{"id":34612,"date":"2025-11-23T20:05:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T20:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/?p=34612"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:24:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:24:57","slug":"league-of-legends-faker-t1-team-empire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/league-of-legends-faker-t1-team-empire\/","title":{"rendered":"Faker\u2019s T1 Empire: Full Timeline From SKT to the 2025 League of Legends Worlds Three-Peat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Lee \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/lol.fandom.com\/wiki\/Faker\">Faker<\/a>\u201d Sang-hyeok\u2019s career is the defining story of competitive <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/lol\/\">League of Legends<\/a>.<br>For over a decade, his journey\u2014from prodigy to dynasty leader to generational icon\u2014has shaped the sport\u2019s competitive identity and inspired every new era of talent that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In this guide, we\u2019ll cover:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faker\u2019s rise from rookie to \u201cUnkillable Demon King\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SKT\/T1\u2019s first dynasty and its downfall<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The failed super-team experiment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How the academy era rebuilt the T1 empire<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The formation of the ZFGK roster<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The redemption arcs of 2022\u20132024<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The historic 2025 three-peat and sixth Worlds title<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What Faker\u2019s legacy means for the future of T1 and LoL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1071\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-28.webp\" alt=\"Faker\u2019s Legendary LoL Esports Career: The Only Player With Six World Championship Titles on a Single Team\" class=\"wp-image-34613\" title=\"Epiccarry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-28.webp 1071w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-28-780x437.webp 780w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-28-768x430.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1071px) 100vw, 1071px\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Year<\/td><td>Opponent<\/td><td>Result<\/td><td>Score<\/td><td>Notes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2013<\/td><td>Royal Club<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20130<\/td><td>First Worlds title; breakthrough year<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2015<\/td><td>KOO Tigers<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20131<\/td><td>One of the most dominant tournament runs in LoL history<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2016<\/td><td>Samsung Galaxy<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20132<\/td><td>First-ever back-to-back Worlds win<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2017<\/td><td>Samsung Galaxy<\/td><td>Loss<\/td><td>0\u20133<\/td><td>End of the first SKT dynasty<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022<\/td><td>DRX<\/td><td>Loss<\/td><td>2\u20133<\/td><td>Closest Worlds finals in years; beginning of ZFGK era<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2023<\/td><td>Weibo Gaming<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20130<\/td><td>First Worlds title in seven years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2024<\/td><td>G2 Esports<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20132<\/td><td>Faker\u2019s fifth Worlds; ZFGK validated<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2025<\/td><td>KT Rolster<\/td><td>Win<\/td><td>3\u20132<\/td><td>Historic three-peat; Faker\u2019s sixth Worlds championship<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the rebuilds, the slumps, and the triumphant returns, there was the myth. Faker\u2019s story began in 2013 with a debut that sent shockwaves through the scene\u2014an iconic outplay that announced the arrival of a new king. That same year, he and his SKT teammates lifted their first World Championship trophy. After a brief stumble, they returned in 2015 with one of the most dominant tournament runs ever witnessed, cementing Faker\u2019s status as the \u201cUnkillable Demon King.\u201d By 2016, he wasn\u2019t just a top player; he was the benchmark, the final boss of League of Legends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faker\u2019s First Dynasty: SKT\u2019s Rise and Fall (2013\u20132017)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Year<\/td><td>Event<\/td><td>Significance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2013<\/strong><\/td><td>Pro debut &amp; Worlds win<\/td><td>Zed outplay; rise of a superstar<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2015<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds win<\/td><td>Peak mechanics; domination era<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2016<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds win<\/td><td>First back-to-back champion<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2017<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds finals loss<\/td><td>End of SKT\u2019s first dynasty<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2018<\/strong><\/td><td>Benched<\/td><td>Lowest point; rebuild begins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2019<\/strong><\/td><td>Super team era<\/td><td>Domestic wins, international failures<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2021<\/strong><\/td><td>Rookies promoted<\/td><td>Formation of ZOFGK roster<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2022<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds finals loss<\/td><td>Heartbreak season<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2023<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds win<\/td><td>Seven-year drought broken<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2024<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds win<\/td><td>Back-to-back titles<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2025<\/strong><\/td><td>Worlds win<\/td><td>Historic three-peat &amp; sixth championship<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2016, the team then known as SKT made history, becoming the first to win back-to-back World Championships. With legendary players and Faker at the helm, their reign seemed unshakable, continuing with an MSI victory in 2017. SKT was on top of the world, an empire that appeared destined to last forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But all empires fall. The 2017 World Championship finals saw a crushing 3-0 defeat to Samsung Galaxy, signaling the end of an era. The aftershocks were felt for years. In the summer of 2018, the unthinkable happened: the organization benched its star player. For the first time in 886 days, Faker was not on the Rift. That season marked a historic low, finishing seventh in the domestic league. Their last hope was extinguished in the regional qualifiers, denying them a chance at the 2018 World Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 2019 T1 Super Team Experiment \u2014 And Why It Failed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1071\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-27.webp\" alt=\"How Faker Became the Greatest Esports Athlete: From SK Telecom Rookie to LCK Mid Laner With the Longest Career in LoL\" class=\"wp-image-34614\" title=\"Epiccarry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-27.webp 1071w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-27-780x437.webp 780w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-27-768x430.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1071px) 100vw, 1071px\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To rise, one must first fall. In the wake of the disastrous 2018 season, T1 went all-in on a rebuild, assembling a &#8220;super team&#8221; of the best talent available, including historic names like Khan and Mata. Initially, the team looked formidable, dominating the domestic scene in 2019. But on the international stage, where it truly mattered, they crumbled, outmaneuvered by Europe&#8217;s G2 Esports at both MSI and Worlds. Despite the star-studded lineup, the dynasty remained broken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why T1\u2019s 2019 Super Team Failed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Overreliance on imported veteran synergy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Predictable mid-game patterns under pressure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>G2\u2019s superior macro and draft flexibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Internal identity conflict versus T1\u2019s historic development style<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of long-term cohesion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How T1 Rebuilt Through the Academy: The Birth of the ZFGK Roster<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2020, the organization rebranded to simply T1, a change that signified a deeper restructuring. Yet, instability returned, culminating in another failed Worlds qualification. It was then that T1 pivoted away from the &#8220;super team&#8221; model and back to its roots: its renowned academy system. T1\u2019s academy system\u2014widely regarded as the most successful talent pipeline in League of Legends\u2014had already produced multiple future stars. In a move rarely seen in modern esports, they decided to build, not buy. They introduced Gumayusi, a rookie marksman who had been a trainee for three years. His proactive style, though not enough to save the season, provided a blueprint for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This new philosophy crystalized in 2021. T1 signed Keria, a support player already seen as a revolutionary. He wasn&#8217;t just innovative; he was redefining the role, winning an LCK MVP award with non-meta picks and expanding the champion pool in ways previously unimaginable. He was the ideal partner for Gumayusi. They were soon joined by Oner, an aggressive jungler from the academy. Promoting three rookies to the main roster at once was a massive gamble, but it was a testament to T1&#8217;s faith in its developmental pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This patchwork roster made an unexpected run to the semifinals at Worlds 2021, falling in what was arguably the closest professional Best-of-5 of the entire season. They had found their formula. The final piece was another academy prodigy: Zeus. Hailed for his mechanics and considered the future of Korean top lane, he completed the five-man roster: Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Player<\/td><td>Role<\/td><td>Joining Year<\/td><td>Playstyle Strengths<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Zeus<\/strong><\/td><td>Top<\/td><td>2021<\/td><td>Elite laner, mechanical prodigy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Oner<\/strong><\/td><td>Jungle<\/td><td>2021<\/td><td>Aggressive tempo, early-game pressure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Faker<\/strong><\/td><td>Mid<\/td><td>2013<\/td><td>Leadership, adaptability, clutch<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Gumayusi<\/strong><\/td><td>ADC<\/td><td>2021<\/td><td>Lane-dominant hyper-carry<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Keria<\/strong><\/td><td>Support<\/td><td>2021<\/td><td>Meta innovator, huge champion pool<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">T1\u2019s Near-Miss Era: Worlds 2021\u20132022 and the Dynasty Without a Crown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1071\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-30.webp\" alt=\"The Rise of the Unkillable Demon King: How Faker Won International Tournaments and Returned to Rule LCK Esports History\" class=\"wp-image-34615\" title=\"Epiccarry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-30.webp 1071w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-30-780x437.webp 780w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-30-768x430.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1071px) 100vw, 1071px\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With the roster complete, everything clicked. T1 embarked on the most dominant run in LCK history, finishing the 2022 Spring Split with a perfect 18-0 record\u2014the first perfect split in the league&#8217;s history. But international victory remained painfully out of reach. They suffered a string of narrow 3-2 losses in major finals, including a heart-wrenching defeat to DRX at the 2022 World Championship. This record-breaking roster risked becoming a dynasty without a crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pressure mounted in 2023. A wrist injury forced Faker to sit out, and the team looked lost. They returned to form but fell once again to rivals Gen.G in the domestic finals. Heading into the 2023 World Championship on home soil, doubts surrounded them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faker\u2019s 2023 Redemption Arc and the Return to the Throne<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>T1 proved that they should never be counted out. During the World Championship, they completely shifted gears. They didn&#8217;t just play the meta; they became the meta. By prioritizing champions like Rakan and reintroducing carry top laners like Jayce, they created a style built on bot lane control and roaming mids that forced opponents to adapt or be dismantled. Their playoff run was a statement, culminating in a stunning victory over JDG, a team on the verge of a historic &#8220;grand slam.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">T1\u2019s Key Meta Innovations (2023\u20132025)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rakan priority and bot-lane engage revival<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reintroduction of Jayce as a carry top laner<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Roaming mid compositions to unlock side-lane pressure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bot-lane-first macro with jungler pathing adaptations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flex-pick strategies tailored to Fearless Draft rules<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Grand Final, in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans, T1 played with the mentality of champions. The seven-year drought was finally over. Faker and T1 were world champions once again. The victory was a culmination for a new generation that had grown up idolizing the man they now stood beside as champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Intangible King: How Faker Led a New Generation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1071\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-23.webp\" alt=\"Faker\u2019s Complete Journey: The First Player in LoL to Earn Four World Championship Titles Before the T1 Three-Peat Era\" class=\"wp-image-34616\" title=\"Epiccarry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-23.webp 1071w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-23-780x437.webp 780w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-23-768x430.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1071px) 100vw, 1071px\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the mechanics and results, Faker\u2019s greatest contribution to this new dynasty was intangible. For his young teammates, he was a stabilizing presence, a bastion of mental resilience who had seen it all. His leadership was not one of loud commands, but of quiet consistency and an unshakeable belief in his team&#8217;s potential. The rookies often spoke of how his calm demeanor during high-pressure moments allowed them to play freely and without fear. He was no longer just their team&#8217;s carry; he was its anchor. This was not the end. The five-man roster ran it back in 2024. They faced <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/lol\/boost\/challenge\/\">challenges <\/a>but peaked at Worlds, battling their way to a third consecutive Grand Final. In a brutal series, Faker delivered a masterful performance to secure back-to-back titles. The victory cemented the ZFGK roster as one of the greatest dynasties the game has ever seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">T1\u2019s 2025 Three-Peat and Faker\u2019s Sixth Worlds Title<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">T1\u2019s 2025 Three-Peat in One Glance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>New top laner: <\/strong>Doran replaces Zeus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MSI:<\/strong> T1 lose 3\u20132 to Gen.G<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>EWC:<\/strong> T1 win the international title<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Worlds: <\/strong>KT rivalry final, T1 win 3\u20132<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Faker: <\/strong>6th Worlds title, era-defining legacy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>T1: <\/strong>first team in LoL history to win Worlds three years in a row<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All dynasties eventually face change. The legendary ZFGK era came to a close in the offseason when Zeus departed, and T1 brought in veteran top laner Choi &#8220;Doran&#8221; Hyeon-joon for the 2025 season. The competitive landscape had also shifted, with Riot Games introducing a new three-split calendar and the &#8220;Fearless Draft&#8221; format for international events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>T1&#8217;s new lineup was tested early. After falling to their rivals Gen.G in a close 3-2 series in the finals of the Mid-Season Invitational, questions lingered. However, the tournament was also a stage for Faker to break another record, securing his 200th international win. The team found its footing and later won the Esports World Cup, proving the retooled roster could still claim international hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their ultimate test came at the 2025 World Championship in China. T1 stormed into their fourth consecutive Worlds final, where they faced their classic &#8220;Telecom War&#8221; rivals, KT Rolster, in a historic showdown. In a dramatic series that went the distance, T1 battled back from a 1-2 deficit to win the final game, securing a 3-2 victory. The win marked their sixth World Championship, and they became the first team in history to complete a three-peat (2023, 2024, 2025). Faker earned his sixth personal world title, while Gumayusi was named the Finals MVP for his clutch performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1071\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-24.webp\" alt=\"Inside Faker\u2019s Life and Legacy: The LoL Esports Mid Laner Who Stood Above All Other Teams and Ended an Era in South Korea\" class=\"wp-image-34617\" title=\"Epiccarry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-24.webp 1071w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-24-780x437.webp 780w, https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/patch-25-24-768x430.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1071px) 100vw, 1071px\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This victory proved that Faker&#8217;s late-career dynasty was not dependent on one roster. He had won a third straight title with a new top-side identity and under a completely new draft system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The end of the 2025 season brought more change. Gumayusi announced his departure, closing the book on one of the most iconic bot lanes in the game&#8217;s history. Yet, as one chapter ended, another was promised. Faker signed a contract extension through 2029, a clear signal of his intent to continue competing and leading the next generation of T1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Faker&#8217;s journey has transformed him into not only the game\u2019s greatest player, but also its first generational icon\u2014the constant in a sport defined by change, forever rebuilding the kingdom he once conquered.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lee \u201cFaker\u201d Sang-hyeok\u2019s career is the defining story of competitive League of Legends.For over a decade, his journey\u2014from prodigy to dynasty leader to generational icon\u2014has shaped the sport\u2019s competitive identity and inspired every new era of talent that followed. In this guide, we\u2019ll cover: YearOpponentResultScoreNotes2013Royal ClubWin3\u20130First Worlds title; breakthrough year2015KOO TigersWin3\u20131One of the most dominant [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33680,"featured_media":34619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[680,3],"tags":[684,685,681,682,683],"post_kind":[98],"ppma_author":[127],"class_list":["post-34612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-league-of-legends","category-all","tag-league-of-legends-faker","tag-league-of-legends-t1","tag-lol-faker","tag-lol-faker-won","tag-lol-t1-team","author-dina"],"acf":{"faq_header":"","faq_items":[{"question":"Who is Faker in League of Legends esports?","answer":"Lee \u201cFaker\u201d Sang-hyeok is a South Korean professional mid laner for T1. Widely considered the greatest League of Legends player of all time, he holds a record-breaking six World Championship titles and has the longest active career of any LCK player."},{"question":"How did Faker start his professional career?","answer":"Faker began his career in 2013 with SK Telecom T1 (now T1). His debut featured the iconic Zed vs. Zed outplay, which instantly established him as a rising star in LoL esports."},{"question":"How many World Championship titles has Faker won?","answer":"Faker has won six World Championship titles: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He is the only player in esports history to achieve this."},{"question":"What team has Faker played for during his career?","answer":"Faker has played for SK Telecom T1\/T1 for his entire professional career, making him the only esports athlete to stay with a single organization for more than a decade."},{"question":"Why is Faker called the \u201cUnkillable Demon King\u201d?","answer":"The nickname comes from his early dominance, consistent clutch performances, and his ability to carry games even under intense pressure. It became widely used after his legendary performances in the mid-lane during his 2015 and 2016 Worlds runs."},{"question":"What is the ZFGK roster in T1\u2019s history?","answer":"ZFGK refers to the dominant lineup of Zeus (Top), Oner (Jungle), Faker (Mid), Gumayusi (ADC), and Keria (Support). This roster won back-to-back Worlds titles in 2023 and 2024 and reached four consecutive Worlds finals."},{"question":"Why did the T1 super team of 2019 fail internationally?","answer":"Despite strong domestic results, the 2019 T1 roster failed internationally due to draft disadvantages, synergy issues, and being outpaced by Europe\u2019s G2 Esports in macro and tempo."},{"question":"When did Faker get benched, and why?","answer":"Faker was benched in 2018 after SKT\u2019s worst domestic performance in years. It was a strategic reset during a rebuilding phase, marking the lowest point of his career."},{"question":"How did T1 rebuild their roster after 2019?","answer":"T1 shifted to a \u201cbuilt, not bought\u201d approach, promoting academy talents like Gumayusi, Oner, Zeus, and signing Keria. This development-focused philosophy led to their modern dynasty."},{"question":"What made Faker\u2019s leadership important during the rookie era?","answer":"Faker served as the stabilizing presence for the young roster, offering calm shotcalling, emotional resilience, and strategic experience during critical moments, especially at Worlds 2023 and 2024."},{"question":"How did T1 win the 2025 World Championship?","answer":"T1 defeated KT Rolster 3\u20132 in the Worlds 2025 final after a dramatic comeback from a 1\u20132 deficit. It was the organization\u2019s sixth Worlds title and the first-ever three-peat in League of Legends history."},{"question":"Who replaced Zeus on T1 after 2024?","answer":"Top laner Choi \u201cDoran\u201d Hyeon-joon joined T1 for the 2025 season after Zeus left the organization, marking a major roster shift ahead of their three-peat run."},{"question":"Why is Faker considered the greatest esports athlete of all time?","answer":"Faker holds unmatched records: six Worlds titles, multiple LCK championships, most international wins, longest career as a mid laner, and a legacy of competitive excellence spanning more than a decade."},{"question":"What awards or honors has Faker received in esports history?","answer":"Faker has earned numerous esports awards, including esports athlete of the year nominations, LCK MVP recognitions, and will be inducted as a foundational figure in League of Legends history."},{"question":"What is Faker\u2019s future with T1?","answer":"Faker signed a contract extension through 2029, confirming he will continue leading T1 and mentoring the next generation of players as he extends the longest career in LCK history."}],"wpwp_short_description":"A complete history of Faker and T1\u2019s legendary journey through League of Legends esports \u2014 from the rise of the Unkillable Demon King and SKT\u2019s first dynasty to the academy-built roster, historic redemption, and the record-breaking 2025 Worlds three-peat.","wpwp_plus_for_views":""},"authors":[{"term_id":127,"user_id":33680,"is_guest":0,"slug":"dina","display_name":"Dina","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dina-avatar.webp","url2x":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dina-avatar.webp"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33680"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34612\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34612"},{"taxonomy":"post_kind","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_kind?post=34612"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=34612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}