EPTAnyway, here's a translation of Zest's interview with eSports Daily after the KeSPA Cuup Final
You just won the KeSPA Cup. How are you feeling?
I think this is the first time I’ve won a championship while only playing against Protoss. Nevertheless, despite me only playing against Protoss, nobody blamed me for it and still watched gladly, so thank you so much. It feels really good to become the KeSPA Cup Starcraft 2 Champion.
Was there any match that was particularly memorable?
I’m sorry Kim Joon-ho (herO), but my victory against Kim Yoo-jin (sOs) in the Quarter Final was the most memorable. I had to work very hard to achieve a reversal.
It must have been troublesome to have your strategies for playing against Protoss continually being exposed.
If you think like that it can be a burden, but on the other hand can it not also be seen as a continual practice for playing against Protoss? I thought of it as an advantage. Additionally, if I was a player who relied on strategy, it could be a disadvantage, but because matches up until now also prepared me for defending myself against the strategies of my opponents, I don’t think I was having any strategies exposed.
You lost Set 1.
I feel Kim Joon-ho (herO) did well preparing very thoroughly for Set 1. I was nervous after hearing someone say they thought he had reached his optimum condition in just a single day. Luckily, in Set 2 the confusion caused by using the rarely used Oracle seemed to go in my favour.
Did you do a lot of preparation before coming?
Even though we weren’t close, I asked people to help with practice. Nam Ki-woong (Hurricane) also asked Cho Sung-ho (Trap) to help. CJ Protoss players are strong, but it seems I was able to win thanks to Kim Dae-yeob (Stats/Carno) helping so much. Kim Ju-yeol (Believe) also gave me a lot of help. I want to tell all of them thank you.
You used a Gateway strategy.
Kim Joon-jo (herO) said my style is obvious, but I also know his style well. He usually doesn’t scout for Gateways. I realised that since Heart of the Swarm came out I hadn’t used the Gateway strategy even once, and if I used it it would be deadly, so I used it in Set 4.
Set 4 was a breathtakingly tight match.
I wanted to build a Sentry but I was 5 minerals short, so I recklessly sent a probe up to his base and put up a force field behind it to stop his Zealots from chasing and his Stalkers from escaping. The people watching could have thought it was a mistake.
What do you plan to use the prize money on?
Other than this year, I have never saved the money, so I think I’ll save most of it. After I won WCS GSL I treated my teammates with the prize money, so I don’t understand where the rumour about me being cheap came from (laughs). It’s true that I used to be a cheap person, but these days since I’ve become rather well-off I tend to treat people quite often (laughs). I’m not a cheap person (laughs).
You seem to be strong at tournaments held in Korea.
Honestly, because I haven’t had many chances at overseas competitions I just can’t get the results. I think it’s harder to win domestically, so it’s more meaningful. I expect I will have to give my all in order to win at overseas competitions as well, so I hope everyone will keep their eye on me.
Finally, do you have anything you’d like to say?
For four days all the fans and athletes really worked hard. It seems like there isn’t anyone who wasn’t working hard, so I want to give everyone ‘special praise’ (laughs). I’m still in the middle of contract renegotiations and they are caring for me well, but I expect them to care for me even better after today’s victory (laughs). I also want to thank the coaching staff who took care of me very well during the game.
I’m repeating myself, but the players who helped me practice really did work the hardest. I want to thank Nam Ki-woong (Hurricane) and Cho Sung-ho (Trap), and because Kim Dae-yeob (Stats/Carno) suffered a lot helping me and Lee Young-ho (Flash) practice, if there’s anything you want to eat just tell me and I’ll buy it for you (laughs).
I think this is the first time I’ve won a championship while only playing against Protoss. Nevertheless, despite me only playing against Protoss, nobody blamed me for it and still watched gladly, so thank you so much. It feels really good to become the KeSPA Cup Starcraft 2 Champion.
Was there any match that was particularly memorable?
I’m sorry Kim Joon-ho (herO), but my victory against Kim Yoo-jin (sOs) in the Quarter Final was the most memorable. I had to work very hard to achieve a reversal.
It must have been troublesome to have your strategies for playing against Protoss continually being exposed.
If you think like that it can be a burden, but on the other hand can it not also be seen as a continual practice for playing against Protoss? I thought of it as an advantage. Additionally, if I was a player who relied on strategy, it could be a disadvantage, but because matches up until now also prepared me for defending myself against the strategies of my opponents, I don’t think I was having any strategies exposed.
You lost Set 1.
I feel Kim Joon-ho (herO) did well preparing very thoroughly for Set 1. I was nervous after hearing someone say they thought he had reached his optimum condition in just a single day. Luckily, in Set 2 the confusion caused by using the rarely used Oracle seemed to go in my favour.
Did you do a lot of preparation before coming?
Even though we weren’t close, I asked people to help with practice. Nam Ki-woong (Hurricane) also asked Cho Sung-ho (Trap) to help. CJ Protoss players are strong, but it seems I was able to win thanks to Kim Dae-yeob (Stats/Carno) helping so much. Kim Ju-yeol (Believe) also gave me a lot of help. I want to tell all of them thank you.
You used a Gateway strategy.
Kim Joon-jo (herO) said my style is obvious, but I also know his style well. He usually doesn’t scout for Gateways. I realised that since Heart of the Swarm came out I hadn’t used the Gateway strategy even once, and if I used it it would be deadly, so I used it in Set 4.
Set 4 was a breathtakingly tight match.
I wanted to build a Sentry but I was 5 minerals short, so I recklessly sent a probe up to his base and put up a force field behind it to stop his Zealots from chasing and his Stalkers from escaping. The people watching could have thought it was a mistake.
What do you plan to use the prize money on?
Other than this year, I have never saved the money, so I think I’ll save most of it. After I won WCS GSL I treated my teammates with the prize money, so I don’t understand where the rumour about me being cheap came from (laughs). It’s true that I used to be a cheap person, but these days since I’ve become rather well-off I tend to treat people quite often (laughs). I’m not a cheap person (laughs).
You seem to be strong at tournaments held in Korea.
Honestly, because I haven’t had many chances at overseas competitions I just can’t get the results. I think it’s harder to win domestically, so it’s more meaningful. I expect I will have to give my all in order to win at overseas competitions as well, so I hope everyone will keep their eye on me.
Finally, do you have anything you’d like to say?
For four days all the fans and athletes really worked hard. It seems like there isn’t anyone who wasn’t working hard, so I want to give everyone ‘special praise’ (laughs). I’m still in the middle of contract renegotiations and they are caring for me well, but I expect them to care for me even better after today’s victory (laughs). I also want to thank the coaching staff who took care of me very well during the game.
I’m repeating myself, but the players who helped me practice really did work the hardest. I want to thank Nam Ki-woong (Hurricane) and Cho Sung-ho (Trap), and because Kim Dae-yeob (Stats/Carno) suffered a lot helping me and Lee Young-ho (Flash) practice, if there’s anything you want to eat just tell me and I’ll buy it for you (laughs).
Open to more translation requests.
