Faker was 16 going on 17 when he went pro; he debuted in the professional League of Legends scene in 2013 after being born on May 7, 1996, which means he was 16 for most of the lead‑up and early 2013, and 17 during that debut year.

Quick Scoop

  • Birthdate : May 7, 1996.
  • Pro debut year : 2013 with SK Telecom T1 2 (later SKT T1 K / T1).
  • Age when he went pro : Effectively 16–17 years old; signed and began his pro journey as a teenager and played his breakout rookie season at 17.

Mini timeline

  1. Late 2012: Faker is already a top solo queue mid laner on the Korean ladder, attracting attention from organizations.
  1. February 2013: Officially announced as the first player for SK Telecom T1 2, making his move into professional play as a teenager.
  1. April 2013: Makes his televised pro debut in OGN Champions Spring 2013, instantly gaining fame with a standout performance in mid lane.

In simple terms: when people ask “how old was Faker when he went pro,” the answer is that he entered the professional scene in his mid‑teens—around 16, turning 17 that same year.

TL;DR : Faker went pro in 2013 after dominating solo queue, which puts him at about 16–17 years old when he became a professional player.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.