’t have much interest in that,” he said.

Yet, Faker’s reach extends far beyond pixels, positioning him as a K-pop-level icon. In South Korea, he is widely reported as a “national treasure”.

K-pop heavyweights BTS have played League of Legends with him and they also sang together on YouTube, while Kim Hee-chul of veteran group Super Junior once halted work just to meet him on a variety show.

He has also featured in a SK Telecom commercial with national football captain Son Heung-min, and the pair – who are both well-loved by the South Korean public – share a good relationship.

Now a multi-millionaire, Faker has humbly contributed to society as well. In recent years, for instance, he donated 30 million won (S$26,800) to the Community Chest of Korea to help aid efforts to battle Covid-19, while in 2025 he forked out another 50 million won to help victims of wildfires in the country.

This latest world championship win has only amplified his status.

A fan from Bangkok told AFP that “He is really the god” and another summed up victory as national pride: “We brought home the Cup. It’s a good day to be a South Korean.”

For Faker, though, it is just another chapter in a narrative of growth through adversity.

“Failure takes a bigger part in people’s lives than one may think. It’s important not to lose yourself in the emotions from success and failure,” he said previously in 2020, a mantra that has carried him through slumps.

Retirement is not on his mind, as he told The Straits Times in February: “I do not have a specific plan about retirement, never thought about it yet, and what’s most important to stay long as a pro gamer is to keep my passion burning.”

Faker’s journey – from an ordinary kid in Gangseo to a beacon of hope for millions – is a reminder that true legends are sometimes forged in humility.

In a world of fleeting fame, his quiet depth, familial support and understanding of the simple joys in life offer a blueprint for what really matters.

As T1’s dynasty endures, so does Lee Sang-hyeok – not just Faker in the virtual world, but a person who is, when the games end, genuinely human.