[Interview 2nd batch] Code A Qualifiers GSL D2

How do you feel about going through your bracket?
I’m happier than I thought I would be. Today, I’ve only played and beat zergs. In Proleague I realize zerg haven’t been getting the best results; but I wanted to show them that the zerg race isn’t dead yet and I will work hard to become that figure to do so.

When you first debuted GSL, how did you feel?
The situation I was in when I was part of the last GSL wasn’t that great to be quite frank. I just played very mechanically without much thought so I wasn’t able to return the best of results. This time around compared to last time; I’ve improved vastly and have heap load of experience under my belt. I will show you the power of zerg.

Compared to your skill level in your last GSL, how much do you feel you’ve improved to this very day?
Extreme vast improvements. But right now the general consensus is that zerg isn’t perfoming very well. Back in WCS; I feel zergs were putting on better performances and overall we were a stronger race.

Is there something hard about the zerg race?
Not hard but compared to the starcraft brood war zerg; the style is completely different. With the Starcraft 2 Zerg I feel as I drag the game longer, zerg becomes a boring and dull race. Thus; that made me lose interest in the SC2 zerg race. After playing Starcraft 1 Zerg; making that full transition is quite difficult and I’m still working hard on the transitioning

This is the last season of Wings of Liberty.
I had the ambition to win something in Wings of Liberty before it closes but I don’t think that’s possible. With the thought of playing wings of liberty..suddenly now I have to play heart of the swarm.haha. It’s a bit disappointing but I feel in HoTS, I can do well

How do you fare against protoss and terran right now?
Well; when I’m practicing. Sometimes I come across extremely talented terrans. And when I encounter these talented terrans; they’re extremely hard to beat. Every since the zerg nerf; protoss have a tendency to drag it to the late game and when its PvZ late game; zerg has a hard time winning. I ink with this in mind; I feel I still have a lot of improving to do.

Any last words?
Yesterday was my birthday so I want to thank everyone who congratulated me on my birthday. I will net good results.

You qualified for Code A for the first time. How do you feel?
GSL was one tournament I’ve always wanted to compete for. I’m sort of regretting qualifying so late but nevertheless, I’m happy.

You’ve tried for a spot twice previous and this is your first time doing so.
It’s that I’ve never lacked confidence. I’ve always had confidence but I never believed. This time, I went in with confidence and believing I can make it. I just assumed that this time around, I’m definitely going to make the cut

In the MLG MVP tournament..You won.
For that tournament; you didn’t really need confidence going into the games. Actually I bragged about winning that tournament and it’s true that the tournament didn’t occur too long ago. When games didn’t go my way; I just rested for a while and that seemed to do the trick.

So first time going into the GSL. How do you think you’ll fare?
No idea. The players in the GSL have a complete different style than proleague players and all the players are good so..I’m sort of worried.

What players worry you the most?
Life worries me the most. But I don’t think I’ll play him soon. In Code A, nobody worries me.

If there’s one thing you wanted to say?
I want to thank the coach. And I want to thank the fans for cheering me on.

You made it to the GSL in 4 seasons. How do you feel?
Ecstatic! The games went really well. I’ve run into so much bad luck in terms of brackets in the past. I feel the fact that I advance…well its about damn time.

We haven’t seen you in a while. What’s up?
I was thinking of quitting so I was worried. But when I play a lot of games, I have tons of fun! In previous seasons I was too overly anxious but this time around I went to the qualifiers with a calm mind and so I returned good results.

So you were just practicing the entire time?
Since August 1st, all I’ve been doing is practice. The teammates in Startale house are so nice and fun to be around so practicing with my teammate was a joy to do on a daily basis

While the team league is at rest; has there been any changes to you?
Well..when I played in broadcasted games in the past; I was ridiculed a lot. And that stressed me out and made me do progressively worse. While the team league is at rest; I’m no longer ridiculed and just practicing with teammates so my skills have gotten better.

What there a hard match?
The last match in the preliminaries against 8th Team Cure (Speed) was hard. The mechanics and controls of that player is unbelievable so I knew I couldn’t beat him in the early/mid so dragged him to the late game.

You’ve made it to the GSL in a long while. Do you think you’ll be nervous?
Probably..I was nervous in the preliminaries so I’ll be even more nervous in Code A. So..I’m worried. But I want to be part of Code S

Any last words?
I want to thank my family although I returned such poor results. I want to thank my friends who cheered me up and my practice partners at the Startale house. I hope squirtle goes to a good team.

After a long stay in Code S; you dropped. Now that you’ve requalified, how do you feel?
Since this is the last WoL tournament; I was quite nervous and I didn’t get a lot of sleep. I played some hard games today to advance so I’m happy.

From going to Code S to Code B isn’t an easy thing to do. Why did that come to be?
I think the settings at MokDong was a bit weird. Because the MokDong studios had weird settings, I played some really bad games and in Code A; I just sucked.

When you dropped from Code S, how did you feel?
I felt like shit. I didn’t even feel like practicing anymore at that point so it was a great burden to overcome.

How were your games today?
I think the games were all okay but the last match was brutal. There was a lot of instances where I was behind or at a disadvantage but thinking this is the last series; that calmed my mind and I was able to plow through.

Seems like the Prime Terrans are coming alive again.
outside of myself; I think all the Prime Terrans are doing pretty well. MarineKing.Prime is consistently good. I’m amazed by it because he rarely practices..and he still gets good results. It’s intriguing.

Do you feel you can make it to Code S again?
If I don’t have nerve, I feel its possible.

Do you still have a lot of nerves consistently?
I’m still nervous a lot of times. I feel even now I haven’t shown the monster of a player I can be even after all this time.

Any last words?
My parents were worried because I dropped from Code S. Since I’ve made Code A, I hope my parents are relieved and happy. I also want to thank my teammates

You made it to the GSL for the first time. How do you feel?
Today games were extremely difficult. I wanted to advance in the past ut now that I did, after some brutal games; I’m elated!

Why didn’t you qualify in previous attempts?
Because I was lacking in skill. I feel I lacked experience compared to the other players and thus trailing behind them. Now, I feel with more experience; I’m a much improved player. I will show good games in the GSL

How good would you say your play/game is?
I don’t know yet. When I do ladder; I have terrible results. When I play main matches; I return good returns but on ladder I get crushed. So I don’t know..

Outside of the ladder when you practice with teammates, how is it?
I win some, I lose some. And in proleague Im the #5 guy. I think I’ll keep remaining the #5 guy on the team

Is there a specific player in the GSL you want to face?
I want to play against Life at one point. I want the game to be a learning experience for me.

What are your goals to this season?
I want to go to Code S at least once. If the #5 guy gets a bit more luck; I think I can make it.

Any last words?
The games were delayed today because of me..so I’m sorry. I know a lot of players may be disappointed. I made the qualifiers after jokingly asking for luck from the Shrine but it worked so I hope it can help me succeed in the future, haha. I will show good games in the future.

After one season; you’ve returned to the GSL. How do you feel?
Even though it was one season; there wasn’t a lot of tournaments going on; so I was bored and I didn’t practice a lot either. I couldn’t really set new goals for myself. I went to IEM but you know..I made it to ro8 and lost. When I lost in the IEM, I had to make a quick exit so I regret being unable to congratulate the other player so I’m sorry.

Anyways, since there wasn’t much tournaments going on and I didn’t practice much; I started to play other games. Then I had a realization of how far I’ve regressed in skill in Starcraft 2 so to become good again, I practiced hard. Oh yeah and also; starting from last night; I didn’t feel so well. I was practicing late at night and I lost in the most embarrassing way possible so that made me feel like shit. I played another game right after but that game was imbedded in my mind so that made me have poor performances on my practice games.

예선 때 멘붕의 영향은 없었나?

그렇지만 좋은 예감은 있었다. 예전에 WCS 때도 비슷한 경험이 있었다. 화난 기분으로 경기장에 왔지만 예선 결과는 좋았다. 왠지 미신 같은 것이 될 것 같다.

(Editor’s note: Sorry; I have no idea what they’re asking)

If there was one hard game...
The last game was extremely difficult. The player was flat out better than me so he had a good chance to beat me. I thought to myself in set 3, I have to finish this guy off fast. I attacked but he defended and the player afterwards got too cocky about his advantage so I won.

Do you feel you can immediately advance to Code S?
Making Code S is an important goal for myself but my skills haven’t returned to its normal state. Winning is my goal and I will put effort towards making that goal happen

Compared to Code S players; how would you say you fare?
I’m not a Code S player right now. Before; I was in grandmaster; I was 1st in ladder but after WCS; I dropped off a lot. But with a little improvement I feel I can do well. Because I’ve done well before I have firm belief I can become good again.

Do you still have an aggressive playstyle?
My playstyle is a lot different now. When I’m angry, I’m still the old aggressive Yugioh. However nowadays I’m trying to play a more disciplined conservative game and making an effort towards it.

Any last words?
I was playing/practicing ladder yesterday with the notion that I did not want to meet a protoss. But San warned me that I’d likely meet a protoss in the qualifiers. Amazingly..the only race I played against in the qualifiers was against protoss… (Editor’s note: LOL!!!)
With the amazing advice from San, I want to thank him. The matches against a protoss on the ladder named “TerrenNerfPlox” helped me a lot for the games that went on today. No idea who it is but thanks. Also I want to thank the 1st and 2nd protoss that I also played.

I want to thank pet for eliminating Sting. Sting is a player I really fear playing against. I also want to thank ROOT gaming for watching over the preliminaries/event/himself . I’m not the strongest player but there is one person who’s supported me that I really have to thank. That is Perry Choi. Really; I finished very last today so I want to thank my friends who all waited for me <3