Faker helps Oner overcome slump, 'Little Lv Bu' maintains healthy mindset and won't dwell on losses
Host Lee Seung-hoon appeared on the LCK Korean commentary Pony's live broadcast and shared behind-the-scenes stories about T1:
"Faker may seem like a younger brother and occasionally appears robotic, but he's actually quite compassionate. Once, after playing soccer, I returned with a scraped knee, bleeding a bit and sweating a lot, so I needed a shower. When Faker saw my bleeding knee, he asked if I needed a band-aid. I replied, 'What does a grown man need a band-aid for? Just a wipe is enough.' Because the band-aids were a bit far, I didn't want to trouble him, so I said that. Later, when I finished showering, he silently left a band-aid on the chair for me. I still have a photo of that band-aid.
While Faker doesn't often express his emotions, he's very warm towards those he cares about. T1 players are undoubtedly skilled, but as ordinary people, even at their young age, they are very caring and good friends.
Last year, after hosting T1 Con on December 31st, on January 2nd, we had dinner together in the dorm eating salads. My birthday is on January 3rd. As soon as the New Year passed, my birthday was approaching. Professional players have late-night snacks since their schedules differ from regular workers. I was having salad with Faker and Coach Sky. After midnight, Sky left, saying he needed to get his luggage. Suddenly, he came back with a birthday cake, and we celebrated my birthday together without me informing them; they just knew.
The most expensive gift I received on my birthday was from Keria. He said, 'I didn't know what to choose, so I picked the most expensive speaker.' I always take it with me when traveling abroad. The most expensive one Keria gave me was, indeed, a Marshall speaker. Not because of its price, but the thought behind it made me very grateful.
Although the results have their ups and downs, I believe this harmonious environment contributes to achieving good results. While each player's skill, effort, and the team's strategies play the most significant roles, the time spent in harmony, sharing concerns, should also be very helpful.
Oner once faced a slump, and Faker helped him adjust his mindset. Initially, Oner had a very aggressive counter-jungling style based on animal instincts, which wasn't successful. As Faker has been in the professional scene for a long time, he shared his unique secrets with Oner to overcome these difficulties together.
(Talking about Faker's absence in the summer split due to injury) Although I didn't directly ask the players, the difference when Faker isn't there isn't just about the ID or mid-lane champion. It's about the aura and secrets Faker has accumulated so far. Although Poby worked hard and did well, when playing with Poby, other players felt the absence of Faker, the absence of the team captain. Later, they gathered to cheer each other on. Last year, there was a mistake at the final step, but this year, overcoming those difficulties and staying focused until the end led to winning the championship.
There is a manager in the team who takes care of players like a mother. Behind the scenes, she arranges players' schedules and meals very well. The efforts of the backstage staff and coaching staff also contribute to winning championships.
Zeus, Keria, and Faker participated in the Asian Games together. I heard from around that Coach kkOma is really obsessed with League of Legends. Whenever you meet him, he talks about how this version, this champion, works. He's really passionate about League of Legends.
Faker also has a strong desire to win. He seems calm most of the time, but he always wants to win. I think that's really amazing. Over these ten years, he's been playing the same game continuously; he could have stopped at any time. However, he genuinely puts effort into every ranked game, always thinking about what went wrong. It's hard for him to accept defeat after losing a match. It shows his passion for this game, which I find amazing. It's the driving force for continuous improvement and makes me reflect on myself.
Faker genuinely cares about the fans, and that's incredible. Every time a decision is made, he thinks, 'How would the fans feel? Would they be upset if I do this?' Every time there's a schedule or event, he considers the fans first.
The players are genuinely busy. After winning the championship, there are many activities to attend to, and the company can pay their annual salary only when they fulfill these.
Gumayusi is a player with a very strong and healthy self-esteem. As an ordinary person, he's very healthy, has a strong sense of self, and receives a lot of love from his family. When he doesn't perform well, he doesn't dwell on self-blame like, 'Why do I have so many shortcomings?' Instead, he often asks those around him for help. His overall mindset is very healthy. In modern society, we often compare ourselves to others and feel we must be better than others to prove our existence, whether it's about achievements, university, salary, job, etc. But someone like Gumayusi, who has his unique beliefs, can handle any situation well. We all need such healthy self-esteem.
I can't remember the exact theme, but there was once a discussion among the players. When we went out to eat, restaurants often request ratings, right? 'Must give a good rating vs. give a rating based on my true experience' was the topic the players fiercely discussed. I can't remember the exact situation, but Zeus had a heated discussion with the others about this theme. I thought, 'Does this theme need such a long discussion? Does it need several hours?' The players were indeed passionate and persistent to find an answer; their desire to win was strong. Someone came forward to mediate; it was probably Faker because when we returned after dinner, they were still discussing, so Faker said, 'You state your position first, then he will state his.' I don't remember who was discussing with Zeus. It really took 2-3 hours to discuss."
