Faker, securing his fourth triumph in 10 years, shared this insight during a press conference held after the conclusion of the 2023 LoLdcup final at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Sunday. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – Esports star ‘Faker’ (Lee Sang-hyeok), who clinched victory last weekend in the League of Legends (LoL) World Championship, commonly referred to as the ‘LoLdcup,’ revealed the secret behind his triumph, stating, “I can learn a lot when I make it a goal to focus on the process regardless of the game’s outcome.”
Faker, securing his fourth triumph in 10 years, shared this insight during a press conference held after the conclusion of the 2023 LoLdcup final at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Sunday.
Despite winning the LoLdcup in 2013, 2015, and 2016, Faker had faced a prolonged drought in global championships.
“I even envisioned the possibility of losing 3-0 in the final match of this LoLdcup. Nevertheless, I tried to maintain a mindset of smiling irrespective of the outcome. Conversely, I also endeavored to stay emotionally calm even after a triumph,” he explained.
He added, “I believed that if I maintain a learning-oriented approach, it would eventually lead to winning the LoLdcup, and I am very grateful for this fortunate victory this time.”
T1 members stand for a photo during a press conference held after the 2023 LoLdcup final at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Faker offered advice to those seeking motivation, stating, “Personally, I am vulnerable to addiction. I aim to make significant improvements next year. I am strongly addicted to YouTube and TikTok, and I know many people struggle with such addictions. I will strive to reduce these habits, so let’s tackle it together.”
One of Faker’s teammates on the SK Telecom T1 team, ‘Zeus’ (Choi Woo-je), who secured his first triumph and the MVP award in this year’s final, remarked, “I have achieved a lot at a young age. However, since I have many days ahead of me, I will strive to live humbly.”
T1 players also revealed their plans for 2024 and beyond. When asked about retirement, Faker responded, “I am under contract to play until 2025, so I will continue playing at T1. I will formulate my retirement plan later.”
Lee Min-hyeok, known as ‘Gumayusi,’ who had promised to renew his contract for next year if the team won, said, “I believe I will fulfill the pledge. I maintain a positive stance because I love T1 and its members too much.”
Riot Games has a tradition of releasing special skins for the champions used in the games by the winning team’s players after the conclusion of the LoLdcup each year, based on their opinions.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
