EPT
WoongjinStars_sOs![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/LV5w5H3.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
You'll be experiencing Code S one more time. How do you feel?
I'm happy, but I do feel sorry that I had to beat my teammate to get here.
Your opponent was your teammate, so it must have been difficult to get practice.
We agreed with one another to practice an appropriate amount. I think that today's win was solely due to good luck.
The winner was decided by a slim margin in every game.
PvP as a whole comes down to build order battles and control, and mind games are what are most important. Both of us knew each other well since we were teammates, so we tried adding small twists to our builds.
In the third and final set, even the commentators praised your Force Field usage.
I killed a lot of Stalkers at my natural, so I thought that my odds of winning would be good if I went for a timing rush. Flying-hyung's original build had been to macro greedily after pressuring with Blink Stalkers, but I was able to gain a great advantage because his Stalkers were positioned at my natural.
There is just one match remaining in Round 3 of Proleague. Are you preparing for Heart of the Swarm?
I'll have to practice starting from now. Since there's only one last match to deal with in Proleague and I don't even have to play in the Up & Downs, I think I'll begin.
You weren't able to escape the Code S Ro32 last season. What is your goal this time?
Since Heart of the Swarm is beginning, I don't think that any of the other players are playing perfectly, either. The players who work hard will be the ones to achieve good results.
Do you have any last words?
I'm sorry for beating Flying-hyung. He's skilled enough for the Up & Downs, though, so I hope that he makes it through into Code S.
FXO_GuMiho![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/D3R3B9O.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
You've made it directly into Code S. How do you feel?
My condition wasn't very good today, so I'm happy that I was able to win like this.
Your opponent was ByuN. Did you prepare in any special way?
There wasn't much time to prepare for today's match, so I prepared all-ins regardless of which player I was going to face.
Your Reaper strategy in Set 1 was quite effective.
I predicted that it would be effective in Set 1 no matter what.
You took an easy victory in Set 2, too. What factors do you think were involved?
I had been expecting a fast expand, and ByuN indeed did perform one. Because of that, I felt that I would win as long as I played as I had prepared during practice.
What are your goals for next season?
Next season, I want to stay comfortable in Code S instead of aiming for the finals. I've inherited the title of Code S gatekeeper, so I think I'll easily be able to advance to at least the Ro16 (laughs). I would like to create a new successor [for the title] next season, though (laughs).
Do you have any last words?
I'm thankful to StarTale's Terran players for giving me strategic advice. I love my parents and little brother, and I'm also thankful to the fans who always cheer for me, as well as manager Choya and coach Supreme. I would like to thank my team's sponsors, Razer, FXO, and Twitch.tv.
MVP_DongRaeGu![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/MaILOqW.png)
Source: This Is Game
You've successfully made it directly into Code S. Tell us your thoughts.
Zerg isn't very good against Protoss in Heart of the Swarm, so I might possibly have fallen to Code B [next season] had I lost today. It's fortunate that I didn't lose.
This was a team-kill match. Did you have any difficulties preparing?
Since we were on the same team, I wasn't able to prepare much. We left each other alone and practiced on our own. I was mainly preparing for Heart of the Swarm, so I planned on winning this Wings of Liberty match with my fundamentals.
You lost Set 2 and let your opponent tie the match.
I lost too much to his attack. I was aware of how he had expanded, but he came in from multiple directions at once when he attacked. I feel that maybe I should have seen this coming and strengthened my army.
Lure also prepared an attack for Set 3, but he made many mistakes such as being supply blocked.
It was a teammate's build, and I'd suffered it before. But something did feel strange; I sensed that I was blocking his attack too easily, but I didn't know that he'd made mistakes like that.
You unfortunately got knocked out of Code S this season.
Whenever I mess around too much during interviews, I seem to end up dropping out (laughs). I felt that people would say bad things about me because I did the same thing this time, too. Next time, I'm thinking of keeping my mouth shut and not talking about my heyday or whatever (laughs).
What's Heart of the Swarm like?
ZvP is the toughest matchup; there is no way to win once you reach the late game. You can play a macro game against Terran as long you can make it past the early game, but Reapers are too powerful to not watch out for. Zerg begins at a disadvantage overall, and Zerg gets dragged around by the faster Medivacs. Everything is difficult, but I think that Terran is slightly easier to play against.
Next season will be transitioning to Heart of the Swarm. What are your goals?
For now, my goal is to reach the quarterfinals and secure a seed for the season afterwards. The game hasn't been fully balanced yet, so I'm aiming for the Ro8 since winning the whole tournament will be difficult. I've been in Code S for nine seasons in a row so far, so I'll earn the NesTea award if I make it to the quarterfinals this time. I'm going to make sure that I receive that award (laughs).
Do you have any last words?
I want to tell Lure that he did well and that I'm looking forward to him advancing through the Up & Downs. I want to send my thanks to my team's sponsors, Lotte Chilsung and Razer, as well as the manager and his family, our team members' families, my girlfriend, and my biggest fans.
ST_Life![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Kv071bl.jpg)
This Is Game
First of all, tell us your thoughts on winning today.
I feel really great that I was able to advance to Code S so easily.
How did you prepare once aLive was selected as your opponent?
I only practiced a little bit yesterday, and I mostly just played Heart of the Swarm. I did feel uneasy because of of that; I mainly practiced build orders. I don't think it made much of a difference.
Unlike during the one-sided first set, you weren't able to successfully stay inside your opponent's base after breaking through his opening.
Since I'd already planned on macroing after the 8 Roach attack, I wasn't nervous. He only produced Marines and Marauders with no Siege Tanks. The situation was iffy, but I thought I could manage to win.
With today's victory, you'll be able to start in Code S next season. Until when do you think you'll be able to remain in Code S?
I think I'll be able to stay in Code S up until I retire (laughs). I do feel worried worried about continuously being knocked out of the Code S Ro16. I'll have to stay on my guard and work hard.
The next season will be transitioning to Heart of the Swarm. What is HotS like for you?
I've played about 200 games, and I think that the balance isn't good for Zerg. As long as the opponent makes no mistakes, it's difficult to defeat Protoss in the late game. Even so, I think ZvT is doable. Terran keeps starting in the lead, though, and there's nothing Zerg can do about it.
On the other hand, what would you say is strong about Zerg?
I think that the Viper's Blinding Cloud is useful, and I think the game becomes manageable once Zerg reaches Hive tech. Because Ultralisks have been strengthened against Light units, I think that they've become good.
Are there any players whom you're looking forward to next season? Do you have anyone whom you would like to face?
Bomber is ranked high on ladder, so I think he'll do extremely well. I don't have any particular players whom I want to play against; I just want to make it to the Code S Ro8. If I just rise to the Ro8, I think I'll easily be able to reach the finals.
You sound like you want to play longer series.
That is so. I have confidence in long series, too, and I'm definitely confident in winning three games in a Bo5.
What do you have scheduled for March?
I have MLG and IPL ahead of me. A lot of good players are coming to MLG this season, so I'm not expecting much, and I'd be satisfied with reaching the semifinals. It's hard to practice for IPL because they're using Wings of Liberty, but I want to perform well.
Tell us anything more that you have to say.
I'm thankful to my teammates for helping me practice. I also want to send my thanks to my team's sponsors, Red Bull, ZOWIE, and Joy Gear.
