[Interview] WCS LR4 Winners

Source: This Is Game

You confirmed your qualification as a representative for Korea. How do you feel?

For the first time ever, I have a title as a representative for Korea. My opponent was someone I had previously lost to in the Ro32, so I feel even more happy that I was able to get revenge.

Have you improved since you faced him in the Ro32?

Compared to the last time I faced him my skills have progressed. After losing the Ro32 I put in a lot of practice and realized a lot of things. That loss was a really good lesson for me.

What were you able to find out?

I found out how to macro against Zergs. I didn't know how to during the Ro32 but after losing, I was able to get a grasp on what to do.

You keep meeting Zergs.

Truth be told, I have the most confidence in my PvZs. I think I've been really fortunate to only meet Zergs so far. Since I keep meeting Zergs, I can play with a peaceful mindset.

In game two you lost to a nydus play.

I've seen people use it in past VODs so I knew that this feature exists. But it came much later than expected so I got flustered when it actually came.

Your next opponent will be Polt or HerO. You have to play something other than a PvZ.

I would prefer to play a PvP. I've met Polt on ladder before and he's really good. He also has style when he plays. I really would rather prefer to play a PvP.

From here on out, you have to keep coming to the gaming studio the day right after you win a match.

I think I have a lot of time. But coming to the games and practicing has to be done through the team's schedule, not mine.

You are able to go to China for the WCS Asia preliminaries.

I wasn't even thinking about it. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I look forward to be playing against foreign players.

KeSPA players are frequently defeating GSL players.

When meeting them on ladder, you lose some you win some. I don't think there's any significance difference in the way that KeSPA players are beating the GSL players. It's best to just consider every opponent as an equal.

Source: This Is Game

You confirmed your qualification as a representative for Korea. How do you feel?

A title such as becoming a representative for Korea is a very unfamiliar title to me. I worked so hard to redeem the second chance that I was given but I was able to also receive a title like this. I feel proud, honored, and thrilled.

In the end, this is yet another tournament you have to play overseas. Isn't HerO the best at overseas tournaments?

Well, if you think about it, I have a lot of experience with overseas tournaments and have attended a lot of them. No matter what, you have to have confidence in yourself. Not to mention that it'll be my first time in China. It's also my first time being a representative for Korea so I feel really good.

In game one, you grabbed four full medivacs.

I don't think Polt saw my observer. I don't think he knew that I had an observer at his natural and his at his other expansion. I even made sure that he loaded his army in to his medivacs. As soon as I saw that I knew that I had to grab those medivacs so I moved out my army.

An opportunity to grab four medivacs like that probably doesn't come up very often.

Even in practice, an opportunity like that doesn't rise up very often. After getting those four medivacs I actually got flustered. The realization that I had won the game froze up my hands. That's why I couldn't end the game earlier than I had wanted to. Polt also did a great job of buying more time for himself.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to attend the rest of your WCS Korea matches.

As a player, it pains me to have to give up my games since I know it disappoints the fans. I also feel really bad for the tournament organizers. But I'm leaving so I can put up an excellent performance for MLG so I would like to ask all the fans to please tune in.

It seems the Protoss players keep getting the spots to represent Korea.

I used to think Protoss wasn't OP. But these days, more and more people keep saying that Protoss is OP and the results are proving it. Personally, I honestly am still not sure (laughs). I really don't think Protoss is OP. Instead of being the map's fault, I think Protoss players are just being very strategic about what they do.

What are your future plans?

I leave tomorrow and return on the 28th. After that, I have Up/Downs and then the rest of GSL.

MLG begins with pool play.

It's a play style I've experienced before in both GSL and Assembly. I'm not that worried about it. I think it's going to be fun.

You must be aiming for the MLG championship.

I've fallen out in the Ro8 five times in a row for overseas tournaments. Those are frustrating and agonizing results. I am actually starting to think that maybe I've gotten worse these days. For this MLG, I really need to redeem myself.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank our sponsors TLAF, TwitchTV, and RAZER. I also want to thank Jinro for coming with me again today. I want to thank TaeJa, TheBest, and sC for helping me with practice. I also want to thank FXO's coach Choya, for the advice he gave me. I am always grateful to my parents and my fans. Lastly, I want to apologize one last time for having to forfeit the rest of my WCS matches.

Source: This Is Game

You confirmed your qualification as a representative for Korea. How do you feel?

At first, I attended this tournament for the sole purpose of gaining experience only. But after I won each match, my greed kept getting bigger. Even in the Ro8 of the winners' bracket when the score was tied at 1-1, I kept having this thought that I was going to win so I got really greedy for the win. I am so relieved that I was able to win the fourth round of the losers' bracket like this.

In the winners' bracket Ro8, you lost to Squirtle.

It was such a shame that I lost. I made way too many mistakes. Regarding my ZvPs, I seem to make most of my mistakes when it comes to televised matches. I felt like I needed to comment on this.

You are the only Zerg to become a representative for Korea. Every other spot seems to be going towards Protosses.

If you look at the Protoss players that have made it so far, they all deserve to be there. I still don't have an exact answer for beating those players. Protoss is just too strong. Right now, all Protoss build orders are fully optimal.

You must regret losing game two. Were you not expecting the opponent's ultralisks?

I knew about it. But because I tried to end it early my decision making became less stable. I hate macro games in ZvZ so the fact that I tried to end it early ended up becoming my downfall.

What is the reason that you hate playing macro games?

If you play a long macro game, you have to make a bunch of spine crawlers and force the game to transition in to a frustrating late game. I hate that frustrated feeling so I attack first. And since I do this, I end up losing a lot of my games. That's why I hate it. The game is fun before the late game timing comes in to play.

It seems you gained some valuable experiences regarding ZvZ macro games.

I studied Miya's play style and noticed that he likes to play macro games that transition in to late game. After playing against him I felt like a (장인? Google Translate gives me: craftsman/artisan/father-in-law/wife's father/tradesman. None of those sounded right) I'm really going to have to think a lot and practice a lot for late game scenarios.

In game three, your opponent made a huge mistake. What were you thinking at that point?

I was in a disadvantageous situation for early/mid game. I knew that I was in a bad situation so I tried to mess up his momentum with my multitasking skills. In the midst of all that, I was able to grab his army so I felt really good about that.

The Asia finals will open up in China.

Today was an opportunity for me to go China so I got even greedier. I've never participated in an overseas tournament nor have I ever been outside of Korea so I was really anticipating this.

People must be excited for your upcoming ProLeague performances.

I practice with the mentality that I must win if I'm ever sent out. Everyone on the team wants to progress through PL as rank one. I hope this wish of ours is granted. I will win my final match no matter what.

Anything else you would like to say?

There are several people who helped me prepare for this ZvZ match up. I am very grateful to those players. I am going to buy them some delicious food.

Source: This Is Game

How do you feel about becoming a representative for Korea?

Only laughter seems to be coming out. It's because I am so happy (laughs).

Today's opponent was the same person who sent you to the losers' bracket from the Ro32.

I couldn't prepare a lot since I had to play right after winning yesterday. But I did think about this a lot. Because I thought a lot about the build orders I would do, it helped me out a lot.

How did thinking about it help you?

In game one I won because of my build order and game two I won the build order battle (laughs).

In game one, your opponent tried a double nexus build.

My build order was going to win no matter what. I had confidence overflowing during that match. But I would've been in trouble had I not rushed my warp gate timing. It's not a build order I use often but today I used it with full force.

You showed a lot of confidence that you would win against Puzzle if you faced him again.

Right now, Puzzle got his feeling hurt a little (laughs). He even said so in his interview. (단지 언플이었다?) (laughs). I think he's letting my words affect him a lot right now.

In game two, the build order was similar.

It's a build order where I don't scout my opponent so I didn't really know what he was doing. But my expansion was a little faster. After I realized that, I got confident.

The two KeSPA players ahead of you also got to represent Korea.

Like I said before I just focused on my games. I didn't feel any burden or pressure whatsoever.

You will now get a chance to play in China.

China's a place I've never been to so I'm really happy and excited about this. I'm going to play my games without worrying about the results and just enjoy my time there. I seem to produce the best results whenever I have that kind of mindset.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to say that I am sorry to Puzzle. I hope he wins the 9th - 10th place match and makes it to to China with me.