[interview] guys from wcs asia now in global final

How does it feel to advance to the WCS Global Finals?

My main goal here was to earn a spot in the world finals, and I'm thrilled about being the first person to get through. Today was a very tiring day, but that makes advancing feel all the more rewarding.

You defeated Seed during the third round of the winners' bracket.

I was nervous because I remembered all of the times that I had lost to him. But this time, I told myself that I wouldn't lose to him and that I would get revenge. There were times when I was worried that I could lose, but by and large, the games were comfortable.

How were your matches against your two non-Korean opponents?

To be honest, because I didn't know them well, I thought at first that they would be weak. However, they turned out to be stronger than I expected, and they put up a good fight. I had believed that Chinese players lacked skill, but after playing against them, I felt that they had grown much as a whole.

Are you thinking about winning the Asia finals?

I definitely feel more relaxed now. Because I was able to win against Seed, I feel a bit more confidence in winning.

Have you thought against playing a rematch against Rain?

When I lost 0-3 to him in the GSL quarterfinals, it was very frustrating and painful for me. During this WCS Asia finals, I want to make sure that I face him once again. Looking back at that loss, it made me feel a lot of things.

Is there anyone in particular we should watch out for during the global finals?

Zerg is really strong nowadays, so people should keep an eye on Stephano and Scarlett. Those two players are very skilled. I'll have to be careful of foreign Zergs in general.

Please tell us your feelings about competing in a Chinese tournament for the first time.

This is my first time traveling to China, and the country is far cleaner and pleasant than I'd thought it would be. I've been to many foreign tournaments, but this time, Blizzard is taking excellent care of us players. However, the tournament wasn't run as well as it could have been. The players were kept waiting for long periods of time, and it was difficult to practice due to issues with the computers turning off because of power problems. Today, I woke up at 5 and arrived at the venue at 7, but there were constant delays.

Do you have anything that you would like to add?

I would like to thank my team's sponsors, TLAF, Razer, and Twitch.tv. Because I came alone, I wasn't accompanied by any of my team's coaches, but the players and staff on other teams helped me a lot, so I would like to thank them, too. And finally, I'm always grateful to my fans.

You're the first KeSPA player to make it to the WCS Global Finals.

Starting from dawn, I've played through some strenuous matches. Because I was able to persevere through such a difficult situation, I feel even happier than I normally would after earning such results.

You were matched up against some difficult opponents today.

To tell the truth, I wasn't looking forward to the matches, but after defeating Squirtle in the second round of the winners' bracket, I felt like the games were becoming easier.

How was the game flow during your match against Squirtle?

Throughout the match, Squirtle played using a very safe style. After identifying that aspect of his play, I began to play more greedily. That was key to my victory.

How was your match against Sen during the third round of the winners' bracket?

Sen played very well. During the first set, there were numerous moments where I was in danger of losing, but I was able to win because of a lucky Vortex. I was able to take the second set more easily in comparison.

You showed good form during WCS Korea.

When I was first pitted against e-Sports Federation players in that tournament, I felt a swirl of emotions, and I also learned many things during that time. Even during this tournament, I'm learning a lot. Even just by listening to the things that Rain and the eSF players say, I'm figuring out many new concepts.

This is your first foreign tournament. How does it feel?

When I first arrived in China, I felt very excited. I had some hassles due to losing my schedule and being unfamiliar with the tournament format. Playing here felt very different from competing in a Korean studio.

If you could select someone to face in the global finals, whom would you pick?

I want to face Liquid`HerO because he has the same ID as me. It's great that I was able to become acquainted with him during the Asia finals. Looking at the brackets, I found that they distinguished between us using the capitalization of our IDs. From now on, I want to be the one to use the ID (laughs).

You could also possibly face Rain.

He is a divine existence. I'm afraid of meeting him, but if I do, I will play with the goal of gaining more experience.

Between HerO and Rain, whom do you think is the stronger player?

The two have quite distinct styles. Rain goes for a solid style while HerO prefers micro-heavy flexible play. We would all be able to learn a good deal if the two were to play a match against each other. Even as I played against Squirtle today, I was able to learn a great number of things.

Do you feel a desire to win the Asia finals?

Because I'm human, of course I want to win after advancing this far. However, every player here is a potential threat to me; they're all too good. Out of all the Korean players, I think I'm the least skilled.