The Community Erupts in Comparison Between “SKT T1 Faker” and “T1 Faker”
After the 2025 World Championship finals, T1 officially achieved an “unbreakable” milestone in League of Legends history: winning the World Championship three times in a row and securing a total of six World Championship titles. Specifically, Faker became the first and only player to reach this remarkable milestone of six championships. Notably, Faker accomplished this feat in years when many believed he was past his prime, nearing 30 years old. And when T1 Faker is too “dominant,” fans remember “SKT T1 Faker.”
But SKT T1 Faker is exceptional, while T1 Faker is great
When compared to SKT T1 Faker, everyone understands that it is Faker facing off against himself. The SKT T1 Faker version, roughly from before the peak-and-trough phase (2017 – before the 2021 World Championship), represents a superstar player, a genius in champion handling with skills among the highest in professional League of Legends.
At that time, Faker was not a leader-in-game with divine team calls or miraculous plays, nor did he possess the hardened mindset forged from countless failures. The image of Faker breaking down in tears is the most vivid proof: a superstar witnessing his first defeat.
After that, Faker had to endure the upheavals of the times and of SKT T1/T1. He witnessed his former teammates come and go while T1 struggled to find its former glory. Faker himself had to juggle training with numerous advertising contracts and continuous livestreaming to meet T1’s revenue needs.
Next came the whispers and rumors when Faker hit rock bottom. In 2020, discussions began suggesting that Faker should retire, and Clozer would be the new future for T1 while ShowMaker would inherit Faker’s position as the top Mid Laner in the LCK. By 2021, things worsened as Faker frequently found himself on the bench, with many believing that the “Demon King” needed to take a break.
Now, Faker not only matches the achievement of World Championship titles held by SKT T1 Faker of the past, but he has also fulfilled his own dream from 2017: three consecutive World Championship titles. Moreover, the current Faker is calm and composed even when the entire team faces extreme challenges. The present Faker is willing to step back for his younger teammates to shine and encourages his teammates whenever someone makes a mistake. The current Faker no longer engages in intense trash talk; every word he speaks can become a truth that leaves the community in awe and respect.
SKT T1 Faker was a genius superstar, but he was not yet able to inspire or lead his teammates to success. Although he may have more LCK or MSI titles, his mindset in the World Championship arena was still lacking. This is why he fell and faced defeat. However, he later rose again to become the T1 Faker of today.
At the moment T1 destroyed KT’s nexus, Faker not only won the World Championship but also defeated his past self. Much like Sun Wukong defeating the Six-Eared Macaque, the current Faker may not have many titles in one year, but he is a beacon for his teammates, a support in failure, and a foundation for victory. T1 Faker is not a superstar with jaw-dropping individual skills, but a great player who transcends League of Legends and esports in general.