EPT[FomosQ] Jeon Sang Wook (Midas) Returns as 'High-Class Engine', Meets with Fans
[Fomos Journalist Lee Hye Lin] A short, yet enjoyable SportsQ with a man with many secrets, Midas
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1271948332_1.jpg)
Midas visits Fomos himself
[Fomos Journalist Lee Hye Lin] A short, yet enjoyable SportsQ with a man with many secrets, Midas
Midas visits Fomos himself
We are met with a welcome, familiar old face in the Proleague and the MSL these days. Of course, we're talking about one of the best Terrans in the past and master of mech play, Jeon Sang Wook (Midas). In the past he was responsible for some hit phrases such as 'If far, fast expand, if close, bunker rush'; now he is beginning his second peak in his new team, WeMade FOX.
So this week in SportsQ, I met with Midas, who has been showing signs of a revival to old form, and I was impressed in how he thought through each question with sincerity and replied with contemplation. So let us meet the figure with many secrets, Midas.
Q: Hello, Midas. Could you say hi to the fans?
A: Hello everyone. I'm Midas of WeMade FOX.
Q: You've been showing good aura recently: playing on air a lot, and winning many games. How is your form these days?
A: My form is very good.
Q: Do you still have a fear of interviews? I'm curious if you are able to say what you want with good flow in interviews nowadays.
A: I don't have those fears anymore. The interviews go well now.
Q: I'd consider you to be one of the old-school progamers; is there a particular reason you've been showing signs of revival recently?
A: I'm practicing like before, so I guess doing well like before.
Q: Do you still stay in contact with Coach Cho Gyu Nam, your coach from the G.O. days?
A: Ah, I definitely stay in contact with him. Just some time ago I texted him because I changed my cell number, and he texted me back saying it was good to see me doing well these days. I saw him in the Proleague stadium some time ago too, and he laughs whenever he sees me.
Q: Back in the day, and still even now, you have such a young face; do you think so? And your secret to keeping such a young face?
A: I don't think that about myself that much... I guess it's because I'm only 25 and I don't consider myself to be very old.
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Midas advances first place in his MSL Ro32 group
Q: In the MSL Ro32 recently, you beat the 'Ultimate Weapon' Flash; how did you feel then?
A: Um, at that point I wasn't guaranteed to advance yet, so I didn't think too much about it. To be honest I wanted to advance second from the group so that I could avoid a Protoss, but since I ended up winning the first set by beating Flash, I realized it would be difficult if I met him again, so I thought mostly about the winner's set.
Q: You seem to have a deep understading of the map Odd-Eye 2; do you have a map that you think is particularly fun or you like a lot?
A: I normally like maps that are good for Terran, and I think Odd-Eye 2 is a good map for Terran. And I like Fighting Spirit too. As for a map I think is fun: Another Day.
Q: Is there a map that was used in the past that you wouldn't mind being reused? Another Day perhaps?
A: Another Day has been used a lot, so not that one. I wouldn't mind Terran favored maps like Nostalgia.
Q: These days, there's no really popular nicknames for you other than maybe 'the engine'. Is there a nickname that you particularly like of yourself? There's stuff like 'high-class engine' floating around too.
A: As long as it's not negative, I don't really care what everyone calls me. 'High-class engine' isn't bad either.
Q: You've been starting your revival after your move to WeMade. What do you think would have happened if you were still in SKT? Do you think your comeback would have been possible there?
A: Mmm... I think so. But I think the move to WeMade facilitated it.
Q: If you get to the finals of an individual league like you've always wanted, who do you want to play against?
A: Any famous player will do... Stork, Jaedong, Flash, Bisu; they're all good opponents for a final. With them, even if I lose, I think everything, starting with the process of preparation, will be fun and intriguing.
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Midas going 'rawr~'
Q: These days it seems like you take a lot of pictures as if you're going 'roar~'. Some people says it's a bear's paw; what does it mean?
A: Actually, I do it because the photo-journalists tell me to do it, so I'm not really sure myself.
Q: We saw in 'real story' that you're pretty good at cooking. We saw that you did the cooking, and gave all the food to everyone else. Do you still not eat the stuff you cook?
A: I eat it with them. Only if others say it's good.
Q: Then, if others say it's not good?
A: I'll go away somewhere else for a bit.
Q: Just a short time ago, your teammate Shine lost after a very long set of tiebreakers. What would you have felt if you were in that situation? If you gave him advice or some comforting words, what did you say?
A: Oh, there was a situation like that for me in a 2004 Premier League Preliminaries. We must have played re-re-regames well into the night, and the last game was a terrible mess. If I were in that situation now, I think I would have controlled my mindset and probably played better, but Shine just sort of got past it really quickly saying it was a good experience, so there wasn't much need for comforting words. For me back then it was terrible, but Shine's got such a great mindset for such things.
Q: If you were to rank WeMade's four Terrans: Midas, NaDa, Baby, and Mind, in what order would they be in? I guess it's a little ambiguous when I just blatantly say rank them, so perhaps a few categories would help? Skill ranking, popularity ranking, looks ranking?
A: As for the skill ranking, it would reveal the team's state and strategy, so it's confidential. Popularity-wise, NaDa's the highest and the rest, well... Looks-wise, well... NaDa's the best.
Q: I'm a fan who's happy to be seeing you doing so well these days. You moved from SKT to WeMade last year; was there any difficulty in adjusting because of the change in environment?
A: There were none. The first day I had some trouble sleeping because I was in a different bed, but after that, there were no problems at all.
Q: Who is the pro-gamer that you consider your rival? And which progamer are you most friendly with?
A: As for rivals, I don't think of one particular palyer as my rival above all else. As for closest friend... I used to be really close to Casy, but these days I haven't been in contact with him too often, so I keep close to my WeMade teammates and my former teammates from SKT. I would like it if Casy contacted me again.
Q: I'm reminded of the misfortunes you've had to face with Goodfriend, who stopped you from advancing to the Ro8 or Ro4 every time you met him in the OSL, or with Savior, who stopped you from advancing to the MSL Finals. You must have of course been disappointed with both, but if you were to pick one that you were more disappointed with, which one would it be?
A: I was disappointed with both. But if I were to pick one, I think I was more disappointed in losing to Goodfriend, who was younger. In the case of Savior, I could more easily comfort myself knowing that he was older and his superior experience with the game, but with Goodfriend, I couldn't, and I think I was a bit more disappointed.
Q: You both look like kids, you have the same last name, and you have a similar image; have you ever heard that you and your teammate Baby seemed like brothers?
A: I've heard it a couple times before.
Q: The MSL Ro8 is re-seeded according to KeSPA rank; what do you think about that? You have a high chance of facing either Flash or Jaedong [T/N: This interview was before the MSL Ro8 was determined.], if you make it to the Ro8, which player do you want to play against?
A: I'm pretty indifferent about the re-seeding thing. I'll be playing against Flash or Jaedong, and I want to face Jaedong.
Q: Who's your ideal type of girl?
A: My ideal type is just a good-natured girl.
Q: Jang Jae Ho (Moon), who's the same age as you, just recently got married; how do you feel about that? When do you want to get married?
A: I don't have too much thoughts about getting married, so I don't know.
Q: Fans have nicknames for certain players like 'Wemade's medic' for Kang Jung Woo (Major), 'WeMade's angel' for Park Jun Yong (Smile), and 'WeMade's model' for Roh Jin Wook (WC3 Player RohJinWook). If you were to pick, what do you want to be 'WeMade's' of?
A: Nothing of the sort.
Q: Your teammate Moon said on SportsQ that in WC3, you lost to him with a no-heroes handicap, and that in SC, you lost to him with a mouse-only handicap. Did you have a revenge match?
A: Nope, there was no revenge match. Moon is really good at SC; I don't think I would be able to beat him with a mouse-only handicap.
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1271948332_6.jpg)
Midas's 'One-shot-three-kill' photo. The victims: Yoon Duk Man (WC3 Player Soccer), Shine, and Kim Joon Ho (herO[jOin]).
Q: In your team's latest workshop the 'one-shot-three-kill' photo you took has been a fan favorite. How did you take the picture at such an precise time?
A: I didn't even know I had taken such a picture... I suppose when you take a lot of pictures such things happen.
Q: When was your happiest day as a progamer?
A: It's a secret.
Q: What do you think is the biggest factor in regaining old form? Is it a change in mindset, or an understanding of current trends? Or maybe just lots and lots of practice?
A: Mmm... There definitely is a biggest factor, but it's a secret because it might reveal my strategy.
Q: Who is your biggest influence in terms of game style? Xellos, Iris of the G.O. days? Boxer, iloveoov of the SKT days? Or are they the WeMade Terrans who are your teammates now?
A: Ah, starting with Xellos, up to the WeMade Terrans, I'd been influenced by them all. I can't really pick one.
Q: Midas, the who once said the wise words(?) 'if close, bunker rush, and if far, fast expand'! If you were to teach a noob like me an easy TvZ strategy, would it still be that phrase? Or if you have another one, please me us know.
A: There's the strategy I used against Action in the MSL recently. It's a 2 rax MnM rush, and with Zergs usually facing a 1 rax FE these days, they have trouble against this timing, and it usually works well.
Q: Who is the progamer you are most grateful for?
A: There's so many, I can't pick one.
Q: Your positive attitude and your smiling face is always good to see. Even with such a long progaming career, how do keep such a positive and bright attitude?
A: Mmm... Well, In life there's good times then there's bad times, so I try not to get stressed about the bad times. That lets me keep such a positive attitude.
Q: Do you still call Xellos 'Ssabu'? [T/N: 사부 (Sabu) means teacher or master. 싸부 (Ssabu) is just a cuter version of 사부 (sabu) it's only used when you're on close terms with your sabu. (credit to rotinegg on that second part)]
A: Yep. I called him that from the beginning, so I still call him that now.
Q: Do you like fruits? What's your favorite fruit?
A: Ah, fruits are the best. I think I like watermelons the best though.
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1271948332_7.jpg)
Midas, from The Engine to the High-Class Engine.
Q: You're the only old-school gamer left in the individual leagues nowadays; are you proud of that fact? Has any other old-school gamer told you he's jealous?
A: I'm not particularly prouder about it because of the reason you say. I'm not that old and my career's not that long either. I think other old gamers are doing not bad.
Q: Tell us your know-hows for other old gamers planning for their revivals too!
A: Mmm, believing that age isn't important and having the confidence to believe you can do it is I think the most important thing. You start off with an advantage in experience compared to the new-school gamers, so if you work hard, you can surely win too.
Q: How was your interview today? Parting words to your fans?
A: It feels like it ended too early. It was fun though. I hope for lots of cheers and encouragements. Thank you~~.
Source:
http://www.fomos.kr/board/board.php?mode=read&keyno=106075&db=issue
