07-05-2025
Presidential candidate stirs controversy for using Faker's signature pose, catchphrase
Faker's team protests unapproved use of gamer's public image; Kim Moon-soo takes photo down
Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok's team T1 said Tuesday that the League of Legends player does not have any connection to a political party, stance or campaign, thought to be in relation to conservative presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo posting a photo of himself with a pose and catchphrase associated with the gamer.
"We've recently found that Faker's image and phrase representing him have been used on content related to politics. ... It is our wish that the image or the said phrase will not be interpreted politically or cause any misunderstanding," T1 said in a post on its official X account. The team also vowed to take measures to ensure that the photo is taken down, although it did not specify which political content it was referring to.
Kim, who recently won the People Power Party presidential primary, posted on Facebook a picture of himself doing the "Shh" pose that is widely associated with Faker. Kim also posted the comment, "I'll take care of it. It's gonna be over" — a well-known order Faker gave his teammates during a crucial moment in a match — while using the hashtag "Faker."
Kim has since removed the image from his account.
Faker is widely considered one of the greatest esports gamers of all time and was announced to be the inaugural inductee for LoL Esports Hall of Legends by the game's developer, Riot Games, in May 2024.
