2025 KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame Induction gives Faker “Stars” Award, alongside new inductees (Full List of Winners)

Following the 2025 KeSPA Cup, the Korean eSports Association and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have inducted the 2025 KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame. 

The Hall of Fame recognises the most influential esports personalities in the region across various titles. This year’s inductees include Faker in the “Stars” category, T1 as “Esports Team of the Year,” and DRX Valorant players in the “Heroes” category.

Faker becomes a KeSPA Hall of Fame “Star” once again in 2025

A highlight of the KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame is the selection of each year’s “Stars.” This is a fan-voted category that honours the best-performing Korean esports players in both domestic and international competition. 

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000887239132504233?s=20

Winners hold their “Star” status until the next Esports Hall of Fame ceremony. 

In the KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame’s history, there have now been 48 Stars. 

First, eighteen candidates are chosen for the voting process. Players from all esports titles can be nominated. However, a maximum of three “Star” awards can be given per esports title. Then, a public vote is commenced.

Unsurprisingly, three of T1’s League of Legends players were awarded “Star” status by community votes after Faker led the team to the 2025 World Championship trophy for a historic third consecutive win.  

As a result, Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok, Mun ‘Oner’ Hyeon-jun, and Ryu ‘Keria’ Min-seok were all selected for the award. 

Alongside them were newly inducted Tekken and FC Online players. 

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000857796951277948?s=20

The complete list of Hall of Fame Star Inductees for 2025 is as follows: 

• Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok (League of Legends)
• Mun ‘Oner’ Hyeon-jun (League of Legends)
• Ryu ‘Keria’ Min-seok (League of Legends
• Lim ‘Ulsan’ Soo-hoon (Tekken) 
• Bae ‘Knee’ Jae-Min (Tekken) 
• Ko ‘wonder08’ Won-jae (FC Online) 

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000852488182722701?s=20

New additions to the longstanding “Heroes” award category

Alongside the “Stars” category, the KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame awards also acknowledge and commemorate players in the “Heroes” category. 

A panel of industry professionals selects heroes to be commemorated each year from domestic and international competition. 

Following the 26 new additions from the 2025 ceremony, there are now 310 “Heroes” across the KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame’s history. 

Players have been inducted into the “Heroes” category from a plethora of titles, including PUBG Battlegrounds, PUBG Mobile, Sudden Attack, Street Fighter 6, Tekken, Hearthstone, FC Online, League of Legends, and Valorant. 

https://twitter.com/EternalReturnKR/status/2000846121682571680?s=20

However, for the first time, players from Eternal Return Esports have also been inducted. 

Eternal Return is an esports title that amalgamates Battle Royale mechanics, MOBA gameplay, and anime style. The first Eternal Return players to become Hall of Fame Heroes are Han ‘OneCircle’ Dong-gyu and Han ‘Romantic’ Jun-hee. 

Notably, several Valorant players were also inducted in 2025. This list includes DRX’s Song ‘HYUNMIN’ Hyun-min and No ‘free1ng’ Ha-jun, and Ko ‘Sylvan’ Young-sub, who won VALORANT Masters Bangkok with T1 in March 2025. 

https://twitter.com/DRX_GLOBAL/status/2000871352795025775?s=20

The complete list of 2025 KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame Heroes is as follows: 

League of Legends

• Joo ‘Duro’ Min-kyu 
• Lee ‘PerfecT’ Seung-min
• Jeong ‘Peter’ Yoon-su

Valorant 

• Ha ‘Ash’ Hyon-cheol 
• Lee ‘carpe’ Jae-hyeok 
• Ham ‘iZu’ Woo-joo
• No ‘free1ng’ Ha-jun
• Song ‘HYUNMIN’ Hyun-min
• Ko ‘Sylvan’ Young-sub

FC Online

• ‘Wonder08’
• ‘Chase’
• ‘RILLA’
• ‘Crong’

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000852136008278018?s=20

PUBG Battlegrounds

• Sim ‘Gyumin’ Gyu-min
• Kin ‘DIEL’ Jin-hyun

PUBG Mobile

• Jung ‘chpz’ Yoo-chan
• Song ‘Nolbu’ Soo-an
• Kim ‘XZY’ Jun-ha
• Song ‘SOEZ’ Ho-jin
• Joen ‘HYUNBIN’ Hyun-bin

Sudden Attack 

• Lee ‘213’ Won-sang

Street Fighter 6

• Shin ‘Leshar’ Moon-sup

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000875740397765074?s=20

Eternal Return 

• Han ‘OneCircle’ Dong-gyu
• Han ‘Romantic’ Jun-hee

Tekken 

• Han ‘Mulgold’ Jae-gyun

Hearthstone 

• Park ‘gyu’ Min-gyu

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000852405727219999?s=20

Esports Team of the Year, Esports Game of the Year, and Achievement Award of the Year

The 2025 KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame Awards also select an Esports Team of the Year, Esports Game of the Year, and Achievement Award of the Year. 

As expected, T1 took home the Esports Team of the Year Award. 

However, the Esports Game of the Year 2025 Award was given to FC Online. EA’s FC Online has become incredibly popular in the region, hence FC Online players achieving four Heroes Awards and a Stars Award in the ceremony. 

Meanwhile, the Esports Achievement of the Year was awarded to Professor Kihan Kim.

https://twitter.com/kespa/status/2000853689620451527?s=20

As a Professor of Sport Management at Seoul National University, Kihan Kim has provided significant research contributions to the study of esports over the past several years. These contributions include studies on livestreaming and the public perception of esports. 

Overall, the KeSPA Esports Hall of Fame Awards have continued to expand recognition of skill, talent, and achievements within the Korean esports ecosystem. 

With so many commendable actors in the scene, it is a reminder of Korea’s significant impact on the global esports industry.