A newly printed BL (Boys’ Love) novel on Korean e-book platform Ridi has come beneath fireplace from League of Legends followers after readers seen hanging similarities between its protagonist and all-time GOAT Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok.
The novel, titled The Mad Canine Catches The Tiger, is restricted to readers aged 19 and over and incorporates a storyline centred on a fictional professional participant whose profession, based on followers, mirrors Faker’s a little bit too carefully for consolation.
The novel follows Bum-Hwan Bu, identified in-game as “Tiger,” a celebrity mid-laner for the made-up esports organisation “Essential.” Within the story, Tiger is portrayed as a once-in-a-generation expertise who has gained 5 World Championships and is revered as an “undefeated commander” able to carrying his workforce by means of any disaster.
Readers instantly identified the parallels with Faker, the T1 mid-laner broadly considered the best League of Legends participant of all time. Faker is the one real-world participant to have gained 5 Worlds titles — now six after his T1 dismantled KT Rolster at Worlds 2025 – and is usually referred to by nicknames such because the “Unkillable Demon King”.
Nonetheless, this novel was really created previous to Faker’s sixth win, main readers to consider it have to be based mostly round Faker himself.
Plotline Follows Faker’s Profession To a Tee
The controversy intensified when readers identified that the novel’s main plot beats resemble Faker and T1’s actual aggressive file. Within the e book, Tiger wins back-to-back titles, makes an attempt a three-peat, fails, then returns a decade later to finish the achievement.
Faker gained Worlds in 2015 and 2016 with SK Telecom T1 earlier than falling wanting a three-peat in 2017. Years later, with T1, he claimed his 2023 and 2024 championships, then secured a three-peat in 2025, changing into the one participant in League of Legends historical past to attain this feat.
The novel additionally describes the fictional workforce collapsing to a disastrous 4–18 file when Tiger is sidelined — just like T1’s 1–7 droop throughout Faker’s 2023 wrist harm absence.
Creator Apologises & Delists E book
Group response to the BL novel rapidly turned vital. Some argued that the character bore a hanging resemblance to Faker, making it uncomfortable, significantly given the novel’s mature nature.
Creator Lee Eun-gyu issued an apology, acknowledging the similarities and admitting he had underestimated how identifiable the character can be. He acknowledged he didn’t intend to base the plot on Faker’s actual achievements and claimed the three-peat storyline was drafted earlier than T1 accomplished theirs.
Nonetheless, as backlash continued, Lee launched a second assertion saying that he would halt gross sales of the novel completely, citing “ethical duty” and confirming the work wouldn’t be republished in any revised kind.
