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※ This series is a special feature article about Faker written by Inven Global reporter John Popko. The article consists of a total of 8 parts. This episode is about Heo 'PawN' Won-seok.

Defying a god makes you immortal. And those who defeat those called gods are etched in history. It has been like this for decades. In sports, those who defeat players who perform at a "god-like" level are forever remembered. Andre Iguodala is at best a role player, but he won the NBA Finals MVP for defending LeBron James. Buster Douglas upset Mike Tyson with 42:1 odds and etched his name in history. If there is such a player in League of Legends, it is Heo 'PawN' Won-seok.

PawN is one of the best players to have won Worlds, but he has a particularly strong connection with Faker. The world's attention was focused on PawN for his multiple victories against the icon of League of Legends, and he became an important player in Faker's career, earning the title of a strong player against Faker.

선수(先手) — 2013 말

PawN began to make his name known in the WCG 2013 Korean National Qualifiers against Faker. Faker, the Season 3 World Champion, was already considered the GOAT of League of Legends esports. After winning his first LCK title with Zed plays, one of the greatest moments in LoL esports history, and lifting the Summoner's Cup, Faker was deeply etched in the minds of people around the world. Faker proved his ability by facing domestic and international players, and easily defeated every challenger, adding to his list of victims.

PawN had to face this giant mountain. PawN was a relatively unknown player, and the only moment he was in the spotlight was쓰레쉬 훅에 가려졌다. During his short MiG Blitz days, he was eliminated early in the group stage. PawN, who once took an entrance test for SKT T1, eventually settled in Samsung Galaxy Blue. At the time, most people considered PawN a reliable mid-laner, but no one put him in the same league as Faker.

The WCG Korean National Qualifiers was another step for Faker to achieve another achievement, and for PawN, it was a moment to break out of his shell.

This game was similar to Faker's debut against Ambition, which is still talked about today. Samsung Galaxy Blue dominated the series, and PawN played Nidalee and scored 3 kills against Faker in the first set alone, including 2 solo kills. In the second set, he secured a quick triple kill and announced his presence by escorting SKT T1 out.

It may be difficult to take the results of this match at face value, but it is worth noting. Even though SKT T1 was not in its best condition due to the previous tournament, PawN's presence was evident in this series, and the rivalry between PawN and Faker began to develop.

It was the first tournament where PawN played with talented teammates, and people got to see what kind of player PawN was. What was immediately noticeable was his aggression. Even compared to Faker, a player thirsty for blood, PawN was even more savage. Faker was also famous for his fiery aggression, but PawN's flame was even hotter.

PawN played aggressively and fiercely in the laning phase, but the team's support also played a big role in his performance. The laning lead he gained with the first kill was largely due to the top laner's roaming, and this lead gave PawN the momentum to dominate the game. In the following set, the team's lead was so great that PawN's triple kill seemed insignificant. PawN's performance was always impressive, but it was often overshadowed by Samsung Galaxy Blue's performance.

But what fans definitely saw was that PawN's performance against Faker in this game was outstanding. He took the early lead himself and suppressed all the plays that made Faker the god of the Rift. Keeping pace with Faker and even surpassing him. PawN blocked the early advantages that SKT T1 usually gained. Christopher 'MonteCristo' Mykles said, 'PawN was really a Faker suppressor. He sacrificed himself to be the most annoying player for Faker to face and let his teammates carry.'

And PawN's ability was about to be unleashed in earnest. Much more than this time.

미들게임 — 2013-2014

At first, many people thought PawN was lucky to beat Faker, and this opinion was supported by the suspicion that SKT T1 was less motivated in the tournament. This was further reinforced by SKT T1's undefeated streak in the 2013-2014 PANDORA.TV Champions Winter season.

Samsung Galaxy Blue also collapsed to SKT T1's march like bowling pins falling in front of a ball, and PawN also quickly collapsed with his teammates. In the quarterfinals, Faker performed far better than PawN and easily swept the series 3:0. But after this tournament, Faker's overwhelming performance began to decline, and PawN's rise was just beginning.

PawN's era of success opened with a roster change rather than a major evolution. It became a hot topic when PawN moved from his former team, Samsung Galaxy Blue, to Samsung Galaxy Ozone. The only player who had ever properly stood up to Faker was moving to the only team that threatened SKT T1. SKT T1 had recently continued to win against Ozone at the time, but Ozone was still the only team that strongly opposed SKT T1.

2014 HOT6 Champions Spring was a turning point. Lee 'PoohManDu' Jeong-hyeon took a break due to health issues, and SKT T1 began to show weaknesses. Faker was still standing tall with fantastic performances, but the team was collapsing. There was no energy in team fights, the operation was erratic, and no one else took the lead to carry the game.

This tournament was also a turning point for PawN, and an opportunity to step up. Moving to Ozone, his play style finally shined. Choi 'DanDy' In-kyu and Cho 'Mata' Se-hyeong perfectly fulfilled their roles and illuminated the vision, which harmonized well with PawN's aggressive play and created a powerful synergy.

DanDy and Mata were also outstanding, but Koo 'imp' Seung-bin was also a player who aspired to be the best AD carry in the world. Jang 'Looper' Hyeong-seok was also a top-tier top laner and a master of adaptation. Compared to Bae 'Dade' Eo-jin's style, PawN was the perfect talent to make this team even more complete.

Ozone's star lineup was powerful, as many people claim that PawN simply 'rode the bus', but PawN's role in this roster was very important. Despite being a player with tremendous physical abilities, PawN often sacrificed himself and dedicated himself to the team.

Peter Dun, coach of Team Heretics, emphasized how important it was for PawN to help the jungler and support for the team's success. 'PawN was a player who made his jungler look better. Even when he wasn't intentionally playing to support the jungler. If Faker is a player who takes the initiative to induce the opponent's response and focuses attention on his lane, PawN is a player who puts pressure more aggressively over a wider range. PawN was very good at using the jungler and support to get as much of a lead as he wanted. And this style made him a capable side player.'

PawN was always there when the team needed him. Although he was somewhat distant from power picks like Yasuo, PawN's counter-picking ability made the team even stronger. And one of the most important roles he played in Ozone was being a thorn in Faker's side. Most of his role was revealed in minimizing Faker's impact.

In fact, it is somewhat misleading to describe PawN as a single strong player who beats Faker alone. It's not that PawN hasn't had a clear lead against Faker before. Analyst Kelsey Moser said, 'Honestly, I don't think PawN was the only one who was particularly good against Faker,' and emphasized, 'There were plenty of players who could get solo kills. Mid-laners like Febiven and Caps have also gotten solo kills against Faker in international competitions.' Basically, PawN volunteered to neutralize Faker and synergized with his all-time great teammates, and the few solo kills that made him famous allowed him to win more games against Faker than other mid-laners.

PawN, who disrupted Faker's flawless run towards WCG, disrupted even more strongly in 2014, like a side brake. Faker continued to win and win championships, but PawN prevented Faker from winning any more in 2014. Ozone (later renamed White), which tripped up SKT T1 in the 2014 HOT6 Champions Spring season, won the SKT LTE-A LoL Masters finals. SKT T1, who sought revenge in the quarterfinals of the 2014 HOT6 Champions Summer, took the first set with Faker's lead and pushed hard in the second set, but PawN and his team turned the game around, making the remaining sets a nightmare for SKT T1.

PawN pulled Faker down every time by reducing Faker's influence or taking the lead in decisiveness. For Faker, the match between the two in the Worlds qualifiers was the most painful, and this series marked the point at which most people recognized PawN as Faker's nemesis. SKT T1 and Samsung White (formerly Ozone) had the same Worlds qualification points, and in the tiebreaker for the 2nd seed, PawN solidified his position as Faker's kryptonite.

Even Faker's most ardent fans couldn't defend Faker's performance, which was defeated 0:3. DanDy's perfect ganking or Faker's teammates collapsing against White didn't seem to matter. Faker seemed to have met his nemesis against PawN, giving up solo kills in every set. 'Our plan was for me to survive and for the other teammates to make plays. I think the balance was broken when I got a solo kill against Faker,' PawN said. Faker also said regretfully after the game. 'The ranking match against Samsung White was my worst game. My performance was so bad and I made so many mistakes.'

After this game, Faker failed to advance to Worlds, but PawN took advantage of the opportunity and contributed to the team that had the most overwhelming performance in Worlds history. PawN overwhelmed every mid-laner he faced and engraved his name next to Faker's name on the Summoner's Cup.

Afterwards, Faker had another chance. SKT T1 underwent a rebuild in 2015, and many Korean stars, including PawN, were transferred to Chinese teams backed by huge capital.

체크메이트 — 2015

When the match between SKT T1 and EDG was set up in the 2015 MSI finals, fans couldn't easily predict the outcome. Although they struggled against GE Tigers the previous year, Faker and SKT T1 rose again as the strongest team in Korea. When Faker played (although he was often substituted), he showed the flashy plays that everyone wanted to see, and he shone brightly as a star that everyone supported.

On the other hand, PawN and EDG could not be underestimated. Until now, EDG had won every tournament with overwhelming performance, and in recent tournaments, it seemed that China was a stronger region than Korea. PawN was different from other star players and was a player specialized in his new role.

Michael 'DreXxin' Lalor emphasized PawN's flexibility. 'PawN was a really flexible player. It may sound like a cliché, but PawN adapted really quickly to a new team, environment and language after the 2014 Worlds and entering the 2015 LPL season. He had the ability to carry when he needed to, and he was also good at helping others become stars.'

Nevertheless, SKT T1 was strong when Faker played. Especially when the team supported Faker's abilities. The problem is that Faker doesn't always play. In the first three sets of the finals, Faker was on the bench and SKT T1 fielded Lee 'Easyhoon' Ji-hoon. And SKT T1 fell behind 1:2 during the 3 sets. It wasn't until the 4th set that Faker played and easily led the game to victory, dragging it to the final deciding game, the 5th set.

At this time, many people thought that Faker, who had won the LCK and gained the momentum of his strong teammates, would have no choice but to win. Faker's performance against PawN in the 4th set was the opposite of his struggles in 2014, and it seemed like it would end their rivalry.

Before the game, one teammate mentioned that they had never lost the most important 5th set that decided the game, and the coach added that Bae 'Bengi' Seong-woong and Faker had never lost in the finals. The stage seemed to be set for SKT T1's victory. In particular, Faker raised expectations by picking LeBlanc, an invincible card that he had never lost in the tournament. The situation was like a perfect setting that would appear in a novel. Returning the following year after a heartbreaking defeat and achieving a perfect victory.

Nevertheless, PawN was calm. Faker picked his most confident champion, but PawN was expecting it. He was looking forward to it. And he was prepared. PawN picked Morgana and prepared to counter Faker's signature champion. In fact, EDG's composition was entirely focused on neutralizing Faker's LeBlanc.

Faker's LeBlanc faced many challenges. Sivir's spell shield neutralized one-shot damage, Alistar and Evelynn's tankiness prevented dives, and Maokai's skills suppressed playmaking. In this situation, PawN completed the composition by applying pressure with Morgana's Tormented Shadow and protecting his teammates with Black Shield.

This composition was an acknowledgement of Faker's tremendous ability. Peter Dun recalled this composition and the Morgana pick, saying, 'EDG's strategy was solely focused on neutralizing Faker. Morgana wasn't a pick to win the game, but it was good for neutralizing Faker. Giving PawN, who was one of the top five mid-laners in the world at the time, a pick that could simply suppress Faker and go even shows how good Faker was at the time.' It sounds like a compliment to Faker, but this pick was effective and PawN once again defeated Faker, even on the biggest stage.

In fact, if you collapse on such a big stage, your performance may decline afterwards. Especially if you lose again to an opponent who has beaten you several times. It must have been a difficult time. Considering Faker's already tremendous career, it wouldn't have been strange if he had already retired. When you think about it, many other players have often collapsed over smaller things.

But this is the difference between true legends and the rest. Countering 'kryptonite' was natural for them. Legends who are placed in these challenging situations are further stimulated and strive to become even greater players.

LeBron James, for example, was blocked by Andre Iguodala in 2015 and lost the championship and MVP. But this stimulated LeBron, and the very next year, he created one of the most unforgettable moments in sports history, giving Cleveland its first championship.

Similarly, Buster Douglas' upset of Mike Tyson was historic. This result elevated Douglas' reputation, but it also brought about a bigger change for Tyson. Recalling the defeat, Tyson said, 'I needed that fight to become a better person and to have a broader perspective on myself and boxing.' As he said, Tyson added two more heavyweight championships in a stronger form afterwards.

Like these many legends, Faker did not back down. He didn't dwell on defeat. He quickly returned from moments of frustration and became stronger. Even when there were many stories that Faker's skills were declining, he never collapsed. Every time, he became stronger, stronger, and stronger.

This was the foundation of Faker, and the defeat made him develop again.

After MSI, Faker stepped up his practice. He worked harder to improve his performance, expanded his champion pool, and created stronger synergy with his teammates. There was a lot at stake in the 2015 Worlds. It had been over a year since he had won an international title, and it had been two years since he had won Worlds. His reputation as the greatest player of all time remained, but other players continued to challenge him threateningly.

And Faker shook off that threat. In the 2015 Worlds, Faker won the championship with the best performance of all time. The match between PawN and Faker, which many people had expected, was virtually meaningless. There was no thrilling rivalry that fans had expected. The short match between the two in the group stage ended anticlimactically with Faker's victory. It was like a god facing a human. PawN's performance may have declined due to injuries and team issues, but Faker's form rose to an unreachable level again, overwhelming not only PawN but also everyone else at Worlds.

The match that fans wanted may not have been this, but Faker would have wanted exactly this kind of match. Faker's overwhelming performance in this game was cathartic and clean. Every spell that flew as Ryze waved his hand seemed like a response to the blows that PawN had inflicted on Faker. Faker, who won Worlds again, proved once again that he was at the pinnacle of League of Legends. The subtle rivalry between him and PawN ended like a flash of lightning.

Afterwards, PawN never became Faker's rival again. In subsequent matches, they never faced each other with the same momentum as before. But PawN still remains a meaningful rival in Faker's career. PawN left his achievements in League of Legends history and played a central role in Faker's most painful defeats and resurrections. And it made us see how great Faker is.

PawN beat Faker, but Faker was not defeated.

웹진 인벤인벤팀
2023-10-31