Esports legend Faker isn't going anywhere yet

"I learned as I watched [Lionel] Messi, who has been at the top for 10 to 15 years, leading his side to World Cup victory,” Faker, the king of Korean Esports, told the JoongAng Ilbo.

Lee Sang-hyeok, widely known as Faker, poses for a photo. [RIOT GAMES]

"I learned as I watched [Lionel] Messi, who has been at the top for 10 to 15 years, leading his side to World Cup victory,” Faker, the king of Korean Esports, told the JoongAng Ilbo.

Faker, whose real name is Lee Sang-hyeok, is regarded as the Lionel Messi of League of Legends (LOL). LOL, a PC game developed by Riot Games in 2009, is one of the largest competitive Esports games, with teams of five players competing to destroy their opponent's Nexus.

Faker, formerly known as “Gojeonpa” during his amateur gamer days, dropped out of Mapo High School after Esports organization SK Telecom T1, now T1, recruited him in 2013.

He changed his handle to “Faker” and rapidly ascended through the ranks of the burgeoning Esports world. He won the LOL World Championship three times, Mid-Season Invitational twice and LOL Champions Korea (LCK) 10 times, becoming a household name and one of the best known Korean athletes across all sports along the way.

Most pro gamers retire around 25, but 26-year old Faker led his side to the top spot on the 2023 LCK Spring standings and even beat KT Rolster 3-2 in the playoffs on March 25.

He is also looking to win the LCK on April 9 as well as his fourth LOL World Championship title this year. On top of that, Faker is expected to represent his country as part of Team Korea at the Asian Games in September.

Faker reportedly received an offer worth $20 million from a number of Chinese Esports teams when he was a free agent, but has rejected all of them to stay in Korea. He has never disclosed his T1 salary, but it is estimated to be around 5 to 7 billion won ($3.8 to $5.4 million) a year.

The JoongAng Ilbo sat down with Faker to discuss how he stays at the top after a decade in the sport.

Q. You signed a three-year contract extension with T1 last December, despite reportedly receiving a blank check offer from North American and Chinese teams. What made you want to stay in one Korean team for over 10 years?

A. I wanted to continue to compete in the LCK, which is the most prominent Esports league. My teammates are also outstanding, so I came to think that we could surely win together. My team treated me well and I think we have the same objective.

What is your secret to staying on top in such fierce competition? I think passion is most important. When you indulge in one task or job, you lose interest a lot of times, but I have always liked games. I have the desire to win and do so better than others. I try to think that I have the best skills. This is why I have been able to improve after examining myself, despite having tough times. Looking at my past accomplishments, I think not just my abilities, but also external factors and fortune played a role. The fans cheering “Our Hyeok” also help me gain strength.

You are called “the Messi of Esports.” How did you feel about Messi winning the Qatar World Cup last November?

I watched the final between Argentina and France live. I wanted Messi to win. He has also been in the top position for 10 to 15 years. I thought that him growing as a leader year by year was better than me. I learned and cheered as I watched him win his first World Cup.

You looked out for younger teammates after losing the LCK World Championship last year, whilst oppressing your emotion. What do you think is the most important virtue that a leader and the oldest member of a team should have?

As a member of a team, winning is most important. I think the most important thing for a leader who has to win is ability. I think that the leader’s abilities are evaluated. I am not good at leading others, so I tried to show that I am good at it after developing my leading skills. I work to assimilate and harmonize with the teammates, so they can perform well.

You were criticized for hitting a slump briefly in 2018.

It was tough, but I got over it myself as I consulted with a sports psychology doctor.

Faker games during the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games in Indonesia. [ASIAN ELECTRONICS SPORTS FEDERATION]

What time do you train?

My training time is from noon to 3 to 4 a.m. It is still about 10 hours. My fingers are bent, but it does not feel uncomfortable.

Many officer workers who use computers have a turtle neck. You, on the other hand, maintain a firm posture even when you game. Is there a secret to it?

I usually stretch. I sometimes do yoga or meditate with music. I think it is important to rest your head whenever there is a break. I sometimes also play the piano.

You have been changing the image of pro gamer, as you have maintained the top position for a decade without getting embroiled in any controversies or gossip. What would you advise those young kids that dream of being pro gamers?

There are so many people who want to be pro gamers. I think it is because they can enjoy the games they like a lot.

To be a pro gamer, you need to be at the right level. It is important to purely like games, but you have to be aware that being a pro gamer comes with unpleasant factors and make the right call. There are many pro gamers that go through difficulties when their hobby turns into a job, so you have to be careful about making that call.

Pro gamers don’t have spare time and deal with great stress because we spend longer hours focusing on something than any other job. Above all, we always ought to have the competitive spirit to reach the top, since we are competing with others throughout the year. That is the difficult part.

What would say to the parents with kids who want to be pro gamers?

Unlike other jobs, pro gamers have an objective ranking. In order to make a pro debut, you need to have a certain rank and tier. Parents often face conflict with their kids, but they need to speak with them, help them and try to understand them, if their kids really have passion.

You were in the top 10 percent in your class when you were in middle school, but you dropped out of to focus on gaming.

My family did not oppose my decision and I was able to shine because they supported me. My grandmother knows how the games work. Even my teacher did not oppose my decision to drop out.

ESPN named you alongside movie director Bong Joon-ho, football player Son Heung-min and boy band BTS as Korea's "elite four." Chinese technology company Sina Corporation called you one of Korea’s five national treasures. How does that praise feel?

I am honored when I get called a national treasure. I think not only effort, but also fortune and demand played roles. I do not think that I'm that great.

The match between Go player Lee Sedol and Artificial Intelligence AlphaGo was a hot topic, and AlphaStar beat a pro StarCraft II gamer in 2019. What do you think would happen if you took on AI?

The day I lose is coming. I think AI is inevitably going to surpass humans. However, there is a great number of things in LOL that AI cannot imitate. I think [Google] has not invested that much into AI for LOL. I might lose eventually, but it would hurt my pride.”

As of 2021 only 13.2 percent of Esports players were over 25. It is a sport that people in their late teens and early 20s are best at, because their brains function the fastest. Do you feel a decline in your performance?

I always game, so there could be a decline in my performance due to a lack of physical activities and various other factors. But I do not think that age has a lot to do with a performance decline. It is also difficult to find a scientific basis for that. I wish many pro gamers stayed active even into their 30s.

Once your three-year contract extension ends, you will become the first ever 30 year-old LOL pro gamer. When do you think you will retire? A lot of data in regards to pro gamers has been accumulated, but it is hard to predict the exact time. If I was given another decade, I would want to improve even further than I have for the past decade.

BY PARK RIN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]