South Korean e-sports star Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, delivers a keynote speech at the 2024 Future Dialogue for Global Innovation in Seoul, hosted by the foreign ministry, on Nov. 20, 2024. (Yonhap) SEOUL, Nov.
20 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean e-sports star Faker said Wednesday that his past failures taught him valuable lessons that shaped who he is today, encouraging young people to embrace challenges with passion. The professional League of Legends (LoL) player, whose real name is Lee Sang-hyeok, made the remarks at an event in Seoul, looking back on the years of his own setbacks that followed his consecutive wins in the LoL World Championships in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Lee reclaimed the title in 2023 and secured his fifth championship victory in 2024, a record in LoL championship history.
On November 3 (Korean time), T1′s Faker celebrates and poses for a commemorative photo after winning the 2024 League of Legends World Championship final at the O2 Arena in London, UK. (Yonhap) “I always had to win. I had to be number one in the world of professionals,” Lee said in an unscripted speech during a public diplomacy event hosted by the foreign ministry.
“Naturally, I thought winning was good and losing was bad, but when I really think about it, I know that I was able to grow from my failures and became better because of them,” Lee said. Faker, Lee Sang-hyeok, in 2016. (Yonhap) Addressing an audience for the first time, which he called “the most nerve-wr.