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Faker discusses video game industry in talks with prime minister

Published: 20 Dec. 2025, 17:10 Updated: 20 Dec. 2025, 17:32

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, left, meets esports star Lee Sang-hyeok, known as Faker, at the prime minister's official residence in Seoul on Dec. 18. [NEWS1]

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met esports star Faker this week to discuss the latest developments and trends of the country's video game industry, his office said Saturday.

The meeting took place in an interview format on Thursday, with Kim asking the professional League of Legends (LoL) player, whose real name is Lee Sang-hyeok, about the industry and esports.

"When I first became a professional gamer, there was a lack of awareness and policy [on video games], but it has now improved significantly," Faker said. "The video game industry is changing into one of Korea's key industries."

He noted, however, that while Korea has dominated esports globally, the country's games have not enjoyed that level of success.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, left, meets esports star Lee Sang-hyeok, known as Faker, at the prime minister's official residence in Seoul on Dec. 18. [NEWS1]

"Instead of games that give inspiration, there are increasingly more formulaic games or cash grab games [in Korea]," he said, voicing hopes for games to serve as an inspiration for people, rather than being played simply to pass the time.

When asked about his team's recent sixth LoL World Championship title, which marked an unprecedented third consecutive win, Faker said it felt like a dream.

Their full conversation has been posted on the YouTube channel of the Prime Minister's Office.

Yonhap