After finishing LCK Spring 2021 in the top 4, Faker and his teammates should have had a relatively comfortable break before entering the summer campaign, as they were not burdened by MSI.
However, recently, the gaming community discovered that T1 continued its old habits by involving Faker in entertainment shows and advertisements. There wouldn’t be anything noteworthy if fans hadn’t realized that Faker himself seemed to be subtly ‘crying for help’ due to his exhausting work schedule.
On Ellim’s recent stream, Faker unexpectedly sent a very cryptic message to his younger teammate. However, when Ellim asked what was going on, Faker just changed the subject and laughed.
Immediately, internet detectives began investigating this code, and Korean gamers quickly discovered that the character string “tkffuwnj” from Faker actually corresponds to the positions of the Korean characters on the keyboard, which when typed yields “살려줘” (a shorthand for “살려 주세요” meaning “save me, help me” or more heavily interpreted as “save my life”). This is indeed heartbreaking news for Faker’s fans, as he must be very tired to feel compelled to voice such a complaint. Yet, fearing repercussions from the company, he had to use a “code” to express his feelings.
Since SKT T1 rebranded to T1 and the SKT group transferred management of the team to its partners, the most prestigious esports organization in League of Legends has faced numerous waves of backlash from fans regarding excessive commercialization.
The T1 brand had a perfect debut, winning the LCK Spring 2020 championship, but since then, advertising contract news has surfaced more frequently than technical news, and the name most prominently featured is Faker.
Over the past year, interspersed between LCK seasons, Faker has had almost no downtime despite T1’s absence from the last three international tournaments. Most recently, he was confirmed to have completed filming for an unnamed program at Onlive Plus studio alongside Cuzz and Keria.
While other T1 members also participate in advertisements, promoting their image is common for esports organizations. However, Faker still has the densest advertising schedule based on his fame. Many advertising contracts and game shows that T1 secures are exclusively for Faker, which is why his work schedule is significantly more congested.
Many opinions suggest that at Faker’s age, he should indeed take advantage of earning money, as his peak time will not last long. However, with the aforementioned actions, it is clear that filming commercials or participating in non-specialized activities is not what Faker wants. The lack of rest during the offseason will undoubtedly have a significant impact on his morale and performance.
Additionally, the fan communities from China and Korea are urging Faker to leave T1 if this situation continues. Faker’s professional contract is set to end nominally at the end of this year. However, some insider information suggests that his commercial contract with T1 remains binding, and with his status as a “golden goose”, the team will surely not let Faker leave easily. In fact, if the Demon King decides to sever ties, T1 could even resort to legal measures to keep him.