South Korean BL Web Novel Pulled After Fans Claim Its Character Mirrors Pro League of Legends Player Faker’s Career
- Sagar Mankar
- 11 hours ago
- 2 min read
A South Korean BL (boys love) web novel titled “A Mad Dog Catches the Tiger” has been suspended from digital publishing platform Ridibooks after readers accused the author of basing its main character on League of Legends superstar Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok.
The novel, rated 19+ (erotic), was released on October 24 but quickly drew backlash for its uncanny resemblance to Faker’s real-life career.
The Character “Tiger” and the Controversy
The protagonist “Tiger” is described as a once-in-a-generation prodigy who debuted young, won five championship titles, and led a dominant team called Critique. He is portrayed as cold and authoritative on the outside but socially awkward and childlike beneath the surface. For many fans, this description was far too close to Faker’s persona.
Readers pointed out that Faker debuted at 17, is the only player to win five World Championships (2015, 2016, 2023, 2024, and 2025), and is famously known for his stoic leadership mixed with shy innocence. Even Tiger’s fictional nickname was said to echo Faker’s iconic moniker, “Unkillable Demon King.”
The novel even depicts Tiger’s team collapsing during his absence due to a wrist injury. Fans immediately linked this to T1’s slump in 2023, when Faker was sidelined with a wrist issue before returning to lead the team to another world title.
Author’s Response and Suspension
According to reports by Insight and Koreaboo, the author initially denied any connection, insisting the novel was “entirely fictional with no real-life inspiration.” However, after mounting criticism, she issued a formal apology, admitting her review process was “short-sighted” and promising revisions.
Ridibooks has since delisted the title, displaying a notice that it has been temporarily suspended at the request of the publisher or copyright holder.