EPT![[image loading]](http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/tenis_hotshot/Christopher.jpg)
[My Daily = 'At 20 years old, this kid from Poland is living in the highest dream of being a progamer in Korea']
Recently in our country, foreign progamers have sparsely shown their presence. After the age of Guillaume Patry (X'Ds-Grrrr...) and Bertrand (ElkY), praised as the Golden Age [for foreign gamers], foreign gamers are finally making a reappearance after a long hiatus from the scene.
In the last 2 months, SKTelecom T1 has invited gamers from China, and is a good example as they have received a lot of interest. However, the nations e-Sports fans remember blue-eyed progamers. Guillaume Patry’s nickname was: ‘The Blue-Eyed Warrior.’
Recently, blue-eyed progamers have appeared on the Korean e-Sports radar. This year, it is a 20-years old (Korean age, 1987 birth year), native Poland: Christoph Nalepka. Already, making his way through national Starcraft, a well-known gamer with the battlenet ID of Nal_Draco is showing the potential for success.
In the last WCG2006 Grand Final, Draco has beaten Korea’s Midas(SKT1), Germany’s savior Christoph Semke, and fellow gamers to reach the 8th round. In the 8th round, he ran into Choi YeonSung (iloveOOv of SKT1), losing 2-1. However, Draco made waves by taking the first game. To beat a regular progamer from Korea is a statement that he has the potential to succeed.
▲ Being in Korea for 5 months: The kid who wants to see his family for Christmas.
After being in Korea for 5 months, Christopher is still unaccustomed to the Korean language. In Christopher’s eyes, Koreans cannot be anything but foreigners. His OnGameNet team members are no different from the rest. However, Draco can be seen with his team, as a result of their game connection (community), chatting and joking together.
"Since I came to Korea, it has been about 5 months. When I first came to Korea, I was shocked to find that games were being played on a professional level. When I was in Poland, I had already viewed games played in Korea. I have also seen the foreign players who have been making their move in Korea. Before I joined the OnGameNet team, I spent two weeks with two foreign gamers who had introduced Guillaume Patry."
Though his love for the game has brought him to Korea, this 20-year old young man is earnest in his love for his family. As do Korean parents, Polish parents also don’t see games in a favorable light. Christopher’s parents were the same. Though he was initially opposing his parents, Christopher confidence and strong goal set in mind has made his parents his steadfast patrons. However, his heart and thoughts has been in one corner: with his family and friends in Poland.
"Before I came to Korea, my parents have strongly protested against me. My parents wanted to send me to a university free of games, naturally. Even for the past two years, my parents have been against me; I have constantly been persuading them. Eventually, my parents believed in my sincerity. When I first came to Korea, they even went as far as to get me plane tickets and information to Korea. Because of practice, though I don’t have the freedom to meet them, I often daydream of spending time with my family and friends in Poland. Christmas is coming up soon, and I think more and more about it."
▲ WCG 2006 has given Christopher an opportunity
What made Christopher recognized by e-Sports of Korea was WCG2006. As said before, Christopher even beat Jung SangWook (Midas) to advance, thus receiving a lot of attention. A journalist at WCG2006 asked him what his ultimate goal was. His reply: "Gold Medal."
"My goal was to win at WCG2006. Though my initial goals (winning) were satisfied, when I ran into Choi YeonSung (instead of saying Choi’s name, Draco said 'iloveOOv', something characteristic of foreigners), my run ended and I was unsatisfied. Even now, I regret losing to Choi (iloveOOv). If I had only won one more set, I could have made it into the 4th round. I am disappointed that I could not show everything that I could do. In the next WCG2007, though it will be a battle, I will put my full attention on a league that opens in Korea. Because, WCG is still far away in terms of time."
▲ Christopher’s family with whom he cannot communicate with: OnGameNet Sparkyz teammates.
Could there be anything as frustrating as when there is a break in communication between people? When people cannot understand what I say: this frustration is probably well known by people who have traveled to foreign countries outside of Korea. There, it is a complete, 180-degree change, even in food-culture; there are many, many hardships to deal with when you’re in another country. However, these problems don’t seem to take toll on Christopher, at all. The only frustration for Christopher is the language barrier.
"On a side-note, I see it as an obvious consequence. Nevertheless, when talking about practice (and Starcraft), there is not a large problem. 
Though, when the other gamers can laugh when chatting together without me (due to not understanding them), I see the vast difference between us. If you only exclude the language, everything else is just fine. This is the first time I have ever lived in a different country. I have especially never been to an Asian country before. I have eaten Korean food a lot back in Poland, yet once I came here, the Korean food is a lot different. However, the Korean food matches well to my tastes and I like the Korean lifestyle. The people have warmly accepted me here. Now, my teammates at OnGameNet are as close/comfortable to me as family."
Though, when the other gamers can laugh when chatting together without me (due to not understanding them), I see the vast difference between us. If you only exclude the language, everything else is just fine. This is the first time I have ever lived in a different country. I have especially never been to an Asian country before. I have eaten Korean food a lot back in Poland, yet once I came here, the Korean food is a lot different. However, the Korean food matches well to my tastes and I like the Korean lifestyle. The people have warmly accepted me here. Now, my teammates at OnGameNet are as close/comfortable to me as family."Could this be a bit of an annoying question? Christopher hesitated for the longest time when we asked him who he thought was the scariest of his teammates. Saying that he didn’t have any teammates who were really detached from him, he said that there was somebody who liked to talk 1-on-1 with each person and address problems/concerns. That person is… the coach, Jju JinChul.
"Though there aren’t any cold teammates, the person who likes to talk 1-on-1 is the playing coach, Jju JinChul (StarCrafT_Side of OGN SparkyZ). Rather than being strict, he instructs me on what exactly I have to do. That attitude helps me a lot. Though the communication barrier is still large."
▲ I want to show my fellow progamers that I am capable of being equal to them.
Christopher: the man who not only has to prove himself to OnGameNet coaching staff, but to the entirety of e-Sports and be successful. Draco is full of confidence and young ambition. When I asked him what his goal was, I noticed his confidence in performing on an equal level with the other progamers. Even though we forget about Christopher, we think that the memory of Guillaume Patry's capability and skill, along with Bertrand’s charisma will appear in this young man.
"If I do get to fight in Proleague, I want to show everybody that I can compete on the same level as the other progamers; I even want to qualify for StarLeagues. And, in Korea, I will continue to spread and build up my influence. If you are willing to cheer/support me, then I will work hard to show you what I’m made of."
Link to original article
[Note] I realize that I may word things a little differently than what it actually says in Korean... so hold back on complaints, since I did it for ease of reading in English. It was 5 pages on MS Word, of course there are mistakes.
