EPTTranslated by Seron (KAIST OPt,LTE / NEXSeron)
Source : http://www.inven.co.kr/webzine/news/?news=47272
Hi guys, I have Jaedong's interview posted on Korean webzine 'Inven'
My English skill is not perfect so there might be some mistakes T.T
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There is a player who has scary nicknames such as 'Tyrant', 'Legand Killer'. But when he is playing in the eSports Stadium, the stage turns balmily with his female fans.
That player is, 8th team's Jaedong.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/l9t9B.jpg)
He has won several OSL, and MSL championship, one of the legends in Starcraft : Broodwar (Starcraft 1) and also called as 'Tyrant', but unlike his scary nickname, he is a handsome guy and has many female fans. We've been thinking what we could talk about with him, and suddenly we had a chance to talk with him about Starcraft series, and the Heart of the Swarm (HOTS).
Jaedong had a soft appearance to us, despite he has a strong image in the games. We could easily and comfortably talk with him thanks to his soft and kind impression.
Hello Jaedong, could you say hello to our readers?
Hello!
I'm Jaedong, currently playing in KeSPA's the 8th Team. I've heard a lot about the webzine 'Inven' and I'm so glad to have this interview. I hope you enjoy my stories.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/zlq05.jpg)
How did you start playing Starcraft?
When I was an elementary school student, I played it with my friends in PC Cafe.
Then, I dreamed of being a progamer when I was 16 years old. There was a 'Starcraft Boom' in Korea, so we saw many professional players through mass media, and their fan also, I think most of progamers have similar beginning.
A posting of your complaint about your school's compulsive self-study time has been an issue in the past. Is that really your post?
Yes it is. (laugh) I feel bashful about that nowadays.
It was so hard to prepare being a progamer while attending all school curriculum. School works were not helpful in being a progamer so I thought I was kind of wasting time in schoold. I had to go school early in the morning and came back home in late night so I didn't have enough time to practice. At that time, progamer was an unfamiliar job to people so school didn't understood me.
That issue reminds me of old memories again, interesting.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/lTbeq.jpg)
Then how did you negotiated with you school? and your parents also.
I didn't give up persuading my HR teacher, and he finally permitted my absence for practice.
Of course my parents opposed my decision also. But they know my stubbornness. (laugh) I've negotiated with my parents for a long time and finally I've got the permission and a condition. They said that they will allow me to be a professional gamer when I go to academic high school. So I stuck on studying to pass the exam for half a month, sleeping only 3 hours per day. Finally I've entered the academic high school and I've proved them I can do whatever I want. Then I became a progamer.
Recently in OSL group selecting ceremony, many stories about player's trainee days were very issued. How was your trainee days?
Of course I had such days. (laugh)
I also started the progamer life from the bottom, so I did all kinds of housework such as dish washing, or cleaning... but it's kind of necessary huddle to be a progamer so I just endured that with my will.
Why did you select Zerg as your main race?
When I started playing game, I played all the races.
I chose Terran for my first main race but I couldn't win the high level Zerg players. So I was very disappointed with myself for a while, and suddenly I found a good idea came to my mind. Why should I play Terran? Playing Zerg will solve the problem! (laugh)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EYIBl.jpg)
How did you overcome your slumps during your progamer life?
No one can always win, but when the results become worse, many gossips start to come out.
Even though the performance in game was not good, I try to keep my positive mind that I can overcome the hard times by myself. And that helped me to recover my condition very much. Actually I was so busy to think about myself, so I couldn't realize that myself is in a slump. I prepared for my next game as best as I can always, and that lead me to a highest place I could imagine.
You were the one of "Taek–Bang–Lee–Ssang", the Brood war legends, how did you come to start playing Starcraft 2?
I didn't played Starcraft 2 : Wings of Liberty during the Beta test.
I wasn't interested in new league or something. I was a Brood war progamer and I had to concentrated on Starleague and Proleague, so I thought when I'm concerned with Starcraft 2, my results will become worse, so I just kept my mind concentrated on my job.
I started to play SC2 when it was selected as official game for Proleague. I practiced with VODs of other progamers, but it was not to follow what they do, it was to absorb their strength. Top class players, such as Nestea and DRG have their own style, so I thought I also need my own style of playing.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Eay7y.jpg)
You're playing Zerg in both BW and SC2. What are the similarities and differences?
Similarities first?
Zerg only have one production building, the Hatchery. Protoss and Terran have limited units that can be produced in a building, but Zerg can make all the units with this larvae, Overlords, Ultralisks, and so on. So this is the main similarity of BW and SC2's Zerg.
The main difference of Zerg in both games, if the Queen. I personally think that SC2's Zerg is harder to play than BW's Zerg, because in SC2, player should spawn larvae with Queens to produce units 'Zergishly'. This should be done during whole play time, so it requires more physical ability than before.
And also SC2 has less variables in micro-control such as Zergling micro or Mutalisk micro. I can overwhelm my opponent only with micro-conrol in BW games but I can't do that in SC2. But I think there are many unrevealed elements in SC2 and I expect we can show you more in the future.
Anyway your records in Proleague is far good, and you've taken some victories in the Ace match.
Many of our team's fans come to watch us playing even though the broadcast is in daytime of weekday.
They cheer for us a lot, so we can gain strength from their cheers. The will for the victory becomes more solid with the cheers, and especially I feel I'm doing far better than my ability because of the competitive mind of myself.
This season seems to be important for both me and my team. We're looking for our sponsor to be founded, so we need a good result in this season. Me, my teammates, coaching staffs are all doing their best to end this season with a good result. Victory in this Proleague would be best. It's been a long time from my last final stage, so I wish I could carry my team to the Grand finals, and hold the Champion's Trophy with my own hand.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/9C7Gm.jpg)
You have had your debut game in individual SC2 tournament in the WCS tournament. How did you feel?
I felt more comfortable to participate than Proleague.
Federation's players are far better now, and I came to the tournament to learn and experience the new game. Even though I lost my first game, the games with eSports Federation's players gave me the confidence about myself. The rivalry between Federation and KeSPA is issued these days, and many people counted on me a lot, but I wasn't satisfied with my ability so I thought I'll not mind the defeat in this tournament. But anyway I won few games and I was happy to feel myself growing. (laugh)
Now you must be get used to SC2, and we're going to have the new expansion, HOTS, next year. Did you play HOTS in last MLG?
Yes, I've played it for the first time in las MLG Spring Chamionship.
It had many interesting new units. The basic elements were similar with Wings of Liberty but the application of new units seemed important.
Zerg has 2 new units, Swarm host and Viper, and new ability is added to Ultralisks. Viper can pull enemy unit closely, and also has an ability similar to the Dark Swarm of BW. This unit seems to be researched a lot more than now to talk about.
Swarm Host is a unit that produces Locusts every 25 seconds, it's similar to the Lurkers in BW. I thought this unit will be very useful when I first heard about it. (laugh) It can make the enemy annoyed.
Ultralisk's new ability... is just COOL! I think the audience will love to see this ability in the games.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/PKwa7.jpg)
Did you played as other races, or use other new units?
No I didn't played Protoss or Terran, I just faced them with Zerg. (laugh)
Terran's Widow Mine and Protoss' Tempests were interesting. Especially it was embarrassing to see Tempests destroying my base out of my sight.
By the way, we've saw you shouting your hello very loud in MLG stage, There are many fans willing to see that in Korean stage.
I also want to do such special greetings to Korean fans.
But it's hard to get a chance. You might think it's excuse, but I'm trying to show something different.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/BFGjd.jpg)
Recently both KeSPA and Federation's players are now competing in the same league, and also many interesting stories are being made between them. Among them, how do you think about Parting, who sent message to all 8th Team players?
I was very embarrassed to see a player saying that rude words.
I don't like a person who is all talk and no action. But I've heard from people around me that Parting is a kind guy, not a rude guy. So I think he just wanted to be focused and issued. (laugh) Later when I become more close with him, I think I can get on with him well.
For the last question, how do you want to be remembered to your fans?
I've started to play as Progamer from SC:BW, and now I'm playing Wings of Liberty, and going to play Heart of the Swarm next year.
To all eSports fans, I want to be remembered as a progamer who can make something out of nothing, and someone who always does his best. I think that is the right way of living, and I'm always doing my best to follow that.
Personally I'm looking forward to play HOTS. But anyway I want to show people my ability in Wings of Liberty, this is my goal now, and also I will do my best to show myself always fighting against top players in HOTS, I want to prove myself always.
And for the last, I want to tell my fans I always love you. (laugh)
