EPT
Group A Winner - 
SK_MC:
"I don’t really care that much about the WCS system next year, since a progamer just needs to be good at the game in the end."
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/monk/mcinterviewpic.jpg)
Photo by wo1fwood
SK_MC:"I don’t really care that much about the WCS system next year, since a progamer just needs to be good at the game in the end."
Photo by wo1fwood
You seem to be playing a less all-in oriented style lately, playing more macro oriented games. Why did you make this style change?
Before I only all-in’d because games would just end if I all-in’d in the past. These days other players are good at stopping all-ins. It’s not like I was bad at macro games in the first place. So I play macro games, and I just use all-ins when I get that ‘feel’ that I should use a micro-based all-in.
What race do you want to face next?
There’s a lot of Protoss players in this S3 finals, so I played a lot of PvP. I haven’t faced a Protoss player yet, so I’d like to face one. I’m confident in the match-up, I don’t think I’d lose to any of the Protosses here.
Where’s your current skill level at?
I think I’m the best at PvP and top three in PvZ. I think I’m still a bit lacking in PvT.
You lost to MMA in the WCS Europe finals. What do you think was the reason?
I had PvT in the Ro16, but none after the Ro8. If you don’t play a match-up you kind of lose your feel for it. Playing the games, I didn’t even really know what I was doing. I was a bit disappointed because it felt like I lost so easily. More so than skill, I feel like I lost because of lack of practice.
How did you prepare then for this tournament?
I felt like my PvT was lacking so I played focusing on that match-up. PvP I was confident in, so I played it more to perfect it. I barely played any PvZ.
Did you practice mostly on the ladder? Or did you play custom games?
I practiced mainly through ladder, and I played some customs games with TheStC and Yoda.
You left the IM house a while back and are living on your own. Does that make it harder to practice?
Really, the only big difference with the IM house is the number of custom games I play went down. In my case, I test a lot of builds when I play ladder or customs, because the other builds are all inside my head. I really dislike practicing the same thing over and over, it’s not fun. I don’t think it matters much [customs versus ladder] because it’s just testing out builds in an actual game.
You’ve gone over $400,000 in prize money earned this tournament. Is prize money something that’s on your mind when you play tournaments?
When both Mvp and I were doing well together it was something I thought about a lot. But now that I’ve continued on at #1 for a while, it doesn’t matter so much. My biggest dream right now is to win the grand finals and reach $500,000 this year.
A lot of people are speculating that there will be a region lock next season. What are your thoughts on it?
I don’t really care that much about the system next year, since a progamer just needs to be good at the game in the end. You speak through your games. If there is a region lock, then I think I’ll go live in Europe.
Korean players would be unhappy with a region lock, but do you think it would be better for the scene as a whole?
Personally, I said it would be better if the regions were locked from the start when the WCS system started. But locking it now after the fact seems kind of strange. If you lock it now, then how are you going to make it up to the Korean players who are in WCS AM/EU Premier? It’s just iffy coming in and locking it now.
All the Protoss players have won today. What do you think about your race?
Well, people will say Protoss is imba, but that’s what they say about every race when they are doing well. I just think it’s a period where Protoss is strong. Like always, it will pass eventually, once all the races get used to the builds.
Did you hear the crowd chanting your name, even before the game ended?
I can’t hear outside sound at all if I put in earphones. I like focusing entirely on the game while I’m playing, so I play with the music very loud. I couldn’t hear it myself, but it feels good to know that was happening.
Where’d you come up with the idea for your new haircut?
My side hair has a tendency to kind of stick out, so I got a perm. My hairdresser suggested why I don’t I perm the hair on top as well, so I said why not? Eh, I think it came out cute.
And how’s the lasik surgery worked out for you?
At the beginning I would just be looking for my glasses out of instinct, it was a weird experience. Now it’s comfortable like I had always been this way. If there’s one thing that’s a bit uncomfortable, it’s that people don’t recognize me? (laughs)
Are you confident that you can win this tournament?
From now on it’s best of five. I have a lot of experience, so I think I can win if I use that to my advantage and play the upcoming games well.
Any final comments?
My manager and team CEO were worried a lot, because there was that period where I wasn’t doing well for a while. It was an opportunity for some self-reflection, and I started getting some results again starting with WCS Season 2. I’ve reached the Ro8 in this tournament, so I think I’m earning my keep again. I’m thankful to them for always believing in me.
Group B Winner - Soul_Trap:
" I’m very happy – it was the first time in a long time I was shaking as I played a game. It felt like playing when I was a rookie."
Soul_Trap:" I’m very happy – it was the first time in a long time I was shaking as I played a game. It felt like playing when I was a rookie."
How do you feel about reaching the Ro8?
Before I came here, I went in thinking I would just go to the tournament to enjoy it. But the games just ended up going so well for me. I’m very happy – it was the first time in a long time I was shaking as I played a game. It felt like playing when I was a rookie, when I didn’t get to play that many games. I got that feeling again playing today.
How were today’s games in general? Easy?
When I play a multi-game series, I always think winning the first map is very important. All my game ones went very well, playing out in the way I wanted them to.
This is your first foreign tournament. What’s the experience like?
The atmosphere here is really great. When you come to the venue, you get motivated.
It’s my first foreign tournament, so communication has been difficult.
Reading your interview from the WCS KR ranking matches (where you earned your spot at this tournament), it seemed like you had lost some motivation. Do you feel different now?
Yes, there’s a difference after playing today. I really want tomorrow to come so I can play again.
You were known as a PvZ specialist in Proleague, but you seem really good at all match-ups now. Have you noticed that your skill has increased?
When I practiced, my PvZ win-rate was actually the worst. Recently, I’ve played mostly PvP and PvT in broadcast games and have been doing well. When I practice, I feel that PvZ is my weakness. It’s something I have to fix before I start facing more Zergs. I’m confident in PvP and PvT.
Do you think you have what it takes to win the entire tournament?
I’m not that sure about my skill just yet. If I want to win the championship with my present skill level, I’d need luck to go my way. It would be difficult for me to win just purely on skill.
Any opponents you’d like to avoid? Anyone you want to face?
I’d like to face Dear as late as possible. The Protosses are winning a lot of games, but I’d like to face a Terran.
SouL had a lot of strong Protosses in Proleague – you, Dear, and Classic (now on SKT) all did really well. What would you say distinguishes you guys from each other?
To put it simply, Classic has great ‘sense’ (has a good intellectual feel for the game), I’m good at exploiting weaknesses, and Dear can improve his play very quickly.
So do you think Dear is the best Protoss player right now?
Yes.
Seeing the way MC connects with the fans, did you think that you should also try to play to the crowd more?
Watching MC play the series ahead of me, I could tell he is really different. He has a ton of fans, and he doesn’t need an interpreter to give English interviews. Seeing that, I thought he was amazing.
Any plans to perform a ceremony or something like that?
The fans would like it, so I kind of want to. But I don’t have that kind of personality… Still, it’s something I should think about.
How did you prepare for the tournament? We saw you fell for a cannon rush that Genius had performed exactly the same in his WCS Europe matches.
This is something I can say because I won, but I barely practiced before I came here.
Any closing thoughts or comments?
As I played today, I felt that it was really fun to play the game. I want to survive for as long as possible and play as many games as I can.
Group C Winner - EG_Oz:
"The skills I honed at the EG-TL house are coming out now."
EG_Oz:"The skills I honed at the EG-TL house are coming out now."
How do you feel about reaching the Ro8?
This season finals are important to me outside the tournament itself, it’s my chance to go to Blizzcon. I’m really glad to reach the Ro8 on day one as first place in my group. But if it ends in the Ro8, it will be meaningless since I need at least semi-finals to go to Blizzcon. I’ll have to win my Ro8 match to really enjoy my success so far.
What kind of opponent do you want in the Ro8?
I don’t know what the bracket will be like, but I’d be okay with Protoss opponents. If I play a Terran, then I do want to play Polt again. More so than my opponent, it will be important how I manage my condition tomorrow, since I’m very tired right now.
You were in a slump for a while, but you’re doing quite well these days. How did you raise your skill level again?
Living at the EG-TL house and playing Proleague for half a year, I think the practice I put in then is slowly paying off as results now. I was in a slump for almost a year and that gave me the motivation to work hard, and I think it’s showing now.
What are your chances of winning the championship?
Winning it all means you’re the best in the world, so it won’t be easy. I’m not really sure, but given my current momentum it’s not impossible.
You had quite the back and forth with VortiX. How did that come about?
There’s nothing at all between me and VortiX. But there’s a lot of fans here, and SC2 is going through a rough patch if you want to call it that; as a player you have to give the fans things that are fun and entertaining in that kind of situation so I said some taunting things. I’m thankful that VortiX took it well, and I hope we can get along if we meet again. I don’t have any kind of bad feeling toward VortiX, he’s a player I like.
Did you really not research him?
I really only got to watch one VOD. But I did get help from Korean players who play in WCS Europe.
How did you feel after losing game two to VortiX?
It’s okay to say those kind of things if you win the game afterward, but it’s really embarrassing if you lose. So after I lost in game two, using a cannon rush I don’t even normally do and getting messed up, I did get a bit nervous since VortiX had said he hopes I didn’t retire after the games.
As a Korean player who is competing WCS America, what do you think of a possible region lock in 2014?
Personally, I don’t think that opening the regions had that much affect on the success of SC2. In general the tournament scene seemed to shrink because of WCS, with overall prize money being less than the players had expected. I don’t think region-locking itself is the big issue.
Next season, even if they don’t make a hard region lock, I hope they make it so players native to the region can have more spots in some way. That, and I hope they make some kind of incentive for Korean players to play in Korea, considering it is the region with most of the highly skilled player in the world. Prize money is a big incentive for players, so I hope that will increase as well.
Any final comments?
I go to TeamLiquid a lot. If there are guys who are flaming me on TL, I request for my fans to take care of them. I really like TL!
The Maru interview was cancelled in consideration of player fatigue, due to the late ending time of day one. We'll get to him later!
