Korea’s Gaming Titans: Legends T1 and Faker
Written by: Ashley Budiman
Whether they’re sports fans or not, there is always a team that everybody has heard of. Manchester United in football, the Yankees in baseball, and the Lakers in basketball. In the realm of eSports, that honor belongs to T1.
Known for its ardent gaming culture, South Korea is one of the world’s largest esports markets. The 1990s PC bang (internet cafe) boom created a social gaming culture among South Korean youths, which set the stage for esports’ current domestic success. It is home to arguably the most popular esports team of all time, Korean League of Legends team T1, who recently made history as they won the League of Legends World Championship for the fifth time.
They were the most-watched eSports team in 2023, with an outstanding number of 129.25 million hours watched, almost 8 million hours more than the next-best team. This staggering level of viewership can be attributed to their extremely large and devoted fanbase. Other than game winnings and endorsements, much of their funds come from their T1 Base Camp, where fans can purchase food, gaming rooms, and merchandise in the PC Cafe and Merch Center.
At the heart of T1’s legacy is legendary member Lee Sang-Hyeok, internationally recognized by his gaming alias ‘Faker’, who is known widely today as the greatest League of Legends player and is a multi-millionaire by net worth. Back in 2019, he was included in Forbes’ ‘30 and under—Asia—Entertainment & Sports’ list. He has been endorsed by SK Telecom, Nike, Red Bull, Samsung, Vandy the Pink, and Razer.
The team trains at the T1 headquarters, where they are provided with training rooms, streaming rooms, gyms, player lounges, and a cafeteria. Even their meals have been meticulously planned by professional chef Kim “Alex” Jae-hyeong and his colleagues to optimize the team’s performance.
However, T1’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. There had been countless losses, management problems, and injuries. After Faker’s arm injury and losing the 2022 World Championship against DRX and the LCK summer 2024 against Gen.G, speculations loomed over the team’s future. But on the second of November, T1 had proven their prowess and defeated the allegations by defending their title in the 2024 League of Legends World Championship Final.
With their eyes set on future tournaments, T1 continues to prove to the world that their story is far from over. They are an example of resilience, teamwork, and trust in eSports.
Sources:
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Stewart, J. (2024, November 11). The making of Worlds 2024 skins: A conversation with Riot. Red Bull. https://www.redbull.com/int-en/league-of-legends-world-championships-skins
There’s a new sport in town and T1 are its superstars. (2020, November 12). https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/11/12/sports/sportInterview/t1-esports-faker/20201112165600434.html
Most Watched Esports Teams in 2023. (2024, January 4). ESPORTS CHARTS. https://escharts.com/news/most-watched-esports-teams-2023
Shin, E. (2023, November 18). Step-by-step guide on how to get to T1 Base Camp in Hongdae, Seoul. ONE Esports. https://www.oneesports.gg/league-of-legends/t1-base-camp-seoul-address/
Nam, K. "., & Nam, K. ". (2021, March 11). Tales from the T1 kitchen: Meet Alex, the head chef of T1’s cafeteria. InvenGlobal. https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/13500/tales-from-the-kitchen-meet-alex-the-head-chef-of-t1s-cafeteria