"I heard Woongjin and SK are the hardest teams. Hwaseung was hard a long time ago, but not recently. It feels like Woongjin is always playing.” –Hiya (taken from the Hiya streaming thread)
Having finally returned to the playoffs last year, Stars are looking to build on that mild success and bring in our first gold since our win in the inception of Proleague. Though we didn’t acquire veterans in the off-season, we managed to snap up a promising rookie to rebuild our Protoss line. The formula is quite different from last year, where we acquired Really and Light, who were sent in pretty much every match. Consequently, we left our rookies little experience for playoffs. Now, we have had an extended off-season to evaluate and train our players.
I will not boast that we have the strongest lineup on paper, but Stars are the dark horse of the league. Not many people are giving us a chance, and they'll regret taking us too lightly. We are now in a different season, and I’m here to shed light on how we’ve matured to a better team and are coming in vying for the championship.
Our Big Three
This is the anchor of our team, and last season has shown just how formidable these players can be. Yet, they are still growing and improving. ZerO has finally reached an individual league final last season and rose quite a bit above the .500 ZvZ plane. He has recently reached his new Elo and KeSPA ranking peaks. His ace record in Proleague has improved substantially, and he’s getting more and more accustomed to the high pressure environment. Though he has good mechanics and late-game management, a considerable number of his losses comes from timed attacks and unorthodox plays. However, his game sense has improved, and each loss can only make him stronger. Gone are the days where he lose to Leta from dropping into his main and in are the days where he blocks BaBy’s harassment with impeccable awareness. Indeed, Zero can become a monster if he continues to improve.
Likewise, Soulkey’s stock continues to rise at an astounding pace. He continues to break barriers in the individual league and almost had a perfect round in Proleague. He punishes mech Terran with great management plays, and he overruns Protoss with monstrous macro of waves after waves of units. But, even more than Zero, he is greatly susceptible to timing attacks. His play style is more severely limiting than Zero’s, often opting to turtle at 4 bases and break out in hive tech, using the strength of his management to beat his opponent. Yet, he has begun improving on other facilities of his games, and with sound fundamentals, he can become better with time. The extended break has provided just this. With other teams either just forming or vacationing, the extra practice that Soulkey puts in will be rewarded greatly.
Light is a veteran of the scene with spectacular TvZ and not so spectacular TvP. It’s difficult to gauge where he is at his career, but his TvP hasn’t been terrible in Proleague since joining Woongjin, boasting a 5-3 record, two losses coming from Winner’s League format. While it’s a reaching claim to say that his TvP has improved, he has been quite good overall, reaching 7th place in Elo rank and closing in on his Elo peak. More importantly, it solves the problem of Woongjin having no zerg sniper, and complements the team quite well. No longer is he invisible, both in the literal and figurative sense. He stands taller than other Woongjin players by a head, and whips them to donate blood to his not so secret and beautiful admirer. In a K-drama setting, he has now received the main character plot device, and will decimate anyone once he shows an ounce of anger... if his expression changes in game.
Our Rookies
Big thanks to Hyde, who found these images for me
Now this is where our skill falls off last season. However, they will come back stronger this year. These players do not lack talent and have decent fundamentals; they lack experience more than anything. Woon was only an amateur a year ago, and played Effort in WCG Korea ’10. Happy Zerg certainly has come a long way since then, and will contribute to the team even more as time goes by.
sin got a lot of flak for his 0-5 performance in the playoffs. Indeed, this abysmal performance is unacceptable. However, he’s only had 7 games in the proleague prior to that. In a sense, he is the antithesis of Perfective, and responded poorly to the new environment. Though he has good mechanics, he isn’t making the proper adjustments during games, and is somewhat reminiscent of Really in his early days. If that’s so, he is due to breakout sooner or later. When the day comes, Stars would have a solid Terran to field.
sHy is the new acquisition for Woongjin Stars, and a very good one at that. Last season, I had hoped Woongjin would acquire Grape and Classic, and had a mixed feeling about Really and Flying. This time, however, I’m fairly optimistic about Shy, as he’s shown to be quite a talented player. With the Protoss line reeling, Shy will get plenty of opportunity to prove himself. Where Sin had to play behind Really and Light, Shy can very well be the top Protoss for WJN by the end of the first round.
TheEnigma
It is only appropriate to call free the enigma. Even during the time that he was the top toss in the league along with Kal, I wonder to myself how he’s winning without the aura of dominance. Stork and Bisu seem to mirror my thoughts when they felt disconcerted that Free was the top toss during that time. Right now, he is sloppy and his han bangs are not very well timed. The fall itself was just as enigmatic as the player itself, and it made no sense that he became so terrible in such a short time. Recently, he has received surgery on his hand that may have attributed to his slump. If that’s the case, then Free will return to form, making him a very dangerous 4th player on the Stars lineup. Regardless, Pretty[BM] is too much of a Stars staple to fade away into obscurity, and he’ll be back with recalled scouts and mind controlled SCV’s.
The few, the proud, the Stars fans. Seems like our voices are being drowned out by the hype machines out there. Make some noise-- we'll come back with a vengeance.
Wooooooo...jin stars, lets go give everyone a run for their money and get some good games in, no pressure cos no one expects you to really win the finals, maybe that'll be enough for sin to play without pressure.
I had a Woongjin Rice drink yesterday, and a big Woongjin fan. Good thing this thread was made! Though our lineup may not lineup with stars, or as deep, with careful game planning, I expect Woongjin to bring some victories against the established favorites.
On November 14 2011 16:34 Phelix wrote: I had a Woongjin Rice drink yesterday, and a big Woongjin fan. Good thing this thread was made! Though our lineup may not lineup with stars, or as deep, with careful game planning, I expect Woongjin to bring some victories against the established favorites.
Oops sHy FIGHTING !!!!!!!!!!! ^_^v and poor Hon_Sin that game versus hoejja where he tried to punish hoejja for doing a 12 hatch well it nearly worked but hoejja the incarnation of TENSAI sakuragi is not going to lose to some dirty tricks like that .
Stars hwaiting, went fairly deep in the playoffs last year, gotta seal the deal this time! With a Bo5 format(?) looking like a way for the new Woongjin Chimera to flourish.
Aww poor Free I really liked him and hope he returns to form. Especially Free vs Hiya game, that was epic game where Free won even though Hiya had some pimptastic ghost play haha
Guemchi is resident bonjwa-in-waiting. I await his return with much anticipation.
But in all seriousness... I love Zero (when he doesn't have to play ZvZ). Woongjin seems to be the underdogs this time around (apart from poor STX), but I'm expecting great things from them. I just hope to see another Zero VS Flash epic series, because those games literally blew my mind.
If ZerO and Soulkey can become very consistent, Stars definitely have the best Zerg line up. But free keeps sucking, sHy's addition won't help, and as much as I'd like to see G-Chizzle kick butts, I'm not very optimistic about it. I guess it will all depends on Light. His TvP seemed to have improved at the end of the previous season.
On November 14 2011 19:48 endy wrote: If ZerO and Soulkey can become very consistent, Stars definitely have the best Zerg line up. But free keeps sucking, sHy's addition won't help, and as much as I'd like to see G-Chizzle kick butts, I'm not very optimistic about it. I guess it will all depends on Light. His TvP seemed to have improved at the end of the previous season.
Going from a regular team to the most hardcore training team? Yeah I think Shy can become a beast, like the Samsung rookies did.
He stands taller than other Woongjin players by a head, and whips them to donate blood to his not so secret and beautiful admirer. In a K-drama setting, he has now received the main character plot device, and will decimate anyone once he shows an ounce of anger... if his expression changes in game.
Haha I liked that part. Nicely written bearbuddy.
It's been a very long time since I last saw Realpenguin post, think it was in the playoffs
On November 14 2011 23:15 Sawamura wrote: who is this realpenguin guy ??? sounds like he is a bonjwa writer for woongjin team ^^.
He's like the GGplay to our Zero. The guy's a legend. It's been said that on a very quiet night, you can hear his voice whispering Wooooooon.
Yeah, I only have the Kaboom! Zero one as well, since I requested it from him for a write up I did a while ago. Should have asked him for the whole set, hahah.
I want to see Zero crush Bisu, Stork, and Jangbi I want Soulkey to destroy Fantasy and Flash And I want Light to rape everyone and their mothers If Guemchi could pull some awesomeness I would... well, I'm not sure what I'll do. Probably clap, smile, laugh, and drink a beer EDIT: and please for the love of God, Free, please don't make me cry so much this time around
man if only zero could always keep being awesome, soulkey was more consistent, light had a flash of genius, and free became a dragon again......woongjin could go deep, they got talent
Shy fighting! I've always liked Woojin Zerg's too. Soulkey and Zero some how seem like the coolest Zerg's around. I don't support the team but frequently end up watching Soulkey and Zero games and now I'll be tuning in to see how Shy gets on as well. Anytime's protoss recruitment camp came to to a sudden and sad end but hopefully that training will serve Woonjin well.
I really think Light is gonna be a top Terran this year. Yes, even more than usual. His TvP may actually be worth a damn now.
I'm making a prediction. At some point, Light will surpass Flash in something this year. I just feel it. The obvious choice is vZ ELO, but it wouldn't surprise me if he passes him in something else too like a ranking or OSL placement.
I feel the power of Light coming - even if I can't see it.
hahaha i really liked the Bonjwa thing at the end~ dang woongjin is really good on paper too... scary... here's to an awesome, competitive season of Proleague!!!
On November 15 2011 06:31 ClaytonBigsby wrote: I used to be a huge BW fan. Anyone know if there are more leagues opening up? Especially with a number of teams switching to sc2.
no teams are actually switching to SC2 as far as I know. kespa said they might have some SC2 in PL and so some teams practiced for it just in case, but it's looking like it will be just BW in PL this season.
On November 14 2011 23:15 Sawamura wrote: who is this realpenguin guy ??? sounds like he is a bonjwa writer for woongjin team ^^.
So back in 2008, there were about 3 Woongjin fans on TL.* It was okay for them though; they had realpenguin, who posted half the LR threads, hyped the hell out of the players, made silly image macros, and was just funny and awesome.
*They actually had less fans than eSTRO. I have no idea how that happened.
On November 15 2011 09:20 Crisium wrote: I really think Light is gonna be a top Terran this year. Yes, even more than usual. His TvP may actually be worth a damn now.
I'm making a prediction. At some point, Light will surpass Flash in something this year. I just feel it. The obvious choice is vZ ELO, but it wouldn't surprise me if he passes him in something else too like a ranking or OSL placement.
I feel the power of Light coming - even if I can't see it.
Blasphemy !!!! Mind will be the no.1 terran these year ^^.
On November 14 2011 23:15 Sawamura wrote: who is this realpenguin guy ??? sounds like he is a bonjwa writer for woongjin team ^^.
So back in 2008, there were about 3 Woongjin fans on TL.* It was okay for them though; they had realpenguin, who posted half the LR threads, hyped the hell out of the players, made silly image macros, and was just funny and awesome.
*They actually had less fans than eSTRO. I have no idea how that happened.
Woongjin is looking solid, they may not win the PL, but they will be a tough opponent to beat for any team everytime. The big 3 is no joke.
Except like we saw in the playoffs that that is all they have T.T(lol hon_sin) With Shy reinforcing and more time to get adjusted with the team I think Woongjin will be doing just fine.
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/094Ft.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7MVN0.jpg)
Really and ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/CdSsg.jpg)
ZerO has finally reached an individual league final last season and rose quite a bit above the .500 ZvZ plane. He has recently reached his new Elo and KeSPA ranking peaks. His ace record in Proleague has improved substantially, and he’s getting more and more accustomed to the high pressure environment. Though he has good mechanics and late-game management, a considerable number of his losses comes from timed attacks and unorthodox plays. However, his game sense has improved, and each loss can only make him stronger. Gone are the days where he lose to ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/bGCsd.jpg)
sHy is the new acquisition for Woongjin Stars, and a very good one at that. Last season, I had hoped Woongjin would acquire Grape and Classic, and had a mixed feeling about Really and Flying. This time, however, I’m fairly optimistic about Shy, as he’s shown to be quite a talented player. With the Protoss line reeling, Shy will get plenty of opportunity to prove himself. Where Sin had to play behind Really and Light, Shy can very well be the top Protoss for WJN by the end of the first round.![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/TwrxW.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/yCe2X.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/50GRN.jpg)
