Faker Lee Sang-hyeok Named to TIME100 Sports List, Only South Korean Honoree

'Faker' Lee Sang-hyeok (T1), the biggest star in esports, has been named to the 'TIME100 Sports' list, which recognizes the 100 most influential figures in sports, by the U.S. weekly news magazine TIME.

TIME explained the reason for his selection, stating, "Lee, along with his team T1, has won the League of Legends World Championship a record six times. Recently, he achieved a three-peat." The magazine added, "He was once an introverted child who loved games and solved Rubik's cubes, and he has achieved his goals."

The magazine further noted, "Lee was the first person inducted into the LoL Hall of Legends, and his passionate fans hold up placards saying 'Faker is my life' and 'Faker is love.' T1 and BMW even gifted him a luxury sedan for his 25th birthday." It added, "He holds equity in the team and has sponsorship deals with brands like Nike and Red Bull. He also owns a commercial building referred to as 'Faker Tower'."
TIME highlighted Lee's status in conjunction with the growth of the esports industry.

The magazine reported that esports, which began with the first tournament held at Stanford University in 1972, has transformed into a promising industry projected to grow to $7.46 billion by 2030, according to market research firm Grand View Research.

TIME stated that this list is the inaugural 'TIME100 Sports,' which selects 100 individuals leading the global sports industry.

The cover of the upcoming issue features NBA superstar LeBron James, who has won four championships, and includes an interview with him.

In addition to LeBron, stars such as Stephen Curry, 'soccer legends' Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani were also named to the list of 100.

Lee Sang-hyeok is the only South Korean to be included on the list.

Faker shared his thoughts on his social media, saying, "I am grateful to TIME and all esports fans."

(Photo: Provided by Riot Games, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.