“The successor to Faker” is probably a phrase that the League of Legends community is all too familiar with, especially during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. During those seasons, not only was Faker’s performance not at its peak, but T1’s results also declined. Moreover, within the team, both Coach Kim and Coach Daeny did not value Faker as they once did.
On the external factor, there was the rise of ShowMaker after he led DK to victory at the 2020 World Championship and dominated the LCK in the 2021 season. All of this made people start thinking about who would succeed Faker when this legend retires.
Among these names, ShowMaker and Chovy have been mentioned. Both are highly talented mid-laners. Chovy is considered the “king of the laning phase” while ShowMaker resembles Faker in his broad champion pool and is on the path to conquering titles. However, these names have also revealed weaknesses that affected the success of their teams, especially in Spring 2022.
However, another name has emerged and is gradually proving his influence. None other than “Faker’s nephew” – AD Carry Gumayusi.
Talent is developing and will continue to grow
If we mention one of the top AD Carries in the current League of Legends scene, Gumayusi is likely to be one of the first names that comes to mind. Compared to veterans like Ruler or Viper at this point, the only thing Gumayusi lacks is experience. Despite being an AD Carry, Gumayusi can play every style. From laning with champions primarily for farming or playing to lose, to those that require proactivity. The playstyle focused on the bottom lane this Spring has allowed a versatile AD Carry like Gumayusi to shine even more.
Gumayusi’s talent is clearly developing day by day. If in Summer 2021, Gumayusi was primarily strong when the whole team was strong and was well-supported by Keria, now Gumayusi has refined his gameplay, allowing Keria to “leave him behind” to support other lanes while Gumayusi still farms well and contributes effectively to the team’s overall strategy.
Impact on the entire team
Gumayusi is a very confident player when speaking to the media. In previous seasons, like Summer 2021, people might have thought his comments were somewhat “naive”, but in the recent Spring season, Gumayusi has maintained that confidence while expressing it more subtly. His confidence also transfers to his teammates, notably to his lane partner – Keria.
T1 has always been known as one of the most disciplined and professional teams, both in daily activities and when answering interviews. However, Gumayusi’s confidence is necessary and very important, especially when T1 is currently a young team. If these players do not have enough confidence, they may very well fail against more experienced opponents. It can be said that Gumayusi has instilled this confidence in them. For example, Keria has gained enough confidence to call the team in two decisive plays, helping T1 secure victory against DK.
And his media presence
Besides Faker, it can be said that the LCK community is paying great attention to Gumayusi. His confident statements are a never-ending topic for the press. But one important thing: Gumayusi backs up his words with actions every day. Moreover, “Faker’s nephew” is a player that T1 is heavily focusing on for personal brand development. Gumayusi actively participates in interviews and is very diligent in livestreaming to interact with fans. It should be noted that among the top 10 channels with massive views on Twitch, with viewers coming from Korea during the recent Spring 2022 season, Gumayusi is the second T1 name appearing, alongside Faker.
In the past, when social media related to esports had not truly exploded, Faker built his brand through achievements in international tournaments as well as his actions in daily life, interviews, and behaviors. But today, Gumayusi even has many more advantages as the media has developed significantly. And importantly, he and the entire T1 team know how to leverage that advantage.
Gumayusi is a name full of talent, and what he currently truly lacks, compared to Faker or ShowMaker, is the titles. But with what he has shown and continues to show with T1, achieving titles with Gumayusi is likely just a matter of time. And it is very possible that one day, when he stands on stage receiving the championship trophy at the World Championship, that will be the day when the true “successor” of Faker is revealed to the entire League of Legends community worldwide.