Tossgirl on Fantasy

Tossgirl’s Medic Date – Jung Myung Hoon (Fantasy), “I won’t forget ToSsGirL-noona’s teachings”



Hello, this is STX SouL’s progamer Seo Ji Soo (ToSsGirL).

Last week we met Samsung Khan’s Song Byung Goo (Stork) and had an enjoyable interview to have. Even though he’s the oldest progamer currently active (nope it’s Reach but now retiring, then Canata I think) but still is maintaining his top position, while looking at Stork you can see how much effort he puts in. Of course he definitely deserves on being called one of the best players. (T/N: Singles him out as best, but I think this is what it meant)

This week’s Medic Date interviewee is someone that made us think of a lot during Stork’s interview. We didn’t mention him in Stork’s interview but, there is someone who made Stork more famous than others. It is the Silver King, Hong Jin Ho (YellOw)’s collected line’s ‘Kong Line’. Stork first became closest to YellOw’s silver record and entered the ‘Kong Line’ first. Afterwards Stork being the most fitting protégé, has received the fan’s love.

The reason why we did not approach Stork on the ‘Kong Line’ is because the next successor of the ‘Kong Line’ Jung Myung Hoon (Fantasy) came up. Who got as much spotlight as Stork about the ‘Kong Line’; Fantasy is today’s Medic Date interviewee.

Soon after there will be Proleague Finals with SK Telecom T1. When meeting Fantasy at the SK Telecom’s dorms, the players were absorbed in their practice. These players preparing for Starleague preliminaries and the finals, they sat still continuously beating on their mouse on keyboard. Amongst them, a player that looked very relaxed was Fantasy. Fantasy got silver in the last Starleague and had a seed; he had a more relaxed face than players preparing for their preliminaries.

Honestly Fantasy and I knew each other back in our amateur days. He is amongst the few progamers I could speak comfortably to. It’s a first meeting in this kind of place, and it’s been a while since meeting in the game studios so I was delighted to interview him.

Different from me who was glad, Fantasy was really timid. Even his face turned red. Fantasy said “I knew I would be shy but didn’t know it would be this bad” while failing to raise his head. He’s been a progamer for a long time, but confirmed that he is still an innocent 22 year old youth


◆Incredible amount of practice

TG – We’ve known each other a long time, why are you so shy (laugh).
FA – This feeling is a first for me too (laugh). Why is it so awkward? I don’t know why either (laugh). Meeting noona in this kind of place, weirdly my face is blushign (laugh).

TG – When you took off your glasses I couldn’t recognize you. Did you get lasik?

FA – I wanted to do it for a long time. It was bothersome wearing glasses. The fans said don’t do it, but I did it anyway (laugh). Some people say it’s better, and others saying better with glasses.

TG – When you take off your glasses, you really have big eyes. Your eyelashes are really long and your eyes are big. Your nose seems higher too. You have a really different feel now. The way I see it, you seem better without it.



FA – I hope the fans think that too (laugh). It’s before the finals, so even if it’s weird I hope they say it looks better (laugh).

TG – When you were an amateur we first met each other. Afterwards I think we practiced often. Since I spoke to you comfortably on battlenet, it doesn’t feel awkward using banmal with you.
(TN: banmal = half talk, less use of endings when speaking –yo –imnikka etc, used when you become friendly)

FA – It’s an honor that noona is using banmal for me (laugh). Back then I learned a lot from noona. Comparing my vT and vP matchups my vZ was hard, I think I’m doing well due to noona’s teachings.

TG – I don’t remember what I taught you. What was it?

FA – To me it’s still vivid (laugh). When playing against Zerg you told me to get scan the latest as possible. Instead of that, using SCVs to scout the opponent and if he is doing two-hatchery plays get a scan fast and check his tech tree, if the opponent is doing 3-hatchery play get your comsat station latest as possible to save resources. I’m still following those teachings.

TG – Ahh that’s what I told you (laugh). I remember now. But noticeably (Lee) Youngho[Flash] and you did improve really fast. Wondering how much practice you guys did, it was amazing how fast you guys were improving.

FA – It’s still the same now, but playing was really enjoyable. While enjoying playing the game, time passed by so fast. People were also surprised at my concentration. If I sit down once, I didn’t know how to stand up.

TG – I think you would’ve done well anything you tried. You’re saying you have good concentration. I’m so envious. I heard a lot about how much effort you put into your practice.

FA – It seems like there the gossip about my diligent practice had spread far. I think it’s was exaggerated a bit (laugh). In my practice partner days at SK Telecom there was break time between 5pm and 8pm. But even that time was precious so I just ate and continued to practice. It was fun learning things one by one, I just liked playing the game but the other hyungs seeing this told other teams, I think that’s how the gossip started.

I do practice my fair share, compared to my teammates this season I don’t think I’m on the level of practicing a lot. With the goal of winning this season, all the players are practicing their heart out. Of course, that affected me; I’m practicing a lot as well.

Although when I do my best, I put my all into it but when I don’t put it all, I really do not. In the past when games did not work out, I think I took about one hour break.



TG – Are you telling me resting for an hour is not practicing enough (laugh)? For other’s that is standard (laugh).

FA – Is that so? I never thought of that (laugh). If that’s the case I’ll agree with the views saying I practice hard (laugh).

TG – There were times for me too where I slept 4 hours each day. Of course now it’s increased nowadays (laugh). Not drinking alcohol all year too. I think that you would take care of yourself well.

FA – Since I have to practice the next day, not drinking alcohol etc I’m doing my best to take care of myself. If from personal reasons your record drops and you get into a situation where you cannot practice and it continues, I don’t think you can call yourself a professional. I go to great lengths to maintain that.

◆Fantasy’s mentor, Lim Yo Hwan / Choi Yeon Sung (BoxeR / iloveoov)

TG – The greatest Terrans Boxer-oppa and iloveoov, you had the chance to learn from them. You might call yourself lucky.

FA – As a progamer, in a mental standpoint I would call them my mentors. Firstly when I entered Boxer-hyung entered the service, so I learned a lot from iloveoov-coachnim. From one to ten I tried my best to absorb it all. Especially Choi-coachnim’s build making skills, he was excellent at it and to his credit vZ vP, vT I think he taught me the concepts of them perfectly.

For Boxer-hyung, he was the person who gave me the dream of becoming a progamer. Seeing Boxer-hyung play I raised my dream as a progamer, entered SK Telecom and played Terran. After his discharge I had a chance to be on the same team with him, it felt great. After seeing him practice, I felt like I had a lot to learn from him. He also gives me hope to continue progaming even when I enter my 30’s.

TG – You must have been surprised when your mentor iloveoov-coach entered the service.

FA – I wasn’t surprised. Choi-coachnim let me play freely long before his entering the army (laugh). I think he thought I had to adapt now. Because I know the standards now, it’s not bad preparing alone.

TG – Thinking about it, you did great this season alone. Maybe it’s your best proleague season for wins and percentage so far.

FA – It’s true (laugh). Really from the past there were talks ‘He is iloveoov-coach’s puppet’, ‘if there is no Choi-coach, Fantasy is just a body’ etc, there were lots of criticism back then. To defeat those kinds of judgments, after Choi-coachnim entered the service I made a resolution that I will do even better. Compared to the past, I practiced even harder. Still until I prove myself in individual leagues, I don’t think they’ll judge me completely out of Choi-coachnim’s shadow.

TG – But after Fantasy, you might have regrets to have no one continue SK Telecom’s Terran line.

FA – Truthfully it’s sad. My mentor Boxer, iloveoov, I’m happy to just have my name linked and mentioned with them. But afterwards there is no calling for anyone to continue SK Telecom’s Teran line alive. Whether it’s (Jung) Yeongjae [yeOngJae] or (Choi) Hosun [Ssak], I hope they adapt quickly to broadcasted games. They’re really good in practice.

◆A misconception of SK Telecom, number one.

TG – To prepare for this interview I looked at lots of forums but it seems there are many rumors about SK Telecom. There were lots of points that I wondered if they were true.



FA – Honestly I knew that too. Amongst them the most ridiculous rumor was related to individual league and Proleague. Last season Kim Taek Yong (Bisu)-Hyung had an interview where he did not get much individual league practice time, because of that there was a huge uproar. But since I entered the finals, fans were like ‘You don’t give practice time to Bisu but only to Fantasy’, really nonsensical statements. You can’t even force that (laugh).

TG – Of course (laugh). That doesn’t make sense. If you try to control individual league practice time, would the players stay still? So there were those kinds of misunderstandings.

FA – At first I chuckled and let it pass but later it slowly became a serious matter. The fans were fighting on the forums. After Bisu-hyung saw those kinds of posts ‘The person that wrote that is definitely my anti-fan’ he told me. We don’t pay attention to those kinds of rumors. Because they aren’t true.

TG – Weren’t you frustrated? With the reason you did well in individual league, that ridiculous rumor was born.

FA – I wasn’t depressed from it. If you put your attention to each kind of those posts, you can’t be a progamer (laugh). Noona must know as well. If you try responding to those absurd posts every day, you become more damaged. So I pay no attention to them at all.

TG – Thinking about it, it started from your improving individual league record (laugh). Is there a reason why your Starleague record so good?

FA – When I was young I didn’t have MBC Game channel at my house (laugh). Ongamenet’s best league was Starleague after all. At that time winning a Starleague that means you ascend the Star throne. It a place where every progamer dreams of. Maybe because of that, when I’m in the Starleague stage it feels I put more effort in and I can concentrate more too.

Of course I want to good in all leagues. I wanted to enter an MSL finals too (laugh). But strangely for me, it seems I have a deeper connection with Starleague.

TG – Soon the Starleague prelims are starting. You must feel refreshed again.

FA – After when I won Starleague, it opened up after several months so I was sad. But the one who beat me (Heo) Youngmoo-hyung [JangBi] must have felt the same way. I reached two Starleague finals in a row, but I bet not many people will remember that (laugh). Really I hope they open more often.

TG – Are you confident to reach the finals again?

FA – I’ll have to do my best. To reach the finals 3 times in a row as Terran, it would be nice to be remembered like that. Good luck in your prelims too Noona.



TG – Ok. I’ll do my best (laugh). In return, tell me a good vZ build (laugh).
[oh sh, you better watch out herO[jOin] :D]