Faker is the first esports player to ever receive the medal.
Sang-hyeok “Faker” Lee, the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) of League of Legends (LoL), has just been recognised by the South Korean government for all his achievements in the esports field.
Faker was given the Cheongryong (Blue Dragon) Medal, which is the first and highest of five classes that an athlete can be awarded in the Order of Sport Merit. This also makes Faker to be the first-ever esports athlete to be given the award.
He was formally awarded the honour on Friday at a New Year’s reception held at the Cheong Wa Dae State Guest House, where President Lee Jae-myung personally presented him with the medal on Friday (2 January).
In a video published by T1 on X, Faker expressed his gratitude for receiving the award and for the support of the fans.
“I’m truly honoured to receive the Cheongryong medal today,” he said. “It’s an incredibly meaningful day for me today. I believe I’m receiving this honour thanks to my fans, and the constant love and support from everyone who cheers for me.”
He also said that he will strive to keep performing well so that he can “continue to be a positive inspiration.”
The Medal of Sports is awarded to individuals who have made notable contributions to the advancement of sports in their country, the promotion of national fitness, and the strengthening of South Korea’s international reputation.
It is divided into five classes: Cheongryong (Blue Dragon), Maengho (Fierce Tiger), Geosang (Giant Elephant), Baekma (White Horse) and Girin (Qilin), with Cheongryong recognised as the highest distinction.
Previous recipients include Son Heung-min in football, Kim Yuna in figure skating, Park Chan-ho in baseball, and Park Se-ri in golf.
Why was Faker given the Cheongryong Medal?
Faker made his professional debut in 2013 with SK Telecom T1 and quickly established himself as a central figure in competitive gaming. Over the course of his career, he has won 10 domestic titles in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), two Mid-Season Invitational titles, one Esports World Cup championship, and six League of Legends World Championship titles.
Beyond those results, Faker is one of only eight players to have successfully defended a World Championship title, alongside Seong-Ung “bengi” Bae, Jun-Sik “Bang” Bae, Jae-Wan “Wolf” Lee, Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon, Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyeong and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, and the only player to have achieved that feat twice. He is also the only player to have won the World Championship six times, with titles in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
He holds the record for the most World Championship final appearances, reaching the final on eight occasions in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. At 28 years, five months and 27 days, he is also the oldest player to win the World Championship.
Domestically, Faker has secured more LCK titles than any other player, with 10 championships spanning from his first in Summer 2013 to his tenth in Spring 2022. He also represented South Korea in League of Legends esports at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where the national team won the gold medal.
In addition to his competitive record, Faker has received multiple individual honours. He was named Best Esports Athlete at The Game Awards in 2017, 2023 and 2024, and became the first player to be awarded Worlds MVP twice. He also won the Esports PC Player of the Year award at the Esports Awards in 2023 and 2024, followed by the Esports PC Player of the Decade award in 2025.
