[Interview] Day 2 WCS Korea Qualifiers

Source: This Is Game

You haven't made any results in a long time. How do you feel today?

After winning the WCG qualifiers, this was my first notable result in a long time. Also, ever since starting my SC2 career, this is my first ever official interview. In the past, I would always get eliminated in the finals during qualifiers.

Were you confident that you would make it through today?

When I saw the players in my group, I decided that the only challenging player would be MarineKing. So in order to defeat MarineKing I prepared extensively for him. For the other players, I was just planning on going with the flow.

How were the games against MarineKing? You even lost a game against him.

During one of the critical battles, I had forgotten upgrade carapace for my ultralisks. I lost that important battle so I ended up losing.

You faced one of KeSPA's top players, Shuttle.

I don't think Shuttle is at that level yet. His builds are up to date but his timings are really off compared to that of other KeSPA Protoss players.

Lately your teammates are all individually doing well in tournaments. Is this becoming an influence to you?

Of course it is. And the LG-IM motto has always been to do really well in tournaments together. The newcomers are all playing with the confidence that that they can win. Lately I think little by little they are getting results and gaining the confidence they need.

How confident are you for the WCS?

I want to do my absolute best for all my games. I do not want any regrets. I want to be able to execute all my builds flawlessly for my fans.

Anyone you would like to face?

There isn't anyone specifically right now. I don't think I need to think about that yet.

Any last words?

I want to thank my teammates. During my break time, Mvp, NesTea, and Seed told me they were rooting for me and gave me advice. Thanks to that I didn't get nervous and I was able to play really well. I also want to thank my coach and my sister in law. Also, this is my first time doing an interview like this. I want to thank my mother for sticking with me through it all. There was a time in my career where I told my mom I was going to switch to League of Legends but then later decided to switch back to SC2. She was very supportive through all that ordeal. I want to thank our sponsrs LG, Googims, Steel Series, Nvidia, and Coca-Cola.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about making it through the WCS qualifiers?

I was feeling really confident during practice so I feel glad I was able to get through like this.

The hardest moments of today's games?

The finals against Killer was really hard. The Ro8 match against YongHwa was also really difficult. The Ro4 match against that amateur was also difficult. Because my Ro4 amateur opponent kept on cheesing me, I lost a game to him.

You didn't play against any KeSPA players. Were you watching their games though?

None of the KeSPA players sat next to me so I couldn't even watch them. Originally I was with Jaedong in my group so I wanted to play against him but he ended up getting seeded. I really wanted to face him but I wasn't able to so that was a real bummer.

The WCS Ro32 format will be double elimination. Do you think you'll do well enough to become a representative for Korea?

If my games go as well as they have going nowadays then I should be able to be chosen as Korea's representative.

Anyone you would like to face in the WCS?

I really want to play against the KeSPA players. I want to play against them and see for myself just how good they are.

You have a GSTL finals coming up in Busan. How are the preparations going?

I am practicing a lot. CoCa keeps stating that he's going to all kill us. Even if he grabs 4 kills against us I will get the reverse all kill so I hope he doesn't get too cocky.

What is the secret to your recent success?

The secret is that I am always practicing really hard with my teammates. Practicing a lot is important but having fun is also important. The atmosphere in FXO is really good, so I think that is why I have been doing so well lately.

Any last words?

I want to thank our sponsors FXO, Razer, and GOMTV. I want to thank coach Lee for always working so hard for us, as well as coach Kwon and coach Choi. I hope all my teammates who fell today don't let their losses affect them too much. There are going to plenty of qualifiers in the future so I hope they do well in those.

Source: This Is Game

What is the secret to your success?

Truth be told, I do really well in qualifiers but choke when it comes to the actual tournaments (laughs). I think it's my fate. The kind of fate where qualifiers are not an issue but can't do anything else besides that maybe? I think fate is making fun of me.

How did you feel overall about today?

Aside from my loss in my first match, I won pretty easily. My Ro4 games against San were really difficult. I won 2:0 but since I'm friends with him I had a lot of burden on me. When I saw who was in my group, I noticed that Life was in there. I was worried that I was going to lose to Life but thankfully Tear took him out for me. Luck was also with me for the final games so I won easily.

You have ODT later.

I've prepared well. This it the first time I have to attend two tournaments on the same day so I am really excited. I went through the qualifiers pretty convincingly so I think the ODT is going to go well. The schedule doesn't bother me on bit. But I do think having NesTea hyung in my group is going to become a problem. (T/N: lol, how right you are)

You have to get through the Ro32 in order to become a representative for Korea.

The fact that there are tournaments in the future makes me really glad. I want to keep on winning and enjoy my gaming career. Instead of worrying about becoming a representative for Korea, I'm just going to focus on having fun with my games. Lately my schedule has been really packed so I want to have a lot of fun. Of course I also want to show progress as well.

You have GSTL finals in Busan. How confident are you?

I heard that we are getting new uniforms for the occasion. So I'm a bit worried about that (laughs). Instead of worrying about the games, I'm worried about the uniforms.

Do you think you'll be sent out for the GSTL finals?

I have the urge to participate (laughs).

Any last words?

I know we always thank SlayerS_Jessica but sometimes she can be really scary. Of course to me, she's really nice. Lately I've been getting many chances to prove myself has a gamer. I want to work really hard and show my fans what I'm made of. Oh, and to Leenock who just did an interview before me, I want say "nyah nyah nyah boo boo". (laughs)

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about making it through the WCS qualifiers?

It's been such a long time since I've been a part of a televised tournament so I feel excited. Starting from here on out, I'm always going to be excited.

You faced Dear in the finals.

Bomber hyung and other team coaches explained to me that Dear uses mostly standardized builds. I was informed that he prefers to 1 gate double expand most of the time so they told me if I can prepare my builds according to that, I would be able to win easily. I'm so glad that that came true.

In game 1 of the finals it looked like you were at a disadvantage but you secured your victory with EMPs.

For me also, I had pretty much given up on that game. If my ghosts ended up failing too I was planning on GGing out. But the location where we fought was advantageous for me so I won the battle and the game.

Did you specifically prepare that Marauder build in game 2?

I did that build intentionally. I was glad that it worked out so well. It was a build I had prepared after hearing form the others about Dear's builds.

After falling from Code S to Code A, you eventually fell to Code B. What was the reason for that?

I'm still playing a different game right now. That's why I haven't been able to practice as much as I should have. But lately my skills are getting better and better so I have expectations for myself nowadays. I know I shouldn't be playing different games but I'm so bored during the early mornings and there's nothing else to do. If I try to ladder but end up never finding and opponent, I'll play a game or two. (he's talking about the other game)

A lot of fans are still worried about your health. How are you feeling right now?

My condition is a condition that cannot be healed completely. I feel fine right now but I don't know what could happen in the future. But for now, I don't feel any restrictions during practice or when I play games.

The Ro32 format will be double elimination. Are you confident you'll be come a representative for Korea?

Since this is my first televised appearance in a long while, I plan on preparing extensively for it. I am confident that I'll produce good results. I am confident I will be picked to represent Korea.

Anyone you would like to face?

Not necessarily. I want to dodge playing against KeSPA players. I don't really have any information on any KeSPA players, but after facing them today I can see that they're really good. Until I can get a clear grasp on how good they all are, I want to avoid them.

Any last words?

I want to thank everyone who was rooting for me. I also want to thank our sponsors Razer, Lotte, and our partner MYM.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about getting through the WCS qualifiers?

After seeing my opponents in my group, I was really worried about NesTea. But I ended up facing someone else entirely different in the finals so I made it through with ease.

You faced Snow in the finals.

I've faced plenty of KeSPA players on ladder before. I'm sure they've seen tons of GSL VODs and have studied us extensively. I also know that they are really good right now. With just a little more practice, I think KeSPA players are going to succeed us.

Which matches were the hardest today?

Facing Samsung KHAN's Kop was really difficult. He understood the maps very well. He specifically prepared mech builds for Zerg opponents so I often felt like I was helpless. I just barely won in the end.

After Code A, this is your second time making it through a qualifiers.

Normally, if I'm playing while sitting a chair with no arm rests it's really difficult for me. When I first sat down for a qualifier I got quite a few muscle spasms. And when you're playing in a televised match, you tend to not see the monitors during an advantageous situation. That's why Bo5s are really frightening. I do really well in practices but for some reason, when I come out for televised matches I can't pull it off. The minute I see that the GSL observer has entered the game, I get nervous (laughs).

The Ro32 format will be double elimination. Are you confident that you'll be picked to represent Korea?

It's a televised tournament so I'm not sure. I tend to freak out in front of cameras so I'm really worried. If you go into a booth then siege tank noises and shooting noises are 3x as louder. I'm going to work hard so I can get over this phobia of cameras.

You have GSTL finals this week in Busan.

I'm so relieved MVP fell to FXO. I think we can handle FXO. But FXO has several talented players like GuMiho, Tear, and Leenock. It's not to the point where it's hopeless but they are really good players so it's going to be a touch match for us to win.

Any last words?

First of all, I want to say that we will prepare hard for the GSTL so that we can win. Before getting to the qualifiers today CoCa wasn't obeying orders well so it took a while to get here. I wish CoCa would obey better. For the GSTL finals, my girlfriend and my friends will be attending so I am hoping to have a ton of fun with them. I like horsing around with MMA hyung and Crank but neither are there at the team house so it's really dull and boring nowadays. Lastly, I want to say that I will practice really hard and get chosen to be a representative for Korea.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about making it through the qualifiers?

Of all the KeSPA players I was the first one to get through the qualifiers so I feel especially proud of that. I think the road I took to get here was very dramatic so I am still a little nervous.

How confident were you for the qualifiers?

All the players I expected to face, I ended up facing. I told the hyungs that I would get through all my matches with a 2:0 score except for the finals. I'm so glad I kept my word.

Who did you expect to meet in the finals?

I expected the top of the top, Heart. But I really wanted to play a TvZ so I wanted ByuL hyung to advance. We were former teammates so I am really good friends with him.

In the Ro8 and the Ro4 you took down 2 rising GSL Zergs, Shine and Symbol.

In the case of TvZs, I couldn't care less which GSL player I faced. I can beat anyone. I kept thinking to myself "even if I'm at a disadvantage, I can always turn it around."

When do you believe KeSPA players will catch up to the GSL players?

If the ProLeague hadn't done that retarded hybrid shit for season 3 and had they decided to drop BW for round 3, I thought for sure we'd catch up to them in 2 months flat. But because of that retarded hybrid shit, it is going to take much longer. As soon as ProLeague is over, we are going to be on fire. (T/N: Reality didn't actually say "retarded hybrid shit" )

Why are you so confident in your TvZ?

I don't really have a reason for it. I just win a lot against Zergs on ladder. I think the style is also similar to that of TvZs in BW. The only way for Terrans to win is by dropping. Even in BW, before you can transition into mech, dropships were the key. The only differences between BW TvZ and SC2 TvZ are the units involved. The strategies are similar.

In the finals you won a TvT.

In the finals, I lost game 1 way too easily. I even knew what my opponent was planning on doing but I still lost. Needless to say I got really mad at myself for that. But I thought of what I had accomplished today so I gained back my confidence. It was the power of mind control. (there's dat mind control again -__-;; )

TvTs in SC2 are worlds apart compared to TvTs in BW.

The fact that marine/tank is so good in SC2 is a huge shock for BW players. But taking position with your siege tanks and forcing your opponent to try to break through is similar to BW. I think people who were really good at TvTs in BW will also be really good at TvTs in SC2.

Are you confident that you'll remain alive long enough to become a representative for Korea?

I've only played SC2 for about 3 months now. I think I'm going to come off as greedy if I say that I want to be chosen to represent Korea. Instead, I will state that I will do my absolute best and produce great games.

Any specific GSL player you want to face?

I want to face FXO_Leenock. In my opinion, among the GSL Zergs he is the best player. (OH SNAP!)

It seems that Stork has gotten a lot better. It also seems like the SamSungKhan practice environment became much better.

That feeling only became certain after Stork hyung came back from his MLG experience. Stork hyung came back with a lot of motivation, shared stories with us, and influenced us to do better. To everyone, it feels like we're going to fall behind too much if we don't start now so we're all doing our very best.

Any last words?

Bogus sat next to me during the qualifiers but he got eliminated so I felt bad about that. Lately it seems KeSPA players and GSL players have the urge to face one another. I hope that KeSPA players will practice even harder now so that we can show everyone some great games.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about getting through the qualifiers?

After getting eliminated from the GSL, for a while, I didn't have anything to do. Because I was able to advance like this, I was able to avoid my fate of living in the team house everyday. I feel really glad.

You didn't play any matches against any KeSPA players.

It doesn't matter. If I keep getting through I will eventually play the KeSPA players. I'm not that disappointed. I had Stork in the same group but I hate the build order fights you have when it comes to PvPs so I was feeling a bit burdened. Also, all the KeSPA players right now are Grand Master level. I know their IDs are anonymous but I meet them all the time on ladder. If you carefully search, I really think that half the players on ladder are KeSPA players.

When you meet KeSPA players on ladder, how are the matches?

I think KeSPA players focus heavily on macro games rather than cheese games. They play legit. So if you face them in a macro game it is really difficult. Especially Terran players, they are really difficult. For me, playing against Terrans is really tiring.

Which matches were the hardest?

Today I got really lucky. I met 2 amateur players, and in my first match I got a bye. The finals were a little difficult. But I had confidence in my PvZ skills so I was okay. I was worried about my PvT so I practiced a lot for that, but as soon as I heard that SuperNoVa got eliminated, I gained confidence.

You were eliminated in the first round of Code A.

It feels like I can't really play a lot of games lately. My reaction timings are so late that I had a feeling I was going to get eliminated. But WCS was in front of me so I practiced a lot and improved my timings. If I keep utilizing my current form, I should be fine.

Are you confident that you will become a representative for Korea?

I think I could get into the top 10 placements. If I keep going like this, I should be able to win four times. As long as I don't face any Terrans I am confident I'll make it.

Seems like this tournament will be really important.

Since our team got eliminated in the GSTL, there is nothing else left for me except the WCS. For the time being, I'm going to focus all my time on this tournament.

Any last words?
I want to thank PeGaSuS for coming with me today. We were former teammates so he took care of me a lot today. Bang helped me a lot with practice today. I want to thank my parents for always cheering me on and our coach for always taking good care of the players. I want to thank our sponsor Lotte. I am enjoying their drinks that they provide for us. I also want to thank Razer, GOMTV, and our partner MYM.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about making it through the qualifiers?

It feels like it's been a really long time since I made it past a qualifier. I think it's been two years. I feel really good.

For today's finals you defeated HyuN.

It felt really awkward because it was a team kill. But since we met in the finals it felt okay. There was such a variety of players in the qualifiers that I didn't expect to go through a team kill. It was an unforseen team kill.

You faced KeSPA's Bogus.

He was really good. I had heard that he was good so to make sure I didn't underestimate him I worked hard. Just as I heard he was really good. I didn't even know what kind of play style he uses so it was a hard match. But after games 1 and 2, I identified his play style and won game 3 relatively with ease.

Seems like recently you've been rising.

I don't know about the other factors, but the one thing I do know is that I've been playing more calmly. I used to feel a lot of ups and downs but nowadays I don't feel anything like that.

Your team lost in the semi finals of the GSTL. What happened afterwards?

It was a really big shock than we had anticipated. That's because we were so sure we were going to win. But since there's another GSTL left coming up this year, it'll be fine as long as we work even harder for that one.

Are you confident you will become a WCS representative for Korea?

I think I came over the hardest hurdle today. I'm not sure if I'll get first place but I don't think I'll be eliminated so easily.

Since you're really strong in foreign tournaments, it seems like you'll be fine for the WCS since it will be in Shanghai.

If I can make it all the way to Shanghai then I will be confident. But the road to Shanghai is not an easy one. All I can do is make sure I do my absolute best.

Anyone you would like to face?

I love the format for tournaments. So I'm wondering what it'll be like to face the KeSPA players.

A lot of people are saying that KeSPA players are really good.

Truth be told, they have excellent gaming senses. It was a very difficult victory for me. I think a lot of the good players have caught up to us.

Any last words?

Within the players from TSL I was the only one to make it through. I hope that my teammates who were eliminated can pick themselves back up and do well for the WCG qualifiers. Lately it feels like I have to keep going through team kills. Since I have to face shine in the Ro24 of Code A, I want to say that I hope whoever loses can make it through the Up and Downs.

Source: This Is Game

You received a WCS seed. How do you feel?

To be honest, since I got eliminated in yesterday's qualifiers I didn't even think that I was possible for a seed. It feels like I got another chance so I feel good. I'm going to make sure I don't waste this second chance and work really hard.

Seems like you wanted Trap to make it through the qualifiers today.

Coming back to this location today was hard enough. I lost so in such a pathetic fashion yesterday that I kept asking myself if it was really okay for me to receive a seed like this. I really wanted Trap to make it through but there's no denying the fact that currently, it is not easy for KeSPA players to make it through. He thought of specific builds in preparation for his matches.

How did you feel when you played against GSL players yesterday?

To be honest, I felt like I wasn't quite ready to beat them yet. But since I have experience against them now, I also got this feeling that I'll be able to catch up to them soon. I also got the motivation to work even harder than before. I previously stated that I didn't want to face any GSL players, but after yesterday's qualifiers, I changed my mind. The more GSL players I face, the more beneficial it will be for me.

You played against MMA. How was it?

There is no doubt MMA is good but I felt like I was really lacking on my part. It was a good experience.

The ProLeague hybrid transition must be tough.

Because we have to rotate between BW and SC2, it is that much harder to try to catch up to the GSL players. Until the ProLeague ends it's going to be really hard to catch up to them. There is nothing we can do about the current situation. But even with this whole rotation situation, I am confident that I can do well.

People have said that SC2 needs to be played just like SC1.

I think that statement is accurate. I haven't fully adapted to SC2 yet. The SC1 effect still lingers.

Are you aiming to become a WCS representative for Korea?

I do want to achieve that. But the 10 GSL seeded players are really powerful. I think it'll be hard to become a representative but for now, my goal is to at least take down 1 GSL player.

Today we received a lot of surprising news. Symbol and NesTea were eliminated.

I really like both Symbol and NesTea. I can't really say that the KeSPA players won because they were better. I think they won because the saw an opportunity and took it. Of course I also wanted to win yesterday and become the topic of a conversation.

Any last words?

Before the games began, I had a lot of conversations with HyuN and NesTea hyung. It's disappointing that NesTea hyung got eliminated today. I want to thank him for sharing a lot of good conversations with me before the games. If we ever meet each other in the future, I hope we play a lot of fun games together.