

Full Name: Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
Nick: Faker
Also known as: GoJeonPa, king of mid, The unkillable demon king
Games: League of Legends
Current Team: T1
Ex Team: /
Date of Birth: May 7, 1996
Height: 176cm
Weight: 56kg
Place of Birth: Seoul, South Korea
Nationality: South Korean
Relationship Status/Partners: N/A
Who is the best LoL player of all time? This is a somewhat polarizing topic as every LoL enthusiast will have their own personal favorite. But one thing’s for sure – the name Faker will always pop up in every single debate. The South Korean Midlaner has had an impressive career and has become a true League of Legends – legend.
Lee Sang-hyeok, or “king of mid,” is now a member of SK Telecom T1. He was a victim of false rumors at one point, with some people claiming he was going to retire. Luckily for all LoL lovers, and the game itself, Lee will continue to impress in time to come. Because of its unique game style and talent, Sang-hyeok regularly pops in the headlines. So, if there’s anything you missed about the one and only Faker, you’ll find it out below.
Who is Faker?
Lee Sang-hyeok is a 26-years-old League of Legends player coming from South Korea. His main position, which made him famous in the first place, is Midlaner. Currently, Lee represents SK Telecom T1.
Because of his impressive skills, Korean fans coined the phrase “The unkillable demon king.” Looking at his career so far, Sang-hyeok is one step toward making this an understatement. In total, Lee has 10 championship titles in the leading Korean tournaments: LOL Champions Korea and Champions Korea. In addition, he is a three-time world champion (2013, 2015, 2016). Also, he won 2 Mid-Season Invitationals (2016 and 2017).
How Did Faker Get Famous?
There aren’t many players who managed to make a great impression when they first appeared. We could see Lee for the first time at the World Championships. Although this was his first and biggest appearance, Faker wiped out his competition in style. With a score of 15-3, he won the championship and set an unprecedented record. Right from the introductory moments of his career, the gap between him and the other competitors on the throne was evident.
His dominance is reflected in great numbers and numerous sets, but also broken records. Faker once became the first player to reach 600 and then 700 games. Also, he is the first player to reach 1,000 kills in LoL history. It’s not hard to guess that he reached 2,000 in the same category very quickly. Also, he is one out of a total of two players who can boast three LoL World Championship titles.
Faker Debut in T1
It was April 6, 2013, when Lee first appeared in an official match for his team. Those who followed eSports at that time, and LoL specifically, remember one of the most historical debuts ever seen in the electronic sports competitions. After the first 7 minutes, young Lee was at 4/0/0. Back then, he was known only as Lee Sang-hyeok, a mystery, and potential LoL star.
Two weeks later, he was first introduced as Faker. The legend was born. From that moment, fans take this day as Faker’s anniversary. After all, not many players managed to secure a solo kill against Kang “Ambition” Chan-yong, one of the game’s legends. Faker achieved this as a rookie in his first match.
Faker Streaming
Besides tournaments, eSports fans can follow Lee live on streams. At first, Faker was streaming on Azubu, together with his other team members. However, his organization, SKT, decided to switch course and team up with Twitch.
Once again, Lee broke a record on his debut. More than 250,000 viewers watched Sang-hyeok’s first stream. He beat the previous record held by Yiliang Pengs, also known as Doublelift. The player from Lee’s rival organization had 100,000 viewers when he first broadcasted his play.
Today, Faker regularly streams on the Twitch platform. At the moment of writing, his account has more than 3.9 million followers. You can also subscribe to Lee’s channel and get notifications every time he goes live. Alternatively, you can find some of his older videos from previous patches on YouTube. His YT channel has around 1.52 million subscribers.

Faker’s Girlfriend
Given his popularity, it is only normal that many LoL lovers are interested in both his professional and personal life. So, it comes as no surprise that Faker often has to answer questions related to his love life.
Recently, Lee Sang-hyeok admitted he has no girlfriend. He also stated his professional life doesn’t leave him too much space for intimacy. Being constantly on the top calls for a lot of sacrifices, which Lee embodied by saying the following:
“If you work as a professional gamer, you don’t have a lot of personal time. I feel like if I start dating, it could be uncomfortable in a lot of ways for both parties, so I just focus on my work instead. I have never dated before”.
Whether or not he was genuinely being truthful or he was simply trying to keep his private life private remains unknown.
Faker’s Personal Info
Lee Sang-hyeok was born on May 7, 1996. He was raised by his father and grandparents in Seoul, South Korea. Besides his brother, Lee has no other siblings. He attended Mapo High School, which he left to pursue a professional career as a LoL player.
Before becoming a League of Legends professional, Faker played Warcraft III and the MOBA Chaos. He started playing LoL in 2011 and was known as GoJeonPa. Later, after T1 drafted him, he adopted the famous name we all know today.
You’ll often hear him throwing puns, both in person and when streaming. When receiving a donation, the screen displays “I love you, Faker,” and he typically responds with “I love me too.” He loves penguins and uses every opportunity to visit them, hence the picture on his Twitter profile. If you want to surprise him, never send him mint chocolate or Hawaiian pizza, as he hates it. He loves meditation and has two flower pots, which help him release stress.
Faker Net Worth and Finances
A significant part of Lee’s wealth comes from the contract with his team. As you already know, he’s been with T1 from the beginning of his successful career. It is only normal to be rewarded with a lucrative contract. Anyway, at the moment, Lee earns around $5.8 million annually (not quite as much as the likes of N0tail, but still impressive).
In addition, Faker’s streams on Twitch are followed by 23,000 viewers on average. As a result, Lee earns around $24k a month from the broadcasting material. Also, a portion of his money comes from endorsement deals with:
- Razer
- Red Bull
- Nike
When we add donations and cash from his YouTube channel (1.9 million subscribers) to the equation, we come to $10 million, which is Lee’s net worth at the moment.
How Old is Faker
As mentioned earlier, Lee Sang-hyeok was born on May 7, 1996. He is 26 years old. But, in Korean age, he’s 27. In all seriousness, Koreans have a different angle of approach when it comes to calculating years.
Where does Faker Live
Lee lives in Gangseo-gu, a modern suburb of the South Korean capital – Seoul. It is a place worth visiting as it boasts cultural attractions and many significant historical landmarks.
Faker Height
Lee Sang-hyeok is 5.8 ft or 1.76m tall.
Does Faker Need to Go to the Military?
As per South Korean law that has existed since 1957, all men between 18 and 35 years of age must go to the military. Considering the fact that Lee is 26 and hasn’t served so far, it is only natural to assume this will happen eventually. However, Faker left high school to pursue an eSports career.
As a result, Lee won’t have to serve in the military per se. However, he will need to fulfill other forms of public service. Also, it is not uncommon for Korea to make an exemption for its residents with a higher public status. Consequently, there’s still a chance for Lee to be pardoned by the South Korean government, which would leave him on-air for time to come.
FAQ
It is estimated that he has a net worth of $5 million.
He stands 1.76 meters tall.
Faker was born in Gangseo-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
The date of birth of Faker is May 7, 1996.