There’s probably something to be said about the fact that the SK Telecom T1 of the past have three League of Legends World Championship titles attributed to their name, while today’s T1 (just T1) have zero.
Pundits and fans alike have argued about what’s held T1 back for years. Has Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok lost his edge? Does the org have the right support staff behind it? Are they changing players too much? Is the next generation of virtuosic mid laners really that much better?
The real answer isn’t nearly as dramatic: times change. Times change and both T1 and Faker have changed greatly over the years.
The South Korean esports empire has expanded its reach in the world of entertainment since its 2019 rebrand. Sponsoring unfiltered powerlifting streamers, breaking into multiple titles and signing creators from diverse gaming backgrounds became the new normal. These days, T1 is more than just League of Legends, and the same can be said of the org’s star player, Faker, and how we perceive him.
Since winning his last World Championship in 2016, we’ve gradually learned more about the 25-year-old who enters “Faker” into the Riot Games client every day. It feels almost disingenuous to refer to him by his Unkillable Demon King moniker at this point.
He loves science and reading. He’s staggeringly frugal. He gets nervous around famous K-pop idols. He makes sure to arrive at interviews on time so as not to cause trouble for production staff. He understands what it means to be both Faker and Lee Sang-hyeok.
What hasn’t changed about Faker is his desire to win, but he also understands you can’t always win just because you want to. Fortunately for Faker, he and T1 won on Oct. 22 against Hanwha Life Esports, and it wasn’t for lack of preparation and effort. But his journey at Worlds 2021 won’t end there. He and his teammates’ eyes are set on reaching the finals — and winning them.
