Being a world-renowned player, a living legend, and an immortal demon king does not mean that Faker is free from anti-fans. In fact, the more fans he has, the more people there are who disregard everything to insult and demean Faker, which is evident through the increasing instances of “cyberbullying.”
Cyberbullying or cyber harassment is a form of bullying or harassment conducted through electronic means. With the growing digital landscape, the incidence of cyberbullying among teenagers has been on the rise. This bullying behavior includes spreading rumors, threatening personal attacks, harassment, leaking personal information, and using hate speech to label the victim. Such bullying is often repetitive, directly harming the mental health of the victim, leading to increased negative emotions, anxiety, and potentially resulting in depression or even suicide.
T1’s head coach Kim “Kim” Jeong-soo has openly shared about the pressure Faker faces while competing at T1: “Argh, Faker… he must be under a lot of stress. How is it that I don’t receive even a single message after T1 wins? I get 20 or 30 messages every time T1 loses. People create accounts just to insult…”
The fact that Faker has become the target of anti-fan wrath is not new, but it is only recently that fans in South Korea have decided to stand up for their idol’s rights. Accordingly, the Korean League of Legends community is continuously urging T1 to take legal action against individuals involved in cyberbullying towards the player, especially Faker.
It is known that Faker’s fans in South Korea are still the strongest and most vocal, so this incident is unlikely to simply fade away. Currently, fans with a strong following are mobilizing everyone to email T1, demanding that they sue the anti-fans. In the face of T1’s silence and lack of a clear intention to resolve the issue, the community continues to apply pressure.
This is not drama; it is simply an incident occurring within the Korean fan community and deserves attention. All of this stems from love and concern for Faker’s mental health. Currently, Chinese fans have also decided to join in, sending emails with similar content to T1.
Here are some translated opinions from Korean fans explaining this collective action:
– Even as a fan, reading hateful comments about him every day is stressful, so how must he endure it?
– Why should he have to accept being insulted every day and pretend it doesn’t exist? Why should I hear these words coming from him? So please, first sue them.
– Players and their fans are victims of these insulting comments. And why should we have to endure this and pretend it doesn’t exist?
– We will continue to send emails until we receive a response.
Speaking of which, many will immediately think of an interview from last October. Specifically, LCK players were put in a typical scenario where they were asked in an interview: “What message do you want to send to fans who are ready to argue with anti-fans to protect you?” Most well-known players like Tarzan, Ruler, Bdd, Nuguri, Teddy, Clid… all had the same response. They expressed gratitude to the fans who wholeheartedly support them, but generally carried the mindset of “harmony is precious” and advised fans not to waste time arguing with anti-fans.
The only name everyone knows who displays a super laid-back attitude is Faker – the meme lord disguised as the immortal demon king of League of Legends. When asked such questions, he not only didn’t advise his fans to “calm down,” but instead added fuel to the fire, sending a succinct message to his fans: “Um… First, you guys definitely have to win!”
Winning or losing depends on T1’s response in this ongoing battle.