His relationship with BMW dates back to 2020, when the German automaker struck a sponsorship deal with T1. That year, BMW provided Faker and his teammates with the latest BMW X7 luxury SUVs. (Image from Faker’s X channel)
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Lee Sang-hyeok, the world-renowned esports pro gamer known as Faker, has turned heads by regularly receiving luxury foreign cars as gifts from sponsors like BMW, highlighting the lucrative endorsement deals available to elite competitors.
Faker, 26, is the star player for T1, the esports team owned by the South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom. He achieved celebrity status in 2015 when he turned down a reported $10 million offer from a Chinese squad, opting to stay with his longtime Korean organization out of loyalty.
His relationship with BMW dates back to 2020, when the German automaker struck a sponsorship deal with T1. That year, BMW provided Faker and his teammates with the latest BMW X7 luxury SUVs.
In 2021, to celebrate Faker’s birthday, BMW went a step further by gifting him the high-performance M550i sports sedan.
The following year, after Faker appeared in a BMW advertising campaign, the company marked the occasion with yet another new vehicle for the esports celebrity. Faker shared photos on his X social media account showing off the BMW present, cheekily captioned “Mine” and “Want a ride?”
Since May 2023, T1 has also been officially sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Korea.
Faker, who has spent over a decade with T1, had become a household name in South Korea even before rebuffing the staggering annual salary offered by the Chinese team — a decision that only amplified his popularity as a symbol of loyalty.
At the time, he explained, “Money is secondary. I want to keep playing in the most competitive league.”
Widely considered the greatest “League of Legends” player ever, Faker owns a record three world championship titles, achieving an unprecedented two-peat in 2015 and 2016. He has also captured two Mid-Season Invitational championships.
In 2022, he added an Asian Games gold medal as part of the South Korean national team. Most recently, Faker was named one of the inaugural inductees into the “League of Legends” esports Hall of Fame.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
