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![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/Nal_Ra_Victory.jpg)
*Photo credit goes to Emlary's Photo Gallery
Again through the generosity of ujhoo, our resident insider in the Korean pro-gaming scene, teamliquid.net once again has been granted access to the best of the StarCraft world. This time the Sun God himself, Nal_rA, sat down with uhjoo and I for a chat about StarCraft and its current position in Korea.
Before I start, I have to once again express my gratitude to uhjoo for his time and work on this interview. Without him, none of this is possible. In addition, as I had exactly five minutes to prepare for this one, a thanks to FakeSteve is in order, as he helped me come up with some on the spot questions. Nal_rA was in the midst of practicing and it was very generous of him to spare some of his time to meet with us.
Manifesto7: Hi
Nal_rA: Hi ^^;
Manifesto7: To get started, can I get you age and name please?
Nal_rA: My name is KANG Min (last name first), and I will turn 23 this year. [A note: this is in Korean age, which is one year ahead of the British calendar, so he will be 22 soon.]
Manifesto7: To start off, the biggest characteristic of your game that people comment on is your creativity. Does this come from playing protoss?
Nal_rA: There is some truth to that. With protoss, it is not as easy to see high tech units being used often in the game, so when I use those units as central to my strategies, I think this is part of the reason I get those compliments.
Manifesto7: On our site, teamliquid.net, you have been called the “Boxer of Protoss”. You just finished playing him in KT-KTF, can you give me your comments?
Nal_rA: Well, I don’t usually concern myself with the nicknames and opinions of the fans, because it is fully their right as fans to make them. As for the game against Boxer, I did not play with enough mental control and I would have won if I had played with less emotion and a calm demeanor. However, Boxer also played well which was part of it. But I am sure there will be more chances in the future to play against him, and when we meet again, I am positive I will win.
Manifesto7: When you look back, what do you consider you favorite TV game?
Nal_rA: I have been asked that question many times, and it is hard for me to answer because I remember all my games very well, even games from two years ago. However, if I had to pick, my recent game against Lee Byung-Min (GoodFriend) on Parallel Lines was very memorable.
Manifesto7: That was a great game
Nal_rA: Thanks ^^;
Manifesto7: When you lose a game, how do you analyze the loss?
Nal_rA: Well I don’t look for anything specific. Instead, I watch the replay for my opponent’s build and overall gameplay for what I did wrong and how I lost. Once I know what I did wrong, I watch the game again keeping my mistakes in mind.
Manifesto7: Now that you have had success in StarCraft, what parts of your life have changed?
Nal_rA: I think it is too early to say that I have had success in StarCraft. But overall there haven’t been a lot of major changes in my life except that I have a salary now. Because of this, I have some more freedom and “breathing space” in various facets of my life and that’s probably the most important change.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/nal_ra.jpg)
Manifesto7: What about being noticed on the street, or when the girls in the studio yell to you?
Nal_rA: Well, in the studio, most of the girls yell “Kang Min Fighting” or “Kang Min is the best!” When I get noticed on the street, I definitely feel good. In the past, many people had a bad impression of the gaming culture in Korea, but now people are starting to see games in a more positive light. When people recognize me on the street, that shows that gaming is popular and more accepted, which makes me feel happy.
Manifesto7: What do you attribute this change in attitude towards gaming? Is it the increase of corporate sponsors or the longevity of the game?
Nal_rA: I think that the sponsors have had a big impact, and it really shows the power of advertising. At first, many people could not imagine that anyone could make a salary from gaming, but obviously now it is true they can. It is now up to the pro-gamers like myself to maintain and increase the popularity of gaming as a legitimate sport.
Manifesto7: How long do you see StarCraft lasting as a game in its current form?
Nal_rA: Well from a couple of years ago there was a lot of talk that it would die. However, it is even more popular than it was then. Even if there is an end to this game some day, it will be replaced by another game that will come along.
Manifesto7: So what is your favorite and least favorite match-up to play?
Nal_rA: It really depends on the map, I don’t have a favorite.
Manifesto7: Well what match-up makes you the most satisfied or happy when you win?
Nal_rA: Haha, I don’t have any preferences like that. I am just happy to win. I get the same enjoyment whether I am killing a Zerg or a Terran. ^^;
Manifesto7: Who in the scene do you think has the best macro/micro?
Nal_rA: It is a really tough question, because everyone now is very good at both, so it is difficult to measure. The main difference between progamers is their mental fortitude. There are many factors in this, but I think that inner confidence and determination are the most important.
Manifeto7: Do you know much about gamers outside Korea?
Nal_rA: I hardly know any foreign players, just the ones like Elky or Grr… that played here.
Manifesto7: What makes you different from other protoss players?
Nal_rA: Well… I think that because I use builds and plays that are not common to other protoss players, people make that kind of judgment about me.
Manifesto7: Of all the maps that you play on, which television map would you like to see gone from a league?
Nal_rA: Haha, if I thought that way there would be too many maps to choose from. But because we are professionals, we are responsible for adjusting to whatever maps we have to play on. There are a lot of maps that I might think have some bad points, but I have never thought that any of them should be removed, or that maps that favor my style of play should be added. We are professionals, after all.
Manifesto7: Some people have observed that your hand speed has gotten much faster than in the past. Was this a conscious decision or just a result of play and practice?
Nal_rA: It was not really a conscious decision, but I think that through practicing I became much faster. Even in the past, my hand speed was much faster in important moments because naturally there was more micro to perform. However, in the end I don’t think hand speed is so important.
Manifesto7: Any advice for people that want to be progamers?
Nal_rA: For those people who want to be pros, don’t trust only what you see on the outside. This is a really difficult profession, and I have seen many people quit halfway through. Everytime I see that I really feel bad for those people. But, if you are confident, and you don’t think you will regret your decision, then you should go for it.
Manifesto7: Thank you very much Nal_Ra
Nal_rA: Thanks Manifesto7 Bye~^^;
Manifesto7: Bye~
As well as the thanks above, another should go out to the GO team coach who managed to rip Nal_rA away from his practice over at KTF. My impression of Nal_rA compared to ForU was that he was much more polished with his answers and it was harder to get him to be candid. I attribute this to a couple things; firstly my lack of preparation, and secondly the fact that he has done so many interviews in the past, so it is hard to ask something he doesn’t already have an answer for. Additionally our method of interviewing was pretty clumsy, so hopefully it is something we can improve on.
Lastly, as this forum is the primary populace that the interview was written for, I want you to have some input, so check out this thread.
Cheers,
Mani~
