EPT
Meet Kal, the pillar of STX!
2010 was pretty good but 2011 can be more impressive!
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_1.jpg)
“I really want to win one [individual league] in 2011.”
Disregarding his great height, Kal’s innocent countenance and twinkling eyes creates an image of a young boy. Hearing his voice brings out the ambition of a new player who is just starting his career but after five years since Kal’s debut, he is now a veteran progamer. Kal has been STX’s pillar and ace player and has achieved pretty much everything else except winning an individual league. Think about it. TaekBaengLeeSsang has overshadowed every other A-class player yet the “2010 e-sports Protoss Player Award” goes to Kal. Not Bisu, not Stork.
“I think 2010 was a year where I improved a lot. Of course there were good opportunities that I couldn’t keep so I couldn’t go the finals so I really want to win this year. Won’t my springtime come too?"
“The spring is coming.” Kal said these exact words in his last interview after he ended his losing streak and said “It’d be nice if spring came”. Hearing these memorable words again made me want to hear Kal’s story again.
With the Lunar New Year holiday break facing him, I met Kal near his team house on the 1st. With the -10 degree C weather gone, Kal did his interview in a light jacket, with his usual uniform gone.
Ending his OSL run in the Round of 8; something he didn’t even think of.
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_2.jpg)
By losing to his teammate Modesty, Kal was unable to reach the semifinals in the 2010 Bacchus Starleague. Losing in the individual league is unfortunate enough but because both Flash and Jaedong also failed to make it, losing was probably even more disappointing for Kal.
“At that time I was doing decent in Proleague, made it to the Round of 16 in the MSL, and I was riding a good spirit but I think my nervousness got the better of me. Even if it was a teammate, it was the Round of 8, I had won the first set, and I guess I let my guard down. I shouldn’t say this but before I played Modesty I did not even dream that I would lose to him.”
Due to that loss, Kal’s run for victory escaped his grasp again. Kal was also struggling in Proleague with a six game losing streak and worried his fans a lot. In the last Starleague, Fantasy convincingly defeated Stork and won his first OSL. Fantasy and Kal have a lot in common. Both have the ability. Both have the ambition to win and both work the hardest in their respective teams. And I thought that this similarity could affect Kal only even more.
“I also thought Stork hyung was going to win but Fantasy had prepared very well. I was envious after seeing him win but I also thought that I could do it too. But I don’t want to be too impatient about it. I kind of have an impatient personality but instead of thinking too hard about winning this season, I think it’s going to be better for me if I take it easy.”
The TaekBaengLeeSsang Roadblock.
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_3.jpg)
“TBLS makes it feel difficult to win an OSL or MSL. Do you feel that the existence of TBLS make it difficult for you to achieve your own goals?”
“It’s true that TBLS makes it hard to win but I think if I can beat those players and win, my sense of accomplishment will be much greater. They definitely are good, but that doesn’t mean they will be amazing all the time. This past season their play level did fall a little bit. And they didn’t get pushed out of the tournament brackets because they retired; they fell from the brackets because someone beat them. I really don’t know though. You really don’t know until you play them in a match.”
You could insist that if there wasn’t TBLS, Kal could have won at least one OSL or MSL. Kal has often been set back by TBLS. In his first ascent to the finals in the GomTV MSL (Season 4), Kal finished 2nd place after losing to Jaedong, and even after this MSL, Jaedong continued to deny him his tournament runs.
“When I think of my finals match against Jaedong hyung, I really feel down about it. I won the first game and the rest of the games were not bad but I think my nervousness and my lack of experience on such a big stage affected my play. Of course Jaedong hyung is very good but at the same time I couldn’t keep myself composed.”
Kal has often done poorly playing especially the “LeeSsang”. He lost to Flash in the WCG 2010 finals and won a silver medal. Should we say that Kal played really well but that Flash played really really well? Kal is an excellent player; yet it seems like he must feel that there is a wall in front of him. How does Kal actually feel about this?
“At first, I played them without much thought but after continually losing, I started getting those feelings. I recognize their skill level but I’m working to play better than them. But they are players that I am going to continue to compete with so I don’t have any feelings to avoid them or resent playing them.”
His best moments of 2010? The results are definitely outstanding!
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_4.jpg)
It seemed that the interview atmosphere was becoming darker because of the TBLS talk so I moved on to asking about Kal’s best moments of 2010.
“What were your most favorite moments of 2010?”
“When I think about it now, I would have to say when I produced good results. I was happy to get a silver medal in the WCG. It wasn’t a gold but it was the first time I was picked as a national representative and I also got to travel to the United States. Also, I didn’t expect it but at the e-sports award ceremony I was picked as this year’s Protoss Player, which was nice too. There wasn’t any prize money and only a prize but I felt that I was being recognized as a good player.”
“The best moments are when I achieve a good record, so I was happy to reach the semifinals continually. But the best moments can turn into the worse if you lose. A progamer’s record is the most important.”
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_5.jpg)
“Did you have any fun moments? Moments that you’ll always keep in your mind.”
“There’s a lot of those kind of moments. I went to the U.S to play in the WCG but it was also a chance to take a break and be able to travel a bit. I also liked it when our team played exhibition games at the Shanghai Expo. Traveling around the world made me want to learn more English and I also got a sense of having a broader experience and knowledge? That’s why those were good moments. Aside from these big events, a progamer’s life is pretty boring so meeting friends and having fun with them during rest days are memories that remain in my mind.”
“Your hometown is Daegu but do you have any friends up here in Seoul?” (T/N: The interviewer mentions Daegu because it is far away from Seoul (about 3 hours drive), and is wondering if he has made new friends in Seoul.)
“Retired progamers and current progamers? I was Tyson’s (MBC Game) middle school classmate so I’m good friends with him but I’m also friendly with Shark hyung to because I met him through Tyson. Tyson has recently begun to act more full of himself, probably because he’s done an all-kill this season (laughs). We generally just occasionally meet and chat over coffee, it’s a friendly relationship.”
Kal is good because of effort? Or because of natural talent?
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_6.jpg)
I didn’t know that Kal was friends with Tyson since middle school. Kal seemed to have a better start than his friend in terms of personal record and number of televised appearances. He was much more active. Suddenly, I wondered whether Kal is a good player because he works hard or if he has natural ability.
“Where do you feel like your talent comes from? Hard work or natural talent?”
“I don’t know how other people would see it but I feel like it’s exactly half and half. I think I have both aptitude for Brood War and I also work pretty hard too. Being too dependent on only one side can be a disadvantage I think though. But then there are people like Flash who just really have a talent for this game.”
“I’ve heard others say that ‘Kal is the hardest worker in STX’ before. Are you still the hardest worker now? Do you still think you can claim to be the hardest worker in the team?”
“I don’t know. Everyone works hard these days. Sometimes I actually practice less and go to sleep early when I feel like my game play isn’t going well. I don’t think there is any team where there isn’t a hard worker. But I think finding out who is really working hard can be done only by seeing the results.”
Seeing Kal laugh and answer so affably, I wondered if he was satisfied with his current lifestyle. I wondered if he had any axes to grind because TBLS is doing relatively better than Kal. But Kal just said “that could be true” and put on a reflective expression. But then he said “I am someone with enough ambition,” responding with twinkling eyes.
“I am satisfied with my life as a progamer. But I don’t want to become so greedy for gold to make my teammates feel uncomfortable. Calm and I both have high ambitions. Sometimes my teammates call me the “Devil”. I hope it’s just for fun? (laughs).” It seemed to me [the interviewer] that he made an experienced answer, perhaps because he is now a veteran.
Hope for the spring in 2011!
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_7.jpg)
“So how do you want to pass 2011? You probably want to achieve a lot and do a lot of things.”
“There are several but my career record is the most important. I always seem myself winning in both the Proleague and individual tournaments. I also want to live my life with more fun. I also have thoughts that it’d be nice if I could make a close friend who is there for me when I’m having difficulty with my play.”
“And do you wish that friend was a girl?”
“No, just a friend! Well, now that I think about it, it would of course be nice if that friend was a girlfriend (laughs). I have feelings that I just want to live my life happily so I’ve started to think about that more often. That’s why I’m pretty envious of Stork hyung. He’s been with his girlfriend for a long time and still can produce good results. I think he is very outstanding to be able to manage himself like that.” (T/N: I am aware that Stork apparently broke up with his girlfriend? This interview most likely took place before that news got out.)
“Are you managing yourself well?”
“I want to exercise regularly in 2011. I actually do a little now but I often use my matches as an excuse to not exercise. If other teammates exercise more frequently I think I’d do it more often but Calm or Hyvaa are both similar like me…(laughs).”
There are people who have a major problem yet do not know that they have a problem. But Kal probably has ideas on his shortcomings and things that he needs to overcome. It wasn’t a long interview but Kal had a few words to say about himself for 2011 and to his fans at the end of the interview.
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/issue/1296625428_8.jpg)
“I’ll work hard to make 2011 better than 2010. I feel like I’ve improved a little but as a progamer I want to win a tournament at least once. I also want to push myself against TBLS and be able to compete with them better, especially with the “TB” part of TBLS (Bisu and Stork). By playing better in 2011, I hope that this year I can be this year’s Protoss player again, and I also want to play well in the WCG and be able to represent South Korea again. It seems like there’s a lot to do this year. Also, because I haven’t been able to show a positive face to my fans I want to apologize. But I am always thankful that you guys are always cheering for me. Let’s make 2011 a more blessed and happy year. Happy new year!”
interview credit goes to the interviewer with the email: kangzuck@fomos.co.kr
(T/N: It appears to me that Kal is very well-mannered and a very hard worker. I hope he can win an MSL or OSL this year and I wish him the best.
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oh well it was a nice interview, thanks. Lets hope he shapes up and gets something done. He surely has skill and are able to compete with the best
