T1 Faker benched due to health issues

William Davis Published 06/07/2023

T1 mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok will be benched for at least two weeks, the organization confirmed.

On July 5, T1 fans were surprised to see rookie mid laner Yoon “Poby” Sung-won in the starting lineup against DRX. Moments before the match, the team shared that Faker would be stepping down for the foreseeable future.

The decision came days after Faker shared that he wasn’t feeling well and was working with professionals to get an evaluation. T1 confirmed that Faker felt pain in his right arm and hand but that no major damage was detected. The team decided to give him at least two weeks off and evaluate his condition after that.

Will T1 make it to Worlds 2023?

During the summer season, teams have only one goal in mind, the World Championship. In 2023, the event is taking place in South Korea, starting on October 10.

Five weeks into the summer season, LCK teams are fighting for one of four slots reserved for the region. Whether T1 will secure a spot at Worlds or not is yet to be seen. A benched Faker doesn’t put the odds in the team’s favor.

With Poby on the starting roster, the team was defeated by DRX. Overall, the team looked disjointed and lost on the Summoner’s Rift. Poby is not to be blamed in the situation. The 17-year-old, who has been part of T1 since he was 15, is taking over the GOAT of League of Legends.

To make things harder for T1 this season, several teams in the LCK are looking like strong contenders. Gen.G remains undefeated and is considered the favorite to take the title. KT Rolster is having the performance of a lifetime and has secured second. Dplus KIA is not one to be left behind and is slowly but surely climbing the ranks.

T1 must secure as many wins as possible. Otherwise, they are at risk of dropping in the standings and ending the season early.

Not only is the summer season depending on Faker’s recovery, but this injury could also have international implications. Faker is part of the team representing South Korea in the Asian Games.

Read Also

League of Legends

HLE’s MSI win may have proven that Gumayusi’s the GOAT Hannan Mundia With HLE winning the 2026 MSI tournament grand final against BLG, there’s a real argument that Gumayusi may be the best ADC player currently. This year’s MSI has finally concluded, and Hanwha Life Esports took home the winning trophy. While it was filled to the brim with ups and downs for every player, Gumayusi may be the only player who consistently performed in every game, regardless of which team was ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports vs BLG: Best betting odds and picks for MSI 2026 grand final Hannan Mundia Hanwha Life Esports and BLG will get to have a rematch in the 2026 MSI grand final, but which team will walk away as the victor? The first match between HLE and BLG didn’t really go well for the LCK team. The stakes are much higher this time, and the looming question is whether things will be any different this time around. Tournament: MSI 2026 Stage: Lower bracket final Game: ...

Esports Betting

NA has a winning head-to-head against EU at MSI for the first time since 2018 Wasif Ahmed LYON just beat G2 Esports 3-0 at the LoL 2026 Mid-Season Invitational. Right off the high of beating the six-time World champion T1, the LEC representative quickly came back to Earth as NA cut their run short. Now, North America is ahead of Europe in the head-to-head for the first time since 2018. After G2’s victories against Top Esports and T1, the predictions were split. Part of the community rationally ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports barely beats LYON 3-2 at LoL MSI 2026 Wasif Ahmed In a heartbreaking moment for North America, Hanwha Life Esports beat LYON in a close 3-2 in the MSI 2026 loser’s final. For South Korea, this means a rematch for HLE against Bilibili Gaming in the grand final, and a fourth slot at Worlds 2026. For North America, it’s yet another near-win against the East as they fall short for the third time in two years. The series between HLE ...

League of Legends

Hanwha Life Esports vs LYON: Best betting odds and picks for MSI 2026 Hannan Mundia The 2026 MSI lower bracket final will see Hanwha Life Esports take on LYON. Here’s our complete betting analysis and betting picks. After T1’s upset loss at the ongoing MSI tournament, G2 Esports was the next team to fall before reaching the lower bracket final. LYON looked extremely good against the LEC team, but does it have what it takes to take down arguably the strongest LCK team currently? Tournament: ...

League of Legends

G2 Esports proves that T1 has an over-reliance problem Hannan Mundia The MSI match between G2 Esports and T1 proved that the LCK powerhouse needs to take a good look at its strategy. For years now, the LCK has been a dominant force in the competitive League of Legends space. While the LCP has occasionally come close to the number one spot, that hasn’t been the case for long. In particular, T1 is easily the biggest name in the scene, especially ...

Esports Betting

Here’s the complete Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 schedule Hannan Mundia The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 has finally arrived, and here’s the complete schedule for the event to ensure you don’t miss anything. While it isn’t exactly the newest name in the esports scene, the EWC has quickly become a leading event for esports fans worldwide. It brings together professional players and fans from various games, combining them into one long event that everyone can enjoy. 2026’s Esports World Cup ...