A newly published BL (Boys’ Love) novel on Korean e-book platform Ridi has come under fire from League of Legends fans after readers noticed striking similarities between its protagonist and all-time GOAT Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok.

The novel, titled The Mad Dog Catches The Tiger, is restricted to readers aged 19 and over and features a storyline centred on a fictional pro player whose career, according to fans, mirrors Faker’s a little too closely for comfort.

The novel follows Bum-Hwan Bu, known in-game as “Tiger,” a superstar mid-laner for the made-up esports organisation “Critical.” In the story, Tiger is portrayed as a once-in-a-generation talent who has won five World Championships and is revered as an “undefeated commander” capable of carrying his team through any crisis.

Readers immediately pointed out the parallels with Faker, the T1 mid-laner widely regarded as the greatest League of Legends player of all time. Faker is the only real-world player to have won five Worlds titles — now six after his T1 dismantled KT Rolster at Worlds 2025 – and is often referred to by nicknames such as the “Unkillable Demon King”.

However, this novel was actually created prior to Faker’s sixth win, leading readers to believe it must be based around Faker himself.

Plotline Follows Faker’s Career To a Tee

The controversy intensified when readers pointed out that the novel’s major plot beats resemble Faker and T1’s real competitive record. In the book, Tiger wins back-to-back titles, attempts a three-peat, fails, then returns a decade later to complete the achievement.

Faker won Worlds in 2015 and 2016 with SK Telecom T1 before falling short of a three-peat in 2017. Years later, with T1, he claimed his 2023 and 2024 championships, then secured a three-peat in 2025, becoming the only player in League of Legends history to achieve this feat.

The novel also describes the fictional team collapsing to a disastrous 4–18 record when Tiger is sidelined — similar to T1’s 1–7 slump during Faker’s 2023 wrist injury absence.

Author Apologises & Delists Book

Community reaction to the BL novel quickly turned critical. Some argued that the character bore a striking resemblance to Faker, making it uncomfortable, particularly given the novel’s mature nature.

Author Lee Eun-gyu issued an apology, acknowledging the similarities and admitting he had underestimated how identifiable the character would be. He stated he did not intend to base the plot on Faker’s real achievements and claimed the three-peat storyline was drafted before T1 completed theirs.

However, as backlash continued, Lee released a second statement announcing that he would halt sales of the novel entirely, citing “moral responsibility” and confirming the work would not be republished in any revised form.