EPT
As Startale_Life's greatest fan (and with inspiration from neoghaleon55, the greatest DRG fan since 1985), I decided there was not enough celebration following his almost Fruitdealer-esque championship win at MLG, which is why this blog is going to convince you that Life is the greatest player ever and also a really cool guy. Lots of credit to MLG, thedz, and the fine people in the Life fan club for most of these great pictures
![[image loading]](https://assets3-photos.majorleaguegaming.com/shared/photos/8224/8224-width=660_height=660_fit=true_upsample=true.jpg)
"Oh, another trophy! Wait... Don't I already have this one? Meh, I'll just kiss it again because I like kissing trophies"
On top of being pretty good at this game and constantly tired, Life really is a lying bastard - prior to his GSL final against Mvp, he stated in an interview that he really didn't understand why everyone always kisses the trophy after winning the championship. He thought it was weird. "I won't kiss the trophy", he added.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7VDRc.jpg)
Oh, really?
One of the many things that make Life my favorite player is his attitude. Fionn once wrote a great piece about Life, about how he and Stephano are the only two players with the level of confidence required to make any comeback in the world possible, or to never feel nervous. Not only did Life prove Fionn right shortly after the preview was written by coming from behind to win the championship against Mvp - the only player ever to do so, but he continiously proved that disadvantages never bother him - and that he has nerves of steel. I come from a competitive background myself, and I was repeatedly screwed over by lack of confidence (I think they even called it an inferiority complex) - to see someone so good compete at the age where I began to realise that I was pretty decent at swimming, only without the lack of confidence, is very inspiring to me.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ko88NA2.png)
Down 0-3 against DongRaeGu? One more loss and I'm screwed? Wow this water tastes good.
Gameplay aside, the one thing that remains constant about Life is his unfaltering confidence. With the exception of his recent MLG win against Flash, Life has never not been down in a championship final before. Against Mvp, Leenock, DongRaeGu, Parting - he's come back from behind and won against all of them, but not after engaging "Clutch Mode", where he goes from sloppy, mid-tier player to this guy:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/WD3fwns.jpg)
UFO mode engaged
That one particularly wonky look aside, Life always does look tired. It doesn't matter if it's 4 PM or 3 AM according to his biological clock, he still looks like he's about to fall asleep - whether he wins or not. Whereas some players look like they're about to pass out from the pressure of being in the booth, up against a strong opponent, Life always appears to be bored. And even when he wins, it seems like he's in some kind of mist - like his wins haven't quite hit him yet.
![[image loading]](https://assets3-photos.majorleaguegaming.com/shared/photos/8132/8132-width=660_height=660_fit=true_upsample=true.jpg)
Flash who?
Even after his championship wins - where one would think he'd be celebrating like no one else around, he seems a bit... Uncaring? Like, he looks happy and all - but he doesn't look like MKP usually does - doesn't tear his hair off, doesn't scream or cry. And for those who aren't fans, or haven't been for long, Life more or less seems like the stereotypical Korean - few expressions, doesn't talk much English (the record might very well be "Hi, me english bad T.T" in his fan club), is unreasonably good at Starcraft, and makes very little effort to interact with his fans (trust me, I know from experience
)But is Life like Sniper - really boring?
The answer is no, no, no. He's more difficult to read than foreigners or many of the more emotional Korean players, for sure, and he's shy. I think that's something many people overlook - these guys, Life in particular, are really good at Starcraft II, but they might not enjoy being in the spotlight. But wait!
![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BFlaM-JCUAEh2_9.jpg:large)
I don't really need to point out that I'm the best when they interview me, do I?
I can see that liking Life for more than what he does in-game and as a player is difficult - he comes off as arrogant in the interviews where he does not give the generic "I practice mostly through ladder" and "I want to thank my family, please cheer me"-type of answers, but there really is more to him than that. What I gather from every televised game and every interview is that he's:
1) Shy. He doesn't get the shakes from being on the big stage in front of almost four-thousand people, but he feels that his place is in the booth, not on the stage - and it shows every time he wins and is interviewed on stage.
2) So confident. When he says that his next match will be an easy 3-0, he's not shitting on Taeja or Seed or whoever it is he'll be up against. He's not saying it to entertain the fans - usually, he doesn't do that kind of thing (see point 1), he says it because it's his honest opinion and because there is no reason that he wouldn't win 3-0. He's the best player in the world, his opponent isn't - what else is there to discuss?
3) Not sure why everyone is giving him so much attention. In all honesty, I don't think he fully realises how much everyone is talking about him; not in Korea and certainly not overseas. He's the brightest shining star in Starcraft II and he doesn't quite realise it. He knows that he's good, but he doesn't realise (or maybe he does?) that people are comparing him to Jaedong or calling him the second coming of Flash. He knows that he's good at the game, but not how good everyone else thinks he is. His wonky looks and cocky interview style only adds to this.
![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A4cxn6XCAAEc3QL.jpg:large)
Life is no DRG - he won't charm the fans with "Good shit" or sunglasses, but come on - how do you not like this guy?
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cXbDCsF.jpg)
.
. Also love his clean styles and his strength of will.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/UrUqs2z.png)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/XxaoI2O.jpg)
