T1 Faker Given Highest-Honour Sports Accolade by South Korean President

As the world of esports continues to struggle in some areas, it also persists in becoming a fundamental part of videogames being officially recognised by governments. While it has been a slow process, esports have been growing steadily despite the economic struggles that they've faced, and a lot of this success has been attributed to Riot Games and League of Legends as a whole.

South Korea has always seen great value in the esports industry, and it's no surprise that some of the best players and teams come from the country. One highlight for League of Legends, however, has always been Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok), who has become — essentially — the poster boy of the biggest MOBA in the industry.

Still, while Faker has become a household name in South Korea and is a prominent figure of the esports scene as a whole, his successes don't stop there. Kicking off 2026, the T1 midlaner has been awarded a Cheongnyong Medal, which is the highest Order of Sports Merit in Korea, often awarded to gold medalists in Olympic sports and exceptional prowess in their areas of expertise.

Notably, this highly prestigious award has never been given to an esports player in the past; this comes after T1's sixth World championship victory (a three-peat since 2023), with many other career highlights and awards. It's a substantial change from the times esports weren't taken seriously to athletes earning prestigious medals (or games earning praise from presidents, in the case of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33).