What is Lee Sang-hyeok's Net Worth?
Lee Sang-hyeok is a South Korean professional esports gamer who has a net worth of $10 million. Lee Sang-hyeok plays "League of Legends" for the organization T1. Better known by his handle Faker, he has won a record ten "League of Legends" Champions Korea titles and five World Championship titles, as well as a gold medal with the South Korean national esports team at the 2022 Asian Games. Lee is also a part-owner and executive of T1 Entertainment & Sports.
Early Life and Education
Lee Sang-hyeok was born on May 7, 1996 in Seoul, South Korea. He was raised by his father Kyung-joon and his grandparents in Gangseo District. An introverted child, he spent his time challenging himself with Rubik's cubes and independently learning various languages. Eventually, Lee began playing computer games, including "MapleStory" and "Warcraft III." In 2011, he became an instant fan of the multiplayer online battle arena game "League of Legends" after it made its debut in Korea. Lee ended up dropping out of Mapo High School so he could pursue a professional career in esports.
Professional Esports Career
Lee began his professional esports career in 2013 when he signed with the team SK Telecom T1 2 to play "League of Legends." After originally gaming under the alias GoJeonPa, he adopted his official handle, Faker. He was an immediate success with SKT in 2013, winning both his first "League of Legends" Champions Korea title and World Championship title, and also earning his first LCK MVP honor. Faker and SKT won a second consecutive LCK title in 2014, although they failed to reach the World Championship. The team claimed two more LCK titles in 2015, with Faker being named the MVP of the Summer Split finals. Closing out the 2015 season, SKT won its second World Championship. Faker began 2016 by winning the IEM Season X World Championship. Not long after that, he won his fifth LCK title and first Mid-Season Invitational, with his performance in the latter earning him MVP honors. Faker and SKT finished the 2016 season on a high note, claiming their third World Championship; Faker was named MVP of the tournament. By the end of the year, his dominance was being compared to that of famed NBA player Michael Jordan.
(Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images)
Faker continued his success in 2017, winning his sixth LCK title and second consecutive MSI title. However, he suffered his first-ever finals defeat in the World Championship, as Samsung Galaxy swept SKT. This seemed to rattle Faker and his team, as they struggled throughout the 2018 LCK season. Faker fared better at the 2018 Asian Games, where he won a silver medal as a member of the South Korean national esports team. He came back strong in 2019, winning his seventh and eighth LCK titles and first Rift Rivals title. After winning the Rift Rivals title, Faker became the first player ever to have won every Riot-organized "League of Legends" international tournament. Ahead of the 2020 season, SKT was rebranded as T1, and Faker became a co-owner of its parent organization T1 Entertainment & Sports. He went on to have a memorable season in 2020, winning his ninth LCK title and becoming the first player in the league to reach 2,000 kills. The 2021 season was less successful, as T1 failed to win any championships.
In the 2022 season, Faker achieved a number of career milestones. During the season's Spring Split, he became the first player in the LCK to reach 2,500 kills and 700 games. T1 finished the 2022 Spring Split regular season with an undefeated, unprecedented 18-0 record. In the finals, Faker and T1 claimed their record tenth LCK title. They eventually went on to the World Championship, where Faker set a new record for the most career World Championship kills, with over 350. Ultimately, T1 lost the title to DRX. The team did better in 2023, beating Weibo Gaming to win its fourth World Championship. Also that year, Faker won a gold medal with the South Korean national esports team at the Asian Games. He continued his incredible run with a stellar season in 2024, when he became the first player in LCK history to reach 600 wins, 3,000 kills, and 5,000 assists. In the summer, he led T1 to a gold medal in the inaugural Esports World Cup, where he was named the MVP. Faker finished the 2024 season by winning his fifth World Championship title, and being named the MVP of the tournament.
Other Activities
Due to his fame as an esports star, Faker has taken on endorsements for such major brands as Nike, Red Bull, and Razer. He has also been involved in philanthropic endeavors, having made substantial donations to Community Chest of Korea and the Seoul Social Welfare Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faker also donated to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to help those impacted by the 2022 floods in South Korea.
