Highlights
Popular League of Legends pro player Faker received death threats after a recent match, prompting police intervention and increased security measures.
Faker, a renowned figure in the esports industry, has attained remarkable triumph alongside SKT T1, emerging victorious in numerous championships and earning the title of MVP in various tournaments.
Amidst a surge in stabbing cases in South Korea, there have been threats directed towards Faker, prompting authorities to launch an investigation and trace the origin of these threats. Fans have passionately voiced their anger and demanded enhanced security measures for the player.
Popular professional League of Legends player Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok has recently received death threats following one of his matches. Faker is a member of the renowned team SKT T1, competing in this year's League of Legends Championship Korea (LCK) Summer League, and they have successfully reached the Playoffs stage.
Faker joined SKT T1, also known as T1, in 2013, assuming the role of midlaner in the game League of Legends. Due to his exceptional technical skills and unwavering determination, he has become a household name amongst fans who avidly follow the esports scene of League of Legends. With a remarkable track record, SKT T1 has secured 10 LCK championships, won three world championships, and Faker himself has been recognized as the MVP in numerous tournaments. Notably, SKT T1's match against DRX during last year's League of Legends World Championship attracted an audience of over 5 million viewers.
On August 10th, SKT T1 triumphed over KT Rolster, the top-seeded team, in the semi-finals of the upper bracket. However, amidst the celebration from their fans, an unknown individual made a threat to harm Faker. The threat occurred when an anonymous user on the South Korean online forum DC Inside stated their intention to break into SKT T1's dormitory in order to cause harm to Faker and leave him with a scar. SKT T1 responded to the threat by assuring their fans that they were taking the matter seriously and conducting an investigation. Shortly thereafter, police cars were seen outside the team's headquarters, and the LCK announced that they were implementing stricter security measures for the duration of the tournament.
These threats against Faker are happening at a time when South Korea has been experiencing multiple incidents of mass stabbings. As a result, the police have even begun investigating posts made on social media platforms and have successfully apprehended several individuals who have made threats online. Currently, South Korean authorities are reportedly tracing the IP address of the post in order to identify and apprehend the person responsible for threatening Faker. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that such incidents have occurred, as other League of Legends personalities, like Paulaeal, have also been targeted in the past.
Twitter users expressed anger towards individuals who send unnecessary death threats to professional League of Legends players. Many fans called for the protection of Faker and his teammates, particularly in light of recent stabbing incidents in South Korea. This protection should also extend to safeguarding against stalkers, given that Faker occasionally streams on Twitch.
On August 19, SKT T1 and KT Rolster will compete in the upcoming LCK lower bracket finals. The winner of this match will earn a place in the grand finals against Gen.G. Considering that the initial death threat against Faker occurred after their match against KT Rolster, it is crucial to ensure the safety of all players before and after the tournament. While League of Legends has long been known for its toxic competitive environment, sending threats to players, regardless of their professional status, is unacceptable.
League of Legends is available on PC and Mac.
Source: Reuters
