With all the glamour and attention being showed onto players like Flash who is undefeated right now, Neo.G_Soulkey who is quickly becoming a rising zerg star along with old fan favorites like Jaedong, Bisu, EffOrt, and Fantasy, we should really step back and appreciate some of the old guard who are going through rough patches and fallen from the spotlight but contributed so much for so long to BW.
Sea began his progaming career in 2004 and played his first televised game when he was only 15. His first time to be noticed in the public arena was during the K-SWISS ODT where he beat GGPlay, Reach, ChoJJa, YellOw and Nal_rA just to earn his 4th seed for the ShinHan2006-1 OSL. Defeating all 4 of KTF's best players in one go. His run was eventually halted in the Ro16 by YellOw. But then shortly after he pulled off a spectacular game against BoxeR in the SKY2006 Proleague R1 finals.
Yes, bio in TvT.
Sea's subsequent run in the ShinHan2006-2 OSL started with a 3-0 over JJu, Rock and Canata, before he was stopped short by GoRush. At this time, BoxeR said in an interview when asked the question "Over the next two years, which terran, protoss, and zerg players will be the best?" Boxer: "...and for Terran (and this is to encourage him to make more of an effort), Yum Bo-Sung (Sea). And Sea did exactly that, he proved himself to be the proleague monster that he continued to be even through 2011, going 9-3 and 5-2 against some of the starkest competition at the time, eventually making it to the ace-match of the SKY2007 proleague Finals where he was matched yet again against the man who knocked him out of his OSL run: GoRush
Leading MBCGame Hero to their first and sadly, only proleague Gold.
Sea's subsequent attempts at individual leagues was stopped short by notable rivals (many of which are now retired and who remain legends), in the Daum OSL he lost to Reach in the final match of the ODT in an epic game on Hitchhiker
Shut down again in the Ro8 of 2007 GOMTV MSL S2 by GoRush. He was given another chance due to OversKy leaving for Korean military service, after winning a decisive game against iloveoov, he lost to XellOs, once again stopping at the Ro8.
Sea then hit a slump in 2008 and since then failed to make any significant runs in the OSL or MSL, despite being a consistently key proleague player on MBCGame Hero (along with Light). His most recent run at an individual league was in the 2011 ABC Mart MSL where he was placed in the group of death along with Bisu, Jaedong, and Flash.
Sea has recently been in a huge slump, as we have all seen. The disbanding of MBCGame Hero lead Sea to transfer to Team 8 which has suffered from a lack of practice partners and coaching. Sea is 3-9 in the SK Planet 11-12 Proleague right now. Many fans have shown profound disappointment (including Sea himself), some even sarcastically suggested that he should retire.
Here's wishing Sea, one of the most consistently underrated and deserving players -along with the rest of Team 8 - the very best, for bringing us so many good games and memories in the past, as well as for the future of BW and korean esports.
Sea Hwaiting!
edit: seeing as how many people have responded with comments that Sea is overrated rather than underrated. I will try to qualify my statement of Sea being underrated:
It really depends on the time you started viewing rather you had high or low expectations of Sea, a fan of recent years (2009 / 2010) post Sea's 2008 slump probably has no idea that he's beating Nal_rA and many other individual league finalists at a very young age, and thus had huge expectations on his shoulders.
Sea's maintained a 55%+ win rate in every match up up to date, which isn't something you can say about many famous finalists like nal_ra, yellow, boxer, julyzerg, reach, forgg, and any many others that he has played with; and even now is a status that only the TBLS and few S class players like fantasy can match. Yet he rarely receives even a faction of recognition to any of the old players (every time Yellow or Reach plays there is instantly hype and anticipation even though we know they are from an older generation), nor the same recognition as present day stars like the TBLS, or other S class players like Fantasy.
Though I agree that to alot of older viewers (and some younger ones), Sea may seem overrated as he has never delivered a deep Individual league run. You are free to make your own assertions about rather he's overrated or underrated. But I think we will all miss him if he retires and we want there to be MORE competitive play and confidence from him.
On February 28 2012 13:26 Warpath wrote: I wouldn't call Sea underrated, nor do I think anyone who followed the scene closely.
But i really hope he doesn't retire. You really cant help but to root for him D:
I remember threads from as early as 2008 discussing why Sea doesn't perform well in individual leagues, and that thread from last year(?) where it was the consensus that he is the player most deserving of an individual league finals appearance. It would be a shame if he retires.
I love Sea, and everyone on tl should love him, I mean, he was on a tl attack ! And everything I read about him just tends to prove he's a really nice and smart kid. His current condition makes me sad, just like the fact he never got to a semifinal despite being so skilled Everyone should watch those game in th OP. That TvT against BoxeR is pure genius. Yum Bo Sung hwaiting ! I remember he wanted to visit France someday and live a good life, I can only wish him the best.
On February 28 2012 13:26 Warpath wrote: I wouldn't call Sea underrated, nor do I think anyone who followed the scene closely.
But i really hope he doesn't retire. You really cant help but to root for him D:
not to sound like a dick but sea is probably one of the most overrated terrans in the history of starcraft.
i mean i love him and all, but he's given himself so many chances to perform in individual leagues, and has failed in all occasions.
edit: i'm thinking it's just because ever since his debut (getting into osl through ocl beating nal_ra, being so young etc), he has had huge fucking expectations of him that he could not get out of.
Let's hope that sea can get his confidence back and at least get some PL wins... there's no doubt that he's a good terran, but to say that he is highly underrated is just.. I don't know, I disagree with that if anything, I think he's gotten more praise than he deserves
On February 28 2012 13:26 Warpath wrote: I wouldn't call Sea underrated, nor do I think anyone who followed the scene closely.
But i really hope he doesn't retire. You really cant help but to root for him D:
not to sound like a dick but sea is probably one of the most overrated terrans in the history of starcraft.
i mean i love him and all, but he's given himself so many chances to perform in individual leagues, and has failed in all occasions.
edit: i'm thinking it's just because ever since his debut (getting into osl through ocl beating nal_ra, being so young etc), he has had huge fucking expectations of him that he could not get out of.
It really depends on the time you started viewing rather you had high or low expectations of sea though, a fan that started from say 2009 or 2010 would probably not even know that Sea had these expectations placed on him. Saying he's the MOST OVERRATED IN HISTORY is probably a bit of a stretch? He's maintained a 55%+ win rate in every match up up to date, which isn't even something you can say about many famous finalists like nal_ra, yellow, boxer, julyzerg, reach, forgg, and any many others from his era.
On February 28 2012 13:26 Warpath wrote: I wouldn't call Sea underrated, nor do I think anyone who followed the scene closely.
But i really hope he doesn't retire. You really cant help but to root for him D:
not to sound like a dick but sea is probably one of the most overrated terrans in the history of starcraft.
i mean i love him and all, but he's given himself so many chances to perform in individual leagues, and has failed in all occasions.
edit: i'm thinking it's just because ever since his debut (getting into osl through ocl beating nal_ra, being so young etc), he has had huge fucking expectations of him that he could not get out of.
I know a lot of people disagree with that notion, but you shouldn't only judge someone's carrier by his individual league results. He maintained for a long time a 60% lifetime winrate, and has been an incredible PL player in his carrier. Sure he has a mental problem, and he's not a champion, and will never be. But for me, Midas, Iris and him are more important than Sync Kwanro, Luxury or Yarnc at least, and I could add a few people in that list. I think you edit nailed it. He's not overrated, nor underrated in my opinion, everybody knows he's a very good player that fell short in individual league, but winning a PL grand final ace match (which clearly shows that nerves is a bit of a short explanation) should be enough for us to care about him. Well, that's a bit convoluted, but I think you get my point.
After watching the game finished by a gg from Gorush . I felt that the team should be throwing up sea in the air because he is the one who sealed the deal for mbc win against skt1 . Poor sea always being the guy behind the lime light I guess, Regardless of him being over hype and such some players in all competitive field just doesn't have that final switch to push them over to become one of the greatest although I am hopeful that sea is able to at least return back to his previous dominating form in last year proleague .
Sea fighting always that's why I choose his name is my nick name in bw .
i hate Sea so much right now, he looks so depressed ,so hopeless.
In life, there is a time to learn, there is a time to grow, and then there is a time to finally mature. therefore Sea (who has been in this business 8 years), acting like a beaten scared child in every televised matchup in this difficult times , it angers me so much, he should really man up ffs, he should stop worrying about sponsors and show results and the sponsor will come. after 8 years of experience you should behave like a man not a like scared rookie, the current Sea make me wish Midas was in T8 instead of Sea.
All of the games posted here are from 2007 or earlier. Are there any epic games Sea was involved in, win or loss, in the past few years? I can't claim to have watched his games all that closely, but it seems to me like Sea's games, just like his record, are always solidly good but never great.
Thanks, Sea is definately a tragic hero, his winrates doesnt say he is higher tier progamer anymore, but when he is in top form (or was) he is beast, Sea vs Jaedong on Andromeda was one of the most praised Terran play at that time(2008), Idra said back then it was probably one of the best played TvZ. Yes now its irrelevant because Flash, Fantasy, Light stepped up TvZ.
So its sad to Sea fail in PL now, it cant be more ironic to lose a match after getting MVP award from netizens. Sadly ironic. Sometimes you even lose faith because Sea still cant perform, you think to yourself that this time he will finally get it, and he still doesn't. But dont forget there were such a cases, JangBi was in massive slump, people told him to retire, yet 1 year later he achieved the impossible and won an OSL, in a top, top fashion. Im not saying Sea will do this, but i hope he will at least recuperate his progamer dignity.
sea! <3 really hope he starts tearing it up soon, both in proleague and in the osl.
on another note i think what gtr said is pretty accurate. he always has great expectation from others but i think he struggles alot with his play, although noone wants to belive it.
I do feel bad for him now, every time he comes out and plays I struggle to imagine the game being a win. And he just looks so defeated after a loss. I wouldn't entirely blame him for retiring, but truly hope he doesn't.
i still think sea is overrated. maybe in his prime he had good fundamentals (evident by the fact that his winrate is still solid in spite of sucking so hard) but he has shown himself time and time again to be just so weak mentally. i think it's pretty evident in the fact that he looks so defeated when he loses, especially recently. look at the end of this game:
is that the losing face of a winner or the face of a weak minded player losing to pointless early game aggression?
Sea, you are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I miss your BW as you were one of the best! Thank you for the memories. I loved your terran play every game. I hope to meet you one day regardless if you are playing. Good luck in life. BW misses you too.
edit: Honestly, I feel like I want to tear up. Kespa BW being gone hits me harder and harder every day.
Those games, the one against Jaedong and then against GoRush are very impressive and amazing. It's too bad he retired because SCII wasn't his cup of tea :/
On December 18 2012 20:31 KvltMan wrote: I've got to ask. What game was it that he played vs JD and JD's lurkers got caught behind the scenery of the map?
That was vs Baby on Great Barrier Reef. ro16 (maybe 32.. cant remember) of Korean Air OSL.
Too bad he returned when one of the most promising tourneys we know failed Grats to him for streaming, though I do hope he find another viable means of income soon.
EPT
Flash who is undefeated right now, 
Neo.G_Soulkey who is quickly becoming a rising zerg star along with old fan favorites like 
Bisu, 
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Chill/SeaVsMondragon.gif)
