Faker’s distress after GEN.G match has fans worried about the GOAT.
League of Legends esports fans are expressing concern for Lee "Faker" Sang-Hyeok after an incident following T1 vs GEN.G.
After T1's series against GEN.G on August 3, a clip has began to emerge of Faker after the match that has many fans worried. In the clip, Faker has a concerning outburst before being restrained by team members.
Fans across the world are speaking up in concern for the LoL GOAT. In the interest of Faker's privacy, we have made the editorial decision to not include the footage itself in this article. However, if you do wish to see the clip itself you can watch it on Twitter.
WARNING: An instance of self-harm is described below.
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Faker's post-game distress highlights esports pressures
In a video clip originating on Weibo, seemingly shot from the audience of the LCK's LoL park, Faker and T1 can be seen behind their setups post-series. In the clip, Faker goes from leaning on a chair, to facing the wall of the booth behind them.
After a moment, he suddenly headbutts the wall three times. After another pause, Faker then headbutts the wall harder one final time, before being restrained by Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong. Shortly after, the team walks out of frame.
It's an uncomfortable watch for any empathetic LoL fan, and the community has rallied around Faker, discussing mental health in pro play.
Many fans expressed concern for the Unkillable Demon King. Fans have been noting the incredible pressures and stresses that being at the highest level of LoL esports can bring. The discussion has been brought on by over a decade of professional play, the expectations placed upon a player of his renown can only be immense.
Casters Isaac "Azael" Cummings-Bentley and Georgia "Troubleinc." Paras tweeted out about the incident. Both expressed support for the player and anger at pockets of the community cheering his distress. Troubleinc. notes that the outburst seems to be self-punishment for a perceived poor performance in the series.
This week has brought many discussions of mental health and the pressures of competition at the highest levels in the LoL esports community, following this and 100 Thieves players speaking out about mental health. Faker's distress is a reminder to many that even the most superhuman talents are still merely human.
Faker and T1 have yet to make official comment. This has been an uncomfortable reminder of the constant rigors of pro play for many LoL fans. Nonetheless, a torrent of overwhelming support for the four-time Worlds champion continues to pour forth.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for more LoL esports updates.