Almost all 20 members of the internal review committee supported the issuance of the Faker commemorative stamp, according to Shin Jae-yong, head of the Stamp Design Division at Korea Post. "This overwhelming support is rare in commemorative stamp reviews," he said.
Shin made the remarks on October 10 at the opening ceremony of the Faker commemorative stamp exhibition at the Postal Museum in Jung-gu, Seoul.
The decision to issue commemorative stamps is made by a review committee composed of experts from various fields, including historians and professors. Shin expressed initial concerns about whether the committee members would fully understand the world of professional gaming and eSports. However, the strong support for the stamp reflects the growing status of eSports.
Korea Post has been preparing for the issuance of the Faker commemorative stamp since spring. Designers from the Stamp Design Division presented several designs through an internal competition, with Kim Mi-hwa's design ultimately selected.
The stamp features a design centered around black and red colors, capturing Faker's championship moments. It also incorporates the shape of horns, symbolizing Faker's nickname, 'The Unkillable Demon King.'
Shin noted, "The two stamps, composed of black and red, have the most intense color palette among all stamps issued to date. We aimed to impressively capture the moments of Faker's victories."
The stamp booklet is designed to appeal to collectors, with various types of stamps randomly affixed to the first-day cover. This could encourage collectors to purchase multiple booklets to complete their collections.
Even before its release, inquiries from collectors and fans have been pouring in. During the exhibition setup, images of the Faker commemorative stamp briefly surfaced online, leading to immediate interest. Shin predicted, "I expect the stamp booklet to sell out quickly. I am confident it will be a sell-out."
Korea Post's decision to feature Faker as the subject of a commemorative stamp follows similar honors for K-pop groups BTS and BLACKPINK. Although the use of stamps has declined due to reduced mail usage, there is a growing interest among domestic and international collectors for stamps that represent Korean culture, including K-pop and eSports.
Shin emphasized, "Stamps have evolved beyond mere communication tools; they now serve as official merchandise created by the state. As the status of K-pop and Korean culture rises, more overseas collectors are seeking our stamps."
Korea Post plans to continue issuing commemorative stamps featuring Korean culture next year. A stamp based on the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has passed the review process and is currently in the design phase. There are also plans to create a related exhibition to coincide with the stamp's release.
Shin concluded, "Through the commemorative stamp exhibition, we aim to not only increase public interest in stamps but also promote Korean culture widely."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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