League of Legends Faker becomes first esports athlete to appear on Korean postage stamps

There are few esports athletes as dominant as Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok. The League of Legends pro has won more World Championships than most players have had hot dinners, and his longevity proves he's no one-hit wonder. The inaugural inductee to the esport's Hall of Legends, Faker has collected myriad accolades over his 13-year career. He's never been immortalized on a stamp, though. Until now.

Yes, you read that right. Faker's native South Korea has revealed that it will honor him with a commemorative postage stamp in October 2026. Before now, the stamps have mostly celebrated historical figures or national events. While there's a 20-day period where the public can object to a new stamp being issued, it seems unlikely that anyone will be bothered by this, as Faker is beloved by League of Legends fans across the globe and has transcended from a gaming icon to a cultural phenomenon in his home country.

Faker's journey with Riot's MOBA started in 2013. In his very first tournament, Faker picked up 36% of SKT's kills alone, accruing a tally of 133 across the 20 matches. SKT placed a respectable third in that tournament, but Faker had already made his mark. He followed this up with his first tournament win months later in Champions 13 Summer, followed by taking home the World Championship in October 2013. and from there his reign of domination has been unparalleled.

The 'Unkillable Demon King' has won six World Championships and countless other S-tier tournaments over his career, and fully deserves to be the first esports player celebrated on a stamp in Korea.

The stamps have previously featured the country's Presidents, Korean independence activists like Yu Gwan-sun, Olympic athletes, and even the Pope. But Korean stamps have never featured an esports athlete before. If there's anyone to start with, it's the greatest of all time.

While it may seem insignificant compared to Faker's other achievements - lifting the World's trophy on six separate occasions can do that to a man - this is arguably Faker's most impressive feat. To be listed alongside the country's most iconic and important historical figures is no mean feat, and shows that he has transcended esports to become a celebrated figure for a much wider audience.

This comes after he was recently awarded the Blue Dragon Medal, the highest rank of the Order of Merit for sportspeople in Korea. With LCK well under way and MSI and the Esports World Cup taking place before the stamp is released, and the World Championship 2026 occurring around the same time, Faker will be hoping the little postage honor will be a lucky charm to see him take home an unprecedented fourth back-to-back Worlds title.

If I've learned anything from collecting Pokemon cards, the stamp is sure to become a collector's item in its own right when it's released. If Faker can continue to dominate League of Legends esports alongside its release, then its value will only skyrocket further.