[Interview] Winners of Code A October Day 1

JYP
Source - http://thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=780132&board=&category=13439&subcategory=&page=1&best=&searchmode=&search=&orderby=&token=


Q: Thoughts on your win today?
A: It was difficult. I was watching the games before and every Protoss lost. I thought I would lose too, but I won so I'm relieved. But other Protoss are doing poorly, so that's regrettable.

Q: You very nearly got to Code S last season, but you returned to Code A.
A: It's very regrettable that I lost in my first Up and Down matches. What is more regrettable is that I couldn't beat Terran players. I will use that regret to do better this season. At the minimum, I will get to the Up and Down Matches.

Q: The first game went very strangely.
A: To be honest I used an all-in, which I thought was the optimal build. I thought that I would lose, so I decided to defend and try to take it to the late game. Until the very end, I thought that I was going to lose, so I was very happy when my opponent GG'ed. (laughs)

Q: You seem to be doing very well against Zergs.
A: I think that my PvZ has been good since I started playing. To some extent. (laughs) I want my PvZ to be the best among Protosses, and I will work to make it so.

Q: PvT seems to be your weak point.
A: It is urgent to work on my PvT. Of course in practice I do well. I thought that I would perform well in the Up and Downs as well the other day. Rather than being severely lacking in the matchup, I think that I just need to practice some more, and I will be able to win.

Q: You won't have to face any Terrans in Code A until the Round of 4 [T/N this is what it says but he could face Byun in the Ro8]. Is this happy news?
A: Not especially. I want to play against Terrans soon. Right now I get destroyed in PvT. (laughs) I want to win soon. I drop all my games against Terrans, so I feel like I shouldn't get to the Up and Downs Matches. If I can't overcome my problems in PvT, making it to Code S will have no significance.

Q: What way would you want to get into Code S?
A: First, I want to win Code A. At minimum I will get to the Up and Downs, but I will work hard to win. If I had to give a different goal, I guess it would be to beat a Terran? I want to beat a skilled Terran in the Code A finals and advance to Code S.

Q: Anything else you want to say?
A: Some of my friend's friends have gotten the flu. It seems serious, so I hope they take good care of their health. Also, some other friends have been very stressed lately. I'm sorry that I couldn't help much with the game, but I hope that they feel more confident soon. I want to thank my parents, TSL_NeeL, TSL_Revival, TSL_Lucky [T/N TLPD lists him as under FXO but the wording in the interview seems like he transferred to TSL], and FXO_Choya.

Sjow
Source - http://thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=780245&board=&category=13439&subcategory=&page=1&best=&searchmode=&search=&orderby=&token=


Q: You have left a big impression on the Korean stage. How are you feeling?
A: I'm very happy. I heard that Maka did not practice much, so I thought I could win easily, but he played surprisingly well. So it was fairly difficult.

Q: What did you think when you were invited to play in GSL?
A: At first I said no. This was at the time of MLG Anaheim. But then I saw that Korean players took all the top ranks at MLG, so I decided I wanted to go to Korea. So when I was invited again I was very happy, and I didn't want to let the chance pass me by.

Q: You've gotten to the Code A Round of 16, so you have guaranteed a spot next season.
A: It is my plan to only stay for one month. I'm not sure about next season, but because I have to go to IEM and ESWC, I will have to make a decision after the most important parts of my schedule are finished.

Q: You initially lost the first game. What did you think?
A: I thought that I could still win. I lost because of a small mistake. Right before the Banshee came, I dropped a mule and lost. (laughs)

Q: How are you currently practicing in Korea?
A: I'm staying in FXO's practice house. I am practicing a lot, and there was a match held within the team. I went 2-5, and I realized that all of the players are very good. Also, I have been playing on ladder a lot. It feels like high Masters in Korea is Grand Masters in Europe.

Q: Your teammate Select made it to the Round of 16, too. Has being in Korea together been a large help?
A: I saw Select's games and was very impressed. He beat Alicia, who is a very good player. I'm in the FXO house, but Choya doesn't know English well. Select gives a lot of help when that gets in the way. I also receive a lot of help outside of that.

Q: Many foreign players have come to Korea to make leaps forward in their play. Are you ambitious to the same thing?
A: My ultimate goal is to become the best player. I thought that in order to do that, I had to come to Korea.

Q: What is your goal for this Code A season?
A: Of course my goal is to win. But I have doubts. Korean players are really good, and my next opponent Curious is really good. I'm not sure I can win. (laughs)

Q: Of the foreigners who come to Korea, there seem to be a lot of Swedes. Is that helpful for you?
A: It has been a lot of help mentally. I know the Swedish players in Korea well and get along with them. SaSe especially has been a lot of help to me.

Q: Anything else you want to say?
A: I want to thank FXO for helping me in practice. I want to thank Select, Sase, and Dignitas's sponsors. Oh, finally, Choya is really gosu.

Monster
Source - http://thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=779859&board=&category=13439&subcategory=&page=1&best=&searchmode=&search=&orderby=&token=


Q: You've won in Code A. Thoughts?
A: I'm really happy. Especially since I beat MC, I'm so happy.

Q: You lost in the first game. How did you feel?
A: I basically didn't use the strategy I prepared. I saw my opponent's build and thought he would have been able to stop it, so I didn't use it, but that's basically what happened. If I had used the practiced build, I think I could have won.

Q: You won the second game and succeeded in making a comeback.
A: I practiced the most for the second game. Because I had already made my builds for the 1st and 3rd games, I didn't need as much practice. I needed to do a management game in the second set, so I needed to practice a lot. In the third game, I needed MC to go for a lot of gateways, but he went for a quick two bases and I got flustered. But still, I think I was able to adapt to my opponent's build and do well.

Q: What did you think when you first saw who your opponent would be?
A: To be honest, at first I got upset. I was distressed that my first match had to be against such a strong player. But still, these days MC has been on a downturn, and I saw his Arena of Legends games over the weekend so I thought I might be able to win.

Q: After your first qualification, you defeated a champion and your start is good.
A: This season, I am off to a good start and the group layout seems good. I will meet sC in the Round of 8 [T/N which would be a teamkill], but because we will both have secured a spot in the Up and Downs, I want to play those games without burden.

Q: What is your goal for your first Code A season?
A: To win. I'd like to be able to advance straight to Code S without going through the Up and Downs. And since there are so many Terrans in Code S, the Up and Down matches will probably be very difficult.

Q: Are there problems with Zerg balance these days?
A: I don't especially feel that way. Merely the best players win. I would like to see Protoss players use Warp Prisms more aggressively.

Q: Looking to the future, what kind of player do you want to become?
A: I want to become a player who is famous in Korea and in the rest of the world. I want to win and become a player who is famous everywhere.

Q: Who are you hoping to play in your next match?
A: I want to play against Gumiho. In Open Season 3, he beat me. At that time he was random, but now he's Terran. Once the matches are decided, I want to challenge Gumiho to a rematch after a year.

Q: Any final things you want to say?
A: I want to thank Avenge, Gang Eun Muk, HongUn, Creator, Ace, Parting, and everyone on my team for their help.

Select
Source - http://thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=779831&board=&category=13439&subcategory=&page=1&best=&searchmode=&search=&orderby=&token=


Q: You won in your GSL debut. How are you feeling?
A: I won my first game, so I feel really good. I was practicing in the FXO house before, and I want to thank Choya and Twilight for their help. Practicing alone in the United States felt aimless at times, but after coming to Korea my practice has become a lot more efficient. (laughs)

Q: Were you nervous?
A: I have a lot of experience in tournaments, so I wasn't worried. But because I was making an appearance in one of the highest level leagues, I became tense early in the first game. I was matched up with a skilled player, so I thought it would be difficult. But in my experience as a progamer in Warcraft 3 and Warhammer 40K I placed a lot of emphasis on control. Because of this, I have a tendency in Starcraft 2 to try to win my games mainly with my control. In the future, I have to try to work on improving my strategies and management.

Q: I am curious about your citizenship. What are your thoughts with regard to that?
A: My citizenship is Korean. But I've lived in the U.S. for a long time, so I've become a permanent resident there. There are a lot of people who have questions about what kind of player to call me. Of course, nationality is important, but to a progamer where the main stage is is important. After I've been active in Korea for a while, I think that even if I'm called a foreigner or called a Korean, I won't mind either way. (laughs)

Q: Will you continue to make appearances on the Korean stage?
A: Because of my permanent residence and visa problems, it's difficult to have continual activity in Korea. I will play in Korea for about 3 or 4 months, then it seems that I will have to return to the United States.

Q: What did you think when you qualified for the GSL?
A: I had some experience winning in foreign tournaments, so I was brimming with confidence. I believed that if I just practiced and worked hard, I would be able to show good results.

Q: In Korea, Terrans have been doing very well.
A: I don't think that Terran is weak. Especially in the case of 1-1-1, the situation can be really demanding for Protoss. But Korean Terrans are very good players. On the European or American server, Terrans have not developed as much. Race balance in the foreign scene seems to be more similar to the time when MC was doing very well. The balance in Korea and the foreign scene is definitely different.

Q: You've qualified for the next Code A season. What are your plans for that?
A: First, I plan to practice in Korea until December. Of course, I will go to compete in foreign events. More than anything else, showing good results in GSL is a big help for getting invited to foreign competitions.

Q: What is your goal for this Code A season?
A: My goal is to get to the Round of 4. I want to get to the Up and Downs and make it into Code S. It would be nice to win Code A, but my skills are still a little lacking for that. (laughs)

Q: Are you close with any Korean players?
A: From meeting at MLG and NASL, I've gotten to know several players. I've become friends with TSL_Alive, OGS_MC, and EG_Puma. From MLG, I've gotten to know a lot of FXO (formerly fou) players. So now I've been able to practice in the FXO house.

Q: Anything else you want to say?
A: I want to thank FXO_Choya and FXO_Slog for helping me practice in the FXO practice house. Thanks to FXO_Twilight and my team Dignitas for helping in practice. Also, thanks to our team's sponsors, Intel, Razer, and Alienware.