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4 Posts
With the GSL Code S Grand Finals rapidly approaching, we were very interested in what the two finalists had to say right before a huge event in both of their careers. And so we ruthlessly took advantage of Mizenhauer's "vacation" in Korea and had him interview both of them. Thanks to Afreeca for helping to arrange the interviews!
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Waxangel/WCS2013/season3finals/oooitssoo.jpg) This is an old picture.
You just made it to your sixth GSL final. How does that feel?
I can’t say I’m all glad, because I had to face one of my closest friends in the semifinals. So at the moment I think I feel more guilty than pleased.
So it's a bittersweet experience for you?
Yeah, you could say that.
Reaching the Season 1 final seemed really improbable, but this season looked fated from the start. How did you feel starting from the Round of 32?
Last season was my first final in a long time, but after I had made it up there once it felt easier to do it again than it did the first time. So I was playing confidently and I think that helped me make it to the finals.
You didn't practice much early this season. Why is that?
When I got second place again last season I fell into a state of detachment, I lost a lot of motivation, I felt frustrated that I’d failed again. So I wanted to focus more on resting rather than practicing for a while.
You had  Maru,  Dark and Losira in the Round of 16 and started to play more. Is it fair to say it was as if a switch went off in your head, as if you said "this is serious now"?
In the Ro32 my opponents were relatively easy, so I took it easy on myself. But when I advanced to the Ro16 I couldn’t find a single weak opponent. I thought that I would get knocked out if I didn't take it seriously, so that's when I started practicing hard again.
The Round of 8 was against someone who you had a bad record against. How did you prepare against Rogue with your history?
There aren't many Zerg progamers, so it was hard for me to find practice partners. So I practiced mostly on ladder. And I thought about the games in my head a lot, so I think that mental preparation helped as well.
Can you explain the ceremony at the end of the match?
The ceremony? Yeah, I usually do the thumbs-up pose. There's no special meaning to it, I just did this pose a lot, even from the BW days. I guess it's kinda like muscle memory, I just do it out of habit.
Coming back to the semifinals, did you think it would be this easy?
I did not expect it. I thought it would be a very difficult match whether I won or lost. I thought it would go to the final map. But when I was practicing for the semis, I prepared so that I would be playing differently from my usual playstyle. I think  Classic had prepared anticipating my usual playstyle, so I think this twist I added made it really hard for him.
You seemed to get the better end of the build orders in this series. Classic is known to be the better one between the two of you when it comes to preparation, but it didn't look that way.
Last season Classic helped me a lot with practice, so Classic knows my playstyle very well. I thought if I did my usual thing it would not work against Classic, so I tried to mix things up as much as possible. I alternated between games where I added a twist and where I played it straight up, and I think that confused Classic.
You've had a number of practice partners over the past two seasons, and you've also used the ladder to great effect. Do you think your preparation has actually benefitted from this new age of not having a team?
Back when I was at SKT there was the coaching staff as well as team management, so I was under constant pressure to practice. And if you're forced to do something against your will, it makes you not want to do it. As I spent more years in the team, the burnout got worse and I lost my focus. I slacked off a lot. Now that I'm not in a team, there's nobody who’s looking after me and there’s no regular salary. I feel like I’m on my own now, so I definitely practice harder compared to when I was still on the team.
You're now in your second consecutive finals. What are your impressions of GuMiho?
I didn’t consider him an especially strong player but recently he's been practicing very hard, so that's different now. I think that he's going to be my strongest opponent this season.
Looking a little ahead, you're pretty much locked for BlizzCon. What does making it to the stage mean to you?
I've been to BlizzCon once, but back then I think I didn't appreciate how important that was. I figured I would just make it up again next time. But it’s three years later and I still haven’t been back at BlizzCon. I’ve learned from the past three years and I won’t make the same mistake again. I’ll make the most of my opportunity and make sure I win this time.
You've been streaming for foreign audiences for almost a year now. Are you excited to play games for them in person?
I used to meet foreign fans a lot because I attended quite a few foreign tournaments. I really enjoyed the cheering from the foreign crowds, that was a great memory for me. I'm excited to go back and and experience that audience again.
I couldn't let you go without asking an age old TLnet question: If your loved ones were kidnapped by pirates and you could only rescue them by recruiting three other SC2 progamers, who would they be and why?
Do we need to like, vanquish the pirates? Hmmm (laughs). I’ve never thought about something like this. Give me a moment to think about it.
First would be Stats, because he's got such a great personality and he’s smiling all the time. So I think if Stats walks up to the pirates smiling, they'll listen to him. So he'll be there as a last resort. I don't want Classic 'cause he's a scaredy-cat. Can I take a foreign player?
Of course.
Then I want MajOr. MajOr would be able to communicate with them really well. I think the pirates are going to be foreigners. And then Maru. They'll let him off the hook because he is really cute.
Interview: mizenhauer
Translation: Verecunda
Editor: Olli
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soO might just be the first player not to underestimate GuMiho this season
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On June 21 2017 18:48 Sakat wrote:
soO might just be the first player not to underestimate GuMiho this season
and therefore be too scared to play well and get 2nd place again.
i c it all now...
poor guy D:
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Great interview  Can't wait for GumiGod's.
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On June 21 2017 18:48 Sakat wrote:
soO might just be the first player not to underestimate GuMiho this season
He did until he beat TY i think
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And then Maru. They'll let him off the hook because he is really cute.
You got that right, soO.
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Back when I was at SKT there was the coaching staff as well as team management, so I was under constant pressure to practice. And if you're forced to do something against your will, it makes you not want to do it. As I spent more years in the team, the burnout got worse and I lost my focus. I slacked off a lot. Now that I'm not in a team, there's nobody who’s looking after me and there’s no regular salary. I feel like I’m on my own now, so I definitely practice harder compared to when I was still on the team.
this is interesting. Seems like the korean approach to practicing may not always have been the optimal way.
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Austria24417 Posts
On June 21 2017 19:00 Charoisaur wrote:Show nested quote +Back when I was at SKT there was the coaching staff as well as team management, so I was under constant pressure to practice. And if you're forced to do something against your will, it makes you not want to do it. As I spent more years in the team, the burnout got worse and I lost my focus. I slacked off a lot. Now that I'm not in a team, there's nobody who’s looking after me and there’s no regular salary. I feel like I’m on my own now, so I definitely practice harder compared to when I was still on the team.
this is interesting. Seems like the korean approach to practicing may not always have been the optimal way.
There's a good number of players who said it didn't work for them, TaeJa most notably never wanted it. What's odd, though, is that soO reached the real heights of his career and skill while on SKT, but talks about slacking off. I guess the environment burns players out in the long run.
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On June 21 2017 19:00 Charoisaur wrote:Show nested quote +Back when I was at SKT there was the coaching staff as well as team management, so I was under constant pressure to practice. And if you're forced to do something against your will, it makes you not want to do it. As I spent more years in the team, the burnout got worse and I lost my focus. I slacked off a lot. Now that I'm not in a team, there's nobody who’s looking after me and there’s no regular salary. I feel like I’m on my own now, so I definitely practice harder compared to when I was still on the team.
this is interesting. Seems like the korean approach to practicing may not always have been the optimal way.
Dark got worse, INnoVation and soO better, we arent equal in terms of autonomy. Maybe because they are pro for more time.
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On June 05 2017 18:53 Olli wrote:Show nested quote +On June 05 2017 17:08 Kaizor wrote:On June 05 2017 10:20 Meepman wrote:On June 05 2017 07:44 Fango wrote:
will the winner of byun vs maru be considered no longer slumping or just in less of a slump than the other? if maru builds more than 1 reaper per game he's still slumping in my heart Being able to get to the semi finals of any premier tournament is always a decent accomplishment, especially considering how competitive korea is this year, so i would call it no longer slumping. I heard that soO played roughly 50 games all season and still made the Ro8. I don't see how Korea is particularly competitive at the moment.
I guess you was wrong
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No article on yet on WCS Jonkoping results??? It has been more than 48 hours 
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On June 21 2017 19:18 Raineeb wrote:No article on yet on WCS Jonkoping results??? It has been more than 48 hours
Code B is that important ?
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On June 21 2017 19:20 DieuCure wrote:Show nested quote +On June 21 2017 19:18 Raineeb wrote:No article on yet on WCS Jonkoping results??? It has been more than 48 hours Code B is that important ?
These's so much off days from GSL that it gets boring to wait. We need news from WCS Circuit too. Speaking of Code B tell that to your countryman Ptitdrogo. He advanced deep in Jonkoping. 
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This is great, thank you!
I really hope soO wins this time.
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soO's stream mod collaboration (and Olli, always Olli) :D
On June 21 2017 18:41 TeamLiquid ESPORTS wrote:First would be Stats, because he's got such a great personality and he’s smiling all the time. So I think if Stats walks up to the pirates smiling, they'll listen to him. So he'll be there as a last resort. I don't want Classic 'cause he's a scaredy-cat. Can I take a foreign player? Of course.Then I want MajOr. MajOr would be able to communicate with them really well. I think the pirates are going to be foreigners. And then Maru. They'll let him off the hook because he is really cute.
Avoiding any fights. Clever boy.
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that interview was hillarious, total proof that koreans actually DO have a personality
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Mute City2363 Posts
I think the pirates are going to be foreigners
Best line 2017
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Russian Federation144 Posts
I think Gumiho will take the title. He is an underdog, and soO has this antirecord of 6 finals.
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Wonder if they were such friends when classic won the final against him haha
Gogo soo
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soO thinking Lotv Solar is an easy opponent... Interesting
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On June 21 2017 20:38 munch wrote:Best line 2017
Those Mexican pirates hehe.
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I might be underestimating GuMiGod, but I think soO will win this time.
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Anywhere we can read the interview in Korean?
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Austria24417 Posts
On June 21 2017 21:22 Windows 2 wrote:
Anywhere we can read the interview in Korean?
Nope, it was transcribed in English.
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thx for this! – I'd be happy for anyone to win!
It's been a long time since I didn't strongly root for any player in a GSL finals
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go soO! thanks for the interview!
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No question about kpop? Disappointed! 
Good interview, soO is right that gumiho will be his hardest opponent. But yeah i hope he can do it this time
On June 21 2017 20:38 munch wrote:Best line 2017
Haha yeah this gave me a good chuckle as well
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Major? Excellent choice. Literally just give major leave to do anything and sit back and relax. You'll have your family back within 6 hours.
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O nice, the interview for the runner up of GSL season 2 is out.
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It seems that the greatest opponent soO has is not Gumiho, but himself.
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I hope he will fix his ZvMech/he hid some counter mech at olimoleague
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Russian Federation40190 Posts
On June 22 2017 01:02 BronzeKnee wrote:
It seems that the greatest opponent soO has is not Gumiho, but himself.
It's kind of amusing how during his first finals everyone thought Dear a god.
During second finals, Zest was crowned.
During third finals, people started to suspect something.
Then DH against Solar happened.
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soO, your strongest opponent is yourself, which is why you've lost all these finals. You know fine well you could beat any player in the world with eaze just get over yourself son. For the love of god win this time!
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Well I'm glad at least SoO isn't writing Gumiho off like everyone else
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Austria24417 Posts
On June 22 2017 01:43 lolfail9001 wrote:Show nested quote +On June 22 2017 01:02 BronzeKnee wrote:
It seems that the greatest opponent soO has is not Gumiho, but himself. It's kind of amusing how during his first finals everyone thought Dear a god. During second finals, Zest was crowned. During third finals, people started to suspect something. Then DH against Solar happened.
Dear was a god then to be fair.
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these dirty foreigners pirate trying to steal korean prize money
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On June 21 2017 21:05 Argonauta wrote:
soO thinking Lotv Solar is an easy opponent... Interesting
To be fair, soO won. And INnoVation said the same right before he stomped Solar in SSL finals.
Also lulz at the foreign pirates. I guess GSL Season 3 and GSL vs the World will show us whether the pirates can hijack Korea. Especially looking forward to Neeb, what with him having the doube-champion momentum. I'd estimate him at Tier 2 Korean, so he has a decent shot (depending on brackets) to make the Ro16.
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One more time soO proves how much he's evolved and grown up. When he was a constant GSL finalist 3 years ago, I was so pissed for a while, watching how arrogant he was and laughed how weaker his opponents were and then he was always punished for that. But now, soO really respects his opponents. Probably this arrogant attitude was a kind of making fun with his opponents each other, who knows.
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On June 22 2017 03:09 Makro wrote:
these dirty foreigners pirate trying to steal korean prize money strats
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If he actually wins against all odds I'd be very happy but I very much doubt soO getting out on top.
I do hope he gets atleast a map or two.
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On June 22 2017 06:08 beepbeeeeeeep wrote:Show nested quote +On June 22 2017 03:09 Makro wrote:
these dirty foreigners pirate trying to steal korean prize money strats
Koreans strats are too hard to execute for foreigners, just watch Byul vs MajOr bo7 ( LFT announcement show ), he tried 3rax reaper, and he always missed.
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I hope Soo wins. That Kong curse though =/
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1001 YEARS KESPAJAIL22272 Posts
title should have been "I think the pirates are going to be foreigners"
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United States33383 Posts
shoulda used a shitty cellphone photo instead of that SKT uniform that causes him pain and anguish
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On June 22 2017 11:22 lichter wrote:
title should have been "I think the pirates are going to be foreigners"
Good guy SoO, calls foreigners pirates so he can take the focus off of the true PirateZerg.
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On June 22 2017 11:22 lichter wrote:
title should have been "I think the pirates are going to be foreigners"
Yeah, that would have been more click-baity. Anything about foreigners would.
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soO made 6th final in GSL. That is already something insane when there are many players who have potential to win GSL.
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Wow, I just recognised that soO has an insane losing streak against Gumiho in 2017. He is at 1-7 in matches (8-19 in games!) vs Gumiho. Also soO's ZvT is by far his weakest matchup in 2017 (barely 51% winrate) while Gumi's TvZ is his best matchup (68% winrate).
Offline might be another story but the numbers definitely are in Gumiho's favour. That explains soO's respect for Gumiho at least.
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It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals!
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I'm quite hyped for this. Please win soO!
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On June 22 2017 15:15 tili wrote:
It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals!
Its not always mental block. How stats won was disgusting. Innovation was simply way better in the finals they met. Didn't see the finals vs Zest and Classic so can't comment on that.
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United States1863 Posts
On June 23 2017 05:07 kajtarp wrote:Show nested quote +On June 22 2017 15:15 tili wrote:
It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals! Its not always mental block. How stats won was disgusting. Innovation was simply way better in the finals they met. Didn't see the finals vs Zest and Classic so can't comment on that.
soO vs Zest on yeonsu is the most painful game to watch in sc history. The game on alterzeim isn't far behind. It's the one final he really should have won. If he did who knows what might have been.
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Mute City2363 Posts
On June 23 2017 05:18 mizenhauer wrote:Show nested quote +On June 23 2017 05:07 kajtarp wrote:On June 22 2017 15:15 tili wrote:
It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals! Its not always mental block. How stats won was disgusting. Innovation was simply way better in the finals they met. Didn't see the finals vs Zest and Classic so can't comment on that. soO vs Zest on yeonsu is the most painful game to watch in sc history. The game on alterzeim isn't far behind. It's the one final he really should have won. If he did who knows what might have been.
you've somehow forgotten dragon vs cytoplasm
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Anyone else miss the days when Gumiho was the only random player. I found him so unique haha
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On June 23 2017 05:07 kajtarp wrote:Show nested quote +On June 22 2017 15:15 tili wrote:
It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals! Didn't see the finals vs Zest and Classic so can't comment on that.
It was accepted at the time that soO should have won vs Zest. He would have had it 4-1 if he didn't throw away his advantage on Yeonsu and enter the throw hall of fame
For an average player getting 2nd is probably a success. But when you get it 5 times, anything other than first is gonna feel bad. The day soO eventually wins (I predict he will win the last GSL whenever that is) will be the happiest thing for him.
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Austria24417 Posts
On June 23 2017 09:48 munch wrote:Show nested quote +On June 23 2017 05:18 mizenhauer wrote:On June 23 2017 05:07 kajtarp wrote:On June 22 2017 15:15 tili wrote:
It blows my mind that he considers getting 2nd a failure. He's easily equivalent to any of the people he lost to in the finals overall. He just seems to have a mental block with the finals! Its not always mental block. How stats won was disgusting. Innovation was simply way better in the finals they met. Didn't see the finals vs Zest and Classic so can't comment on that. soO vs Zest on yeonsu is the most painful game to watch in sc history. The game on alterzeim isn't far behind. It's the one final he really should have won. If he did who knows what might have been. you've somehow forgotten dragon vs cytoplasm
Just seeing it mentioned makes me happy every single time
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EPT
