I get that there's a lot of "this is a good idea for IdrA". But I think he should have at least gave the GSL one more go and give it his best shot. I can't help but feel like the reasons hes saying hes coming back are a mask for the frustrations he has been dealing with playing in the GSL and living in Korea.

I agree with his decision, but I disagree with his timing. Give it a month and told people in advance and then left rather than this abrupt decision. Or what seems like one, I'm sure hes been thinking about this for a while.

Well as long as Liquid stays there I'll be satisfied.

cLemenZa

England66 Posts

February 16 2011 12:24 GMT

#323

Check out Reddit's take on the news;

Lol!!

niteReloaded

Croatia5281 Posts

February 16 2011 12:26 GMT

#324

Who gives a shit about Korea if you have a legitimately good alternative. From what I've gathered over the years, it seems obvious that the culture is way different, weird things matter, people are shy and closed, the language is hard as fuck.
Meaning you're stuck with hanging out with the same old 3 white people all the time, because there's so little potential in developing friendships in such an environment.

So basically, the only thing Korea had is their 1000X stronger esports. Now that US and Europe are getting close (when it comes to prize money), and surpassing Korea (when it comes to number of different events) it seems like a no-brainer to return to your homeland, your friends, your life basically.

Good luck IdrA.

P.S. In 5 years from now, I expect Korean E-Sports to be compared to what Japan's MMA was in Pride days - the place to be at the time, but latter went into oblivion.

Mr.Brightside

Australia317 Posts

February 16 2011 12:34 GMT

#325

I think that he has been thinking about this for a while but I don't believe the reasons he stated for leaving. I think he feels it will be easier to dominate in the west and he's probably right, the GSL probably seems like too much effort for not enough reward, he constantly has to compete with really high level players, I'm not saying that there aren't high level players in NA or EU, there are, but there are just less of them. The disappointing part of this move is that he is one of the only foreigners that has lived there and knows what it takes to compete against the best players in the world which I think are mostly from Korea. He might win all the western events (highly unlikely) but I still wouldn't say he is the best until he dominates GSL. In any case, what he stated is I guess a noble cause or something. Yay esports!

The most probable reason for leaving: Clide/Zenio have used their Yakuza (I don't know what the Korean Mafia is called) and threatened to cut off his index fingers so he is leaving Korea.

tapk69

Portugal264 Posts

February 16 2011 12:42 GMT

#326

i dont understand why he doesnt participate in GSL March , but maybe the new maps not being on the ladder is another point,, I hate quiters but good luck , it will be nice to see Idra get crushed by the European Terran infestation..

rysecake

United States2632 Posts

February 16 2011 12:44 GMT

#327

I think there are some hidden motives being kept from us. Whatever those are though, they're not our business. If Idra feels the desire to come home, then so be it. I remember hearing Idra talking about how foreigners aren't being completely swept by the Koreans yet like they did in BW. While that may be true, I think this move marks the beginning of the end. I have yet to see any foreigners play to the level that players such as MVP, Nestea, etc. do. As more top foreigners leave Korea, I think the skill gap will continue to grow apart until one day, we have the separation we have in BW today; people like Flash just worlds ahead of any foreigner.

Flying_Cake

Canada117 Posts

February 16 2011 12:52 GMT

#328

Ok seriously, there has to be a good reason why he isn't playing the GSL. After all he has done to get there, hes gonna leave just before the big tournament?

vdek

United States267 Posts

February 16 2011 12:56 GMT

#329

On February 16 2011 17:33 Mulletarian wrote:
This is a brilliant move by IdrA. Clearly he's in on something we won't know in another 5 days 4 hours, or Feb 21, 2011 2:00 PM.

You call that orange gunk "natural cheese" btw?
Being european, I thought "natural cheese and beer that doesnt taste like tap water" was a pretty hilarious thing to come from an american. Your barbecue is good though!

Have you ever had Beer from a microbrew in the USA before? You Europeans can be so ignornat sometimes!

Baibars

Germany29 Posts

February 16 2011 13:04 GMT

#330

On February 16 2011 21:52 Flying_Cake wrote:
Ok seriously, there has to be a good reason why he isn't playing the GSL. After all he has done to get there, hes gonna leave just before the big tournament?

Yeah, becuase he is eventually gonna take part in an even bigger one. Perhaps there is something like that coming up on nasl.tv, something as a big-ass new league that maybe announced by geoff "iNcontroL" Robinson on 21st of february.

Wouldn't be suprised if Jinro was about to book a flight as we are talking here =)

Heraklitus

United States553 Posts

February 16 2011 13:05 GMT

#331

I think IdrA leaving Korea actually reduces the credibility of GSL as the premiere league, especially if more big things are coming up in the near future in North America. If the Koreans start coming over to compete in such things for the money, guess where the premiere league will be then?

xciLe

Norway213 Posts

February 16 2011 13:11 GMT

#332

Welcome back, IdrA! i think it is awesome that he comes home, he is truly the best nonkorean zerg out there, IMO. so its nice that he comes home to own it up in NA aswell

Mindflow

Korea (South)320 Posts

February 16 2011 13:15 GMT

#333

AMG BACK TO THE US

Klamity

United States994 Posts

February 16 2011 13:30 GMT

#334

Well, if the money is similar in America, then he might as well come back. There isn't the cultural gap and he has a much better chance of dominating the foreigner scene than he does with the Korean one.

BaltA

Norway849 Posts

February 16 2011 13:32 GMT

#335

I kinda saw it comming. He has seen in a interview that he does not play more than 2 hours a day. So I think it's great that he moves back and start with his life again... He may get more motivation, and now he knows how the Koreans practise, so he can just continue doing that from the US

He will RAPE everything there now... lol

rakshasa

Japan23 Posts

February 16 2011 13:37 GMT

#336

On February 16 2011 21:26 niteReloaded wrote:
Who gives a shit about Korea if you have a legitimately good alternative. From what I've gathered over the years, it seems obvious that the culture is way different, weird things matter, people are shy and closed, the language is hard as fuck.
Meaning you're stuck with hanging out with the same old 3 white people all the time, because there's so little potential in developing friendships in such an environment.

When you're a white guy in those cultures then you're allowed much more slack when it comes to the 'weird things', and after just a couple years you have enough language skill to communicate enough to get 'proper' friends.

Of course, IdrA seems to have exactly the kind of personality that would make it extremely difficult to get friends there. But don't go bashing the Koreans for that, they're quite a bit more open than the Japanese.

Romple

United States57 Posts

February 16 2011 13:41 GMT

#337

Good luck Idra. Dare I say it, he actually looked a bit happy!

zs3000

United States43 Posts

February 16 2011 13:47 GMT

#338

Bad move for EG. Getting so much exposure and their only presence in Korea being Idra. It has to be Idra just being tired of Korea, and wanting to move back. I'm positive EG couldn't have wanted this at this time.

Morc

United States6 Posts

February 16 2011 13:47 GMT

#339

This is very exciting... really looking forward to an E-Sports boom in the west :D

reptile

United States210 Posts

February 16 2011 13:50 GMT

#340

On February 16 2011 22:47 zs3000 wrote:
Bad move for EG. Getting so much exposure and their only presence in Korea being Idra. It has to be Idra just being tired of Korea, and wanting to move back. I'm positive EG couldn't have wanted this at this time.

If that was true, then he wouldn't be leaving. Clearly there's a something bigger going on here.