[Interview] The Story of the Red Sniper: Hwasin

Lack of winner's interviews = boring life

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7 Years of War: The Story of the Red Sniper
Live Interview of the STX Terran, Hwasin

Q = Fomos Interviewer
A =

Hwasin



Progamer Hwasin, the past and the present


Hello, I’m Hwasin

Q: I want to hear your life story as a 7th year progamer. Also, how are you still doing so well? The last time I interviewed you was when you were in middle school.
A: Of course I remember that. There was a female interviewer next to you as well. I don’t remember what the interview was about, but I think that was my first interview as a progamer.

Q: You really grew up a lot since then. You definitely seem like a different person, so how do you feel about that? You talked a lot about NaDa back then too.
A: When you asked what kind of progamer I wanted to become, I think I said I wanted to be remembered and I mentioned Nada and chose him as the progamer that I respect. Anyways, because this was so long ago, it’s amazing that I can revisit my past.

Q: I think the least you have become is a progamer who can be remembered. Do you also think that you are successful?
A: I didn’t have a big success yet, but I think I’m at a position where I can act as a role model. However, I’m still not satisfied with myself. I haven’t won yet and at first, I thought about giving up if I didn’t win a league even after considerable amount of time passed, but that mentality had changed thanks to my fans who constantly cheered for me. Therefore, I still think that it’s possible for me.

Q: It’s already been 7 years. What has changed?
A: My desire for a win has not changed at all. However, it feels different to try to rise from the bottom. I didn’t realize it for a while, but I started to feel it starting early last year.

Q: Back in the past, iloveoov mentioned that your qualifier group was the strongest. Do you remember that and do you feel the same?
A: Because we practice so much, we can feel the strength of other players. I had the thought that we might drop out because everyone’s so good.



Q: Hwasin reminds me of a diligent type of person. Do you agree?
A: It’s true. Is there such thing as a “talented type”? I feel that they are all the same.

Q: Recently, do you feel that the talents of Flash and Jaedong are different from others’?
A: I think Flash is a bit different (laughs). They both are definitely different from others. Their ability to focus is quite unusual too.

Q: There is always a victor every season. Because you were at the top for 7 years and watched people rise, did you feel that they [Jaedong and Flash] were different?
A: Flash and Jaedong were the first ones who made me think that way. I didn’t even think so even when Savior was at his peak. Back then, I thought that anyone could win if they have the skills and if they were used to the televised settings.

Q: Speaking of the truth, we wanted to interview you but we decided to do it after you won a title since you were doing well. However, we didn’t have a chance to do it. Why did you always drop out during the important times?
A: Honestly, I feel that I missed my time to win as well. The time that I should have won? From 2006 to 2007, I practiced with minimal sleep and I felt like I could beat anyone. Back then, I strongly thought that I could win if I just managed to advance. I thought I would have been perfect if I just got used to the televised matches, but I couldn’t win in 2007 as well.


Hwasin in 2007

Q: That was when sAviOr and Bisu were really good, so it seems that you were suppressed.
A: They were still players that I could manage to beat, but I just played poorly. I don’t think I was used to the televised settings.

Q: What does it mean to get used to “televised matches”? It felt like you definitely had enough experience.
A: First of all, everyone becomes nervous when the match is live. Anyone who doesn’t say so is lying. Even Nada and iloveoov said that they ate mint balls to overcome their nervousness. Even the fact that Flash doesn’t get nervous has nothing to do with the fact that he’s been playing for a longer time. Rather than experience, you have to realize something. Flash probably becomes nervous at times as well.

Q: Do you think that if you had suppressed your nervousness, you could’ve done better?
A: My most regretful moment is when I played with Savior in GomTV MSL Ro4. Because I wasn’t used to the televised matches, I became really nervous. I even thought that I could have won had I played like I did during practice games. I lost because of Defilers back then, but I wasn’t bad enough to lose just like that. I keep thinking back to it because of how disappointing it was. Back then, I thought that I had done well just by going into Ro4, but I realized something as time passed, that it was a very good chance for me. I still wonder how the match between me and Bisu would have turned out if I were to have advanced because I was really confident in my skills back then.

Q: Are you used to the settings now?
A: Yes I have, but now I feel that I’m being pushed back down (laughs).



Q: Although you wanted to win a title so badly, you had to watch your teammates win before you. July, who had just moved teams, took the OSL title, and Calm took the MSL title. It must’ve been hard for you to just congratulate them.
A: At first, I was upset even when I was congratulating them because I was jealous. However, there were so many times where that happened. I was team-killed many times.. by Kal and hero, and even by Shuttle at GomTV. Therefore, I got rid of all the weird and bad feelings I felt for my teammates because if I didn’t get rid of them, it would’ve felt like death for me. So now, I just congratulate them and think that I just have to do my job as best as I can.

Q: Is it because your desire for victory has been reduced?
A: That’s not it, but in the past, I used to be so frustrated whenever I lost once, but now that rarely happens.

Q: Frustrated? We don’t know what happens after the cameras are turned off so we want to know how you’re like when you’re frustrated.
A: In the past, whenever I lost, I used to think back to it and become really stressed, so I couldn’t even sleep. I couldn’t even smile or laugh for several days, but I realized that it was only poisonous to me. I try my best to be optimistic now.



Q: “Hwasin” makes us think of consistency now. However, people still say how you’re ranked so high 1st day of every month.
A: I feel the same way (laughs). I even heard people saying stop doing so well and I should be sorry for my opponents. But, I’m doing as best as I can. I don’t want to fall to the bottom again. I don’t want to be surpassed or forgotten. People don’t even remember you for winning once anymore.

Q: Have you been satisfied at your unexpectedly high rankings?
A: I’m really glad. Really.

Q: How long have you been the Terran ace of your team in Proleague?
A: One of my Terran teammates told me recently that I’ve been the team’s Terran ace so he’s going to rise above me, so I just hit him (laughs). But inside me, I felt like I was in danger that people think about that. Honestly, I don’t know when I will drop from my current position, but I really don’t want that time to come.



Q: It’s because you’re doing your worth that you get your chances to play. In your interview 6 years ago, I remember you saying that you were the closest to your manager. There must have been troubling times over this long period of time.
A: Troubles? There were times that I didn’t really like it because I was interfered so much when I was younger. However, there were no conflicts. I can confidently say that I trust in my manager. We didn’t have a sponsor in the past, so he dealt with personal debt just for us, and where can you find someone like that? Even when I talk to other players, they all believe that our manager thinks a lot about his players.

Q: You’re a dual leaguer and your team is rank 2 in Proleague. Aren’t you doing too well? Which win do you think you’ll be happier with?
A: I’ll be happy with either. I don’t really want to say this, but I think the Proleague win will be harder (laughs). I think this is our time to win. Although we were good last year too, we’re doing even better this year. We have to be victorious for our manager so my goal as a progamer is to win one of each now. Please.

Living life as a progamer in Korea



Q: You have a high salary and a lot of fame. You’re a man with both wealth and fame.
A: Although I have wealth and fame, I will be forgotten over time. I still think a lot about my future. I still have to go serve in the army and I wonder what I should do in the future.

Q: You talked about your future before. I personally think that it’s too early for you to worry about it, but I guess you’re worried because the character of your current career. Is there anything you’ve been looking into?
A: I’m thinking optimistically that I will do whatever. I don’t know what I will ultimately decide on, but I want to manage a Café, I want to live a normal life as a businessman in STX, or I just want to try something other than gaming. I think I’ve played enough games. However, I’m going to play my games to my heart’s content before I serve in the army.

Q: I heard that you don’t want to go to Air Force ACE.
A: No one knows what I will do. My thoughts might change. However, as of now, I don’t want to go to the air force. Why would I want to go to the air force? To live a comfortable life? To play games?

Q: I think that depends on the person.
A: As of now, I don’t want to play games in the army. When I was young, I was into the army stuff so I wanted to enlist in the Special Forces as well.

Q: Is that your formal entry? That will be the title of this interview. “Hwasin applies for the Special Force.” How is that?
A: (laughs) that’s when I was young. I saw people training for it in the TV and it’s really intense.

Q: I heard that progamers who become active-duty soldiers have to continue to play the game with people like the veterans in the army and the boss’s son.
A: I think I’ll really hate it, even just the fact that they know who I am.



Q: Do you feel uncomfortable that you’re becoming more and more popular?
A: There is definitely some inconvenience. Even when I’m just with a girl, weird rumors start to spread. When that happens, it becomes really annoying. In the past, I’ve eaten a meal with my girl cousin before and that rumor spread a lot so it was really hard on it. In addition to that, when people say that they thought I would start doing badly because I met a girl, I really hate it.

Q: When you mentioned a girl, it reminds me of the “Kissing Girl” [Korean: BboBboNyuh]. It feels like you’ve probably met her before because she’s a passionate fan of you.
A: I haven’t met her in person yet. I won the WCG qualifiers too back then, and I only found out about her identity afterwards through the internet. I just started to laugh when I saw that (laughs).

What is the “Kissing Girl” incident anyways?
In 2007 during Ro32 of WCG Korea qualifiers, while Hwasin was losing to Devil 0-1, the camera caught a sign that said “Hwasin, I will kiss you if you lose.” Although Hwasin was very good in TvZ, he was having a hard time against the rookie Zerg and lost the lead from him. However, when the Kissing Girl was caught on camera, Hwasin started to show his monstrous skills once again and advanced to Ro16. Ever since the incident, the female who was caught on camera was called Kissing Girl and “Bbo-bonjwa” and people started saying with her, Hwasin can with both leagues.
About a week later, Hwasin met the Kissing Girl again and beat Nal_rA 2-0 in Ro16, and then Much 2-0 in Ro4. Finally, when he faced Savior, he gave a set away. People thought that the Kissing Girl’s ability has decreased. But after the 1st set, the camera caught her again and Hwasin ended up winning sets 2 and 3. On the same day, during the GyeongNam STX Masters Cup, losing 1 more set would have resulted in defeat. However, Hwasin defeated his natural enemy Bisu and achieved 3 wins.


”I can’t lose or GG when she comes..
I wanted to type GG.. but I thought of her”

Hwasin went 11-1 after the Kissing Girl made her appearance and people were interested to see if he could defeat Stork’s force as well. Although he lost in 1 game, he nevertheless defeated Stork 2-1 and was selected #1 for Korea representatives of WCG. (Source: Wikipedia)

Q: Now let’s talk about the SSB incident (the infamous “sexsexpussyhair”) [note it's abbreviated SSB in Korean so it's not a typo!]. It must have surprised you.
A: I didn’t think it was that bad during the live match, but the more I thought about it, it was such a huge matter. I didn’t know it would grow to be that big of an incident. However, I did become one of the top searched inquiries and my family congratulated me without knowing what was going on.

SSB incident: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=67839

Q: Speaking of family, what has changed between you and your family?
A: Everything’s the same in the house. When I said that I wanted to become a progamer in middle school, they told me to do whatever I want and it’s still the same. In the past however, they used to love it when I won and became disappointed when I lost, but now they’re indifferent about it. Also, my grandma is a fervent Christian and she still prays for me a lot of the times. She told me that in order to receive her prayer, I must pray as well. That’s why I always close my eyes and pray before every game.



Q: Let’s go back and talk about your popularity. Although there is a penalty for being famous, are you happy that you’ve grown more popular?
A: Fame? Am I popular? People say that I’m really popular and I’m not pretending to be modest, but I really don’t know. I don’t think I’m that popular. Even if I do, they will all disappear sometime in the future. Jju and Yooi said that being famous is only for the period of time. However, it’s a really thankful thing that there are fans cheering for me. Even so, fame isn’t important. Whenever there is a match, the number of fans fluctuates and I’m never disappointed when the place isn’t filled up. I don’t think I’ll be hurt when they all leave me either.

Q: When’s your happiest moment during the day?
A: I don’t know. I never thought about it. It’s just that I want [i]that[i] day to come as soon as possible. The day that I win. I’m trying my hardest just for that day to come.

Q: What is your greatest obstacle in getting a title? The scary rookies? Your mindset?
A: There are always rookies who are rising quickly from the bottom so I can’t do anything about that, so I think how I manage my mindset will be the most important thing. Not losing my novice mind and thus playing without any worries is important. That’s why I try my hardest to enjoy the game. I keep telling myself that I have to enjoy in order to improve.

Q: What is a victory?
A: I don’t know why this “victory” is making me work so hard even now. However, that’s really the only reason anyone tries hard. I’m thinking of giving up when I see that I have no possibility of winning. However, it’s not that time yet. Until now, I have gone up and down a lot so I couldn’t live up to the fans’ expectations, but it’s not over yet so I hope they keep on cheering for me.

Q: Lastly, have you ever regretted on being a progamer?
A: Regret? I have absolutely no regrets. Even if I go back to the beginning using a time machine, I’m not confident that I’ll do as well as I am now. It’s because I tried really hard that I was able to bring out my talents. If I had not tried at all, I would probably have regretted it but because I came all this way after working diligently, there is no reason for me to regret it now.

Q: You’re great