T1 in League of Legends: The Story of the Most Successful Team, Roster, and Achievements

T1 is the most decorated team in League of Legends history. The South Korean club has become a symbol of the professional scene thanks to its numerous victories in domestic and international tournaments. It is with T1 that Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok plays—the most famous player in the history of the game, whom many consider the greatest esports athlete of all time. In this article, we’ll cover the team’s history, its achievements, its current roster, and the prize money it has earned at tournaments.

Professional StarCraft player Lim “BoxeR” Yu-hwan founded T1 in 2002. It was renamed Team Orion the following year, but it first made history under the name SK Telecom T1 in honor of the sponsor that invested $2 million in its development.

T1 entered the League of Legends scene in 2012 by signing the Eat Sleep Game roster. A year later, the team signed a second roster, this time under the SK Telecom K banner. In its debut season, SK Telecom T1 won the World Championship, and Faker emerged as a new star on the professional scene. Over the next few years, the team became a dominant force in global esports, achieving the first-ever hat trick in League of Legends history with three World Championship victories (2013, 2015, and 2016). 

In total, alongside Faker, the team won the World Championships in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025, not to mention a host of smaller tournaments.

In 2019, the team simplified its name once again to T1. SK Telecom and the American company Comcast Spectacor formed a joint venture called T1 Entertainment & Sports, allowing the organization to expand beyond League of Legends. Faker became a co-owner of the organization.

Today, T1 remains one of the most popular and successful organizations in esports. It fields teams in Valorant, Teamfight Tactics, PUBG, Tekken 8, FC Online, and other disciplines.

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is a South Korean professional League of Legends player who has played mid lane for T1 since 2013. Throughout his career, he has become the face of the team and one of the most recognizable esports athletes in the world. Thanks to his consistent performances and high individual skill level, Faker is often called the greatest player in League of Legends history.

In addition to six World Championship titles, Faker is a multiple LCK champion, a Mid-Season Invitational winner, and the recipient of dozens of individual awards. Over the course of more than ten years as a professional, he has never left T1, becoming a symbol of the club and one of the leading figures in global esports.

According to Liquipedia, his total career prize money exceeds $2.1 million. And that doesn’t even include his endorsement deals with Samsung, McDonald’s, Google Play, and other major corporations.

Faker’s major achievements:

Ba “Bengi” Seon-woon is a former jungler for SK Telecom T1 and one of the most successful players in the organization’s history. Together with Faker, he won three World Championships (2013, 2015, and 2016), becoming a key part of T1’s golden roster. Thanks to his excellent understanding of the game and consistent performances, Bengi is considered one of the best junglers in League of Legends history.

Pa “Bang” Jun-sik is a former T1 AD carry who played for the team from 2014 to 2018. With Bang, the organization won the World Championship two years in a row—in 2015 and 2016. He was known for his consistent play in the late stages of matches and was long considered one of the strongest ADCs in the world.

Lee “Wolf” Jae-wan — a former T1 support and Bang’s longtime bot lane partner. Over the course of his career, he won Worlds twice and the Mid-Season Invitational twice, becoming one of the most decorated supports in the history of the professional scene.

Choi “MaRin” Kyung-hwan is a former T1 top laner who served as the team’s captain during their 2015 World Championship victory. He was named MVP for his outstanding performance in the finals, and his 2015 season is still considered one of the best ever for a top laner.

Pictured above is Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, T1’s current support and one of the strongest players of his generation. Together with Faker, he helped the team win the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, as well as several LCK titles. Thanks to his high game intelligence and versatility, Keria is regularly ranked among the world’s best supports.

Achievements of legendary players:

Throughout its history in League of Legends, T1 has earned over $10 million in prize money. According to Liquipedia, the organization’s total prize pool exceeds $10.06 million. As a result, T1 is considered one of the most successful teams in the history of the sport, not only in terms of the number of titles but also in terms of the total prize money won.

The team earned the majority of its revenue through victories at the World Championships, the Mid-Season Invitational, the LCK, and other major international tournaments. However, prize money is only a portion of the organization’s revenue: T1 also generates income from sponsorship contracts, merchandise sales, media activities, and partnership agreements with major brands.