Lee Sang-hyuk, known as 'Faker', received the Cheongryong Medal at the New Year's gathering held at the Blue House on the 2nd. The Cheongryong Medal is the highest grade among the sports medals of South Korea and is the first award of its kind for an e-sports player. President Lee Jae-myung personally presented the Cheongryong Medal, an honorary award given to individuals who have contributed to the advancement of sports and the improvement of national sports.

Lee Sang-hyuk achieved his sixth personal victory at the League of Legends (LoL) World Championship, setting a record for the most wins in the tournament's history. From 2023 to 2025, he is set to achieve three consecutive victories for the first time, earning him the title of the 'Messi' of the e-sports world. He debuted in 2013 as part of SK Telecom T1 and quickly gained recognition by winning the World Championship. For 12 years, he has maintained top-tier skills and has been a central player in his team.

At the Cheongryong Medal award ceremony, Lee Sang-hyuk expressed his gratitude, stating, "I stand here thanks to my teammates and colleagues who have run alongside me until now. I hope this brings a small joy and pride to everyone who loves e-sports."

In addition to Lee Sang-hyuk, several other awardees were announced at the New Year's gathering. Shin Woo-seok, director of the Dolphin Kidnapping Group, received the National Medal of Mugunghwa for his work in promoting the APEC Summit promotional video. The late Bishop Du-bong of the Andong Diocese of the Catholic Church was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Peony for his contributions to farmers' human rights movements.

Kim Dong-hae, director of Vision Care, received the National Medal of Pomegranate for his overseas medical volunteer activities, while Lee Jong-min, CEO of Ewha Hospital, was awarded the National Medal for his contributions to relief efforts for foreign migrant women in the country. Last year, foreign citizen Ki-anto, who rescued seven elderly residents with mobility issues from a fire in Yeongdeok, Gyeongbuk, received a presidential commendation. Kim Hae-in, a police officer from the Uljin Coast Guard who participated in rescue operations at the same site, received the Okgodeungjeong Medal.

Jin Jun-ho, a fire officer from Gyeongju Fire Station, received the Geunjeong Medal, and Kim Eui-jung, a secretary from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, received the Geunjeong Medal for proposing the MASGA project. Jung Jin-moon, a police officer from the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency, received recognition for preventing a disaster by proactive control before a large bridge collapse, while Kim Hyun-wook, a secretary from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, received a presidential commendation for contributing to the growth of K-pop.

Lee Sang-hyuk's Cheongryong Medal award serves as an important milestone in elevating the status of e-sports and is expected to positively impact the future development of the e-sports industry.