EPT![[image loading]](http://img248.echo.cx/img248/4766/giyom0yl.png)
-What do you spend your time doing these days?
Now I hardly ever play Starcraft. Only when there’s a special event I play about 10 games or so. These days I’m just relaxing, playing a Warcraft 3 use map settings game called DOTA.
-Your programmer license was stopped recently.
That’s right. It’s been about a year and a half since I stopped playing. Basically you can say I’ve retired. I won’t continue to be a progamer any further.
-You’ve previously tried out your own business and recently played a role as head of the Korean department for a franchise.
I have completely stopped all work I was doing before. I wanted to rest and at the same time do something new. Right now I am preparing a website for a different field of work and it’s aimed at foreigners.
-Do you keep in touch with any of the foreign progamers who are playing today?
We’re not really that close friends. Quite recently, we met for a drink but we’re not that close. However I watch them play very often.
Peter has improved a little since around the time I was retiring (laughs). However he has good ability. Brian on the other hand has improved a lot after having come to Korea- especially before when he joined POS he practiced very hard.
-How often do you meet up with your team mates?
I live with Bertrand (Elky) and frequently meet up with Choi Jung Hyun (V-Gundam), but not too often with Daniel Lee, with whom I don’t think we’ve completely come to terms with my retirement issue.
-We’re curious as to how Elky is doing?
As far as I know, he has also stopped progaming for good, and probably won’t play again. Right now he is preparing for a gaming-related profession.
-What was the most memorable game during your career?
There’s too many. Among them I remember especially the one that was the most disappointing- (During the 1.07 times) I went to attend E3 and I participated in the games between me and Boxer that was arranged by the Korean producer for the show. After I lost I felt that I played too badly. If I could go back to those times, I would either not have played at all or have practiced very hard for the games.
(June 2001 Giyom lost 3:0 to Boxer in a Special Event game marking the release of the 1.08 patch)
I remember also the game during the final between Kook Gi Bong (TheBoy) on the Hunters. I made too many mistakes. The situation was that if he made mutalisks I would have certainy lost, but I gambled and expanded, and as a result I won.
(The game Giyom is referring to was game 4 of December 2000 Ongamenet King of Kings final, on a map called “Deep Purple”, a modified version of The Hunters.)
-Do you keep up to date with your fan site?
Sometimes. I just take a look around mostly, that’s all.
-Who did you consider to be your rival during your progaming career?
I always considered Bertrand my rival. I always cared about who out of the two of us got recognized the most in the streets, and who won the most games. When we were practicing, we even bet each other 10,000 won (laughs). We used to buy each other lunch with the money we won off each other. It helped a lot back then.
-Do you have any progamer friends?
I am close friends with Choi In Gyu (ChRh). Other than him, there isn’t anyone in particular.
-If you were to compare progaming now compared to back then?
First of all the maps have changed drastically, and the players are on a completely different level. I always think that the newcomers will be the strongest because it’s so hard to establish yourself as a progamer these days. When I first came to Korea, I just played and practiced regularly without too much pressure. However today, all the players practice very hard and are very good. I’m not going to try again because the players are just too good (laughs).
The scale also has increased dramatically. When I first played in the Starleague final I only played in a small studio in Bundang (a district) and there weren’t many fans there either.
-There are still many fans who continue to love and support you. Any last words for them?
I should’ve tried so much harder. I’m very sorry and I feel I have let my fans down. I was too lazy. I am very thankful for those who still remember me. I wish you all the best of luck and good health.
I wish he'd go for a revival, Elky too!
