NSHoseoSan Interview!

Hey San, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Just for a few of our readers that don't know you, do you have any introductions for yourself?

Hi, I am a sc2 progamer and protoss player. Long back ago when protoss still had Khaydarin Amulet upgrade, I used to be called "The God of Protoss". My recent stats are not so great, however, I am practicing very hard.

In the past you were not living with the rest of your team at the NSHoseo house, is this still the arrangement or have you moved in with them?


I ususally practice in my house and visit NSHoseo teamhouse on the weekends due to recent health issues (nothing serious, health issue was the closest translation but I think it was more concerned with just general fitness/health levels connected with playing games all day in a progaming house).

While you are not playing StarCraft 2, what else does you like to do in your spare time?

I usually check the Korean and foreign SC2 communities online or when there are no SC2 leagues going on, I often go on road trips with my friends, and I don’t play any other games than SC2.

A lot of people outside of the pro-gaming scene think that being a progamer is the perfect life and nothing but good times playing SC2, what do you thinK most people don't know or don't understand that is maybe a negative to being a pro-gamer? What is your favorite part about being a progamer and what is your least favorite part?

Well, decades ago the field of professional sports were not quite considered as a decent career option, and I think it still needs more time for a progamer to be considered as a real job for other people outside esports scene. The good thing about being a progamer is that there is an opportunity to earn quite a good amount of money, and get to know lots of people with similar goals and interests in their lives. It seems to me that studying is the thing people usually do their own, but gaming is more cooperative. The downsides are that I do not have much time to exercise, sitting on the desk playing games. And tiredness and stresses coming from gaming take away motivation.


Many people living outside of Korea view Korea as a heaven for gamers, Do you think that this view is false? How do people on the street or people you meet that aren't interesting in gaming respond when you tell them your profession is a pro-gamer? Is it a good way to pick up girls? ㅋㅋㅋ


Haha yes I kinda agree. Korea seems to have better facilities to earn professionalism. Also regarding some foreign progamers who had practices in Korean progaming team house achieved remarkable results in competitions. When I meet people who are not interested in progaming, I usually dont say that I’m a progamer. They are surprised after they hear that I’m a progamer. After all, progamer is still a rare job in South Korea.


In the March GSL season you had great success, not only showing some unique styles and exciting games for the time, but making it to the Ro4 vs MC before losing 3-1, you then went to up and down matches the next season being sent to Code A where you then lost to Sheth in the first round of Code A. I imagine this was a difficult time for you, how did you deal with it and how has life been since, trying to get back into the GSL?


The first few slips, I thought that I was just getting unlucky, but after failing making into Code B twice, I realized that I had not practiced enough. So right now I’m putting much more efforts on practicing to achieve better results in the future.

Do you think that you still have what it takes to be a top contender in Korea or StarCraft 2 in general? Can we expect to see you in Code S semi-finals again one day? What changes do you think you need to make to get to that point again?


In many interviews from old BroodWar pro gamers, they only sleep for 3-4 hours during the league season. It is contrary to most of SC2 progamers who accompany their spare time and hobbies, and practises at the same time. I personally think SC2 requires a little bit less effort to reach to the top, for example, due to its convenient interfaces that saves a lot of apms. Reaching to the Code S final seems bit tough at this moment, however I feel like getting better over time. If I become qualified for Code A, I would be able to play up and down matches at least. Right now I’m 23, and I did not yet finish the military service, so I must use my time very wisely and preciously.


In a recent WCG open bracket you played very strong players like SlayersPuzzle, SlayersRyung, and MvpsC. How do you think of these matches and what do you think would make a difference, have done better looking back from now.



I was very excited to win Ro32 games not only because it’s been such a long time since I have won in a public tourney, but because he was well known as a very strong player. I still think I could’ve advanced If I were more focused. Since I didn’t get a much sleep the day before that match due to nerves, I made a lot of small mistakes against sC, like 2k floating minerals, not making many gates and nexus here and there at such a late game. Also my army composition was not very good against heavy marauders that sC had. I should’ve had more archons instead of high templars.


We are starting to see Koreans of all levels attend foreign events, and being very succesful at many of them, is this something that you want to do? Is your team willing to send more players internationally? Do you watch many foreign tournaments? How do you think you would perform at a tournament similar to MLG?


If possible, I would definitely love to be involved in those foreign events. There has yet been anyone from NShoeseo who has participated in foreign events. I think It’s because we’re having such a hard time finding a foreign sponsors or teams that want to work with us. If anyone sees this, please invite us! Haha.
I think foreign progamers have their own unique style, which is quite different from most of korean players, it’s always interesting to see those. In my opinion Sage has his unique playing style, yet still strong at macro against every matchups.
I watch most of foreign tournaments. If I play on MLG, I think I’ll be able to do pretty well since I don’t really stick to one standard build, but try various different strategies which I think is perfect for short tournaments like MLG, and can be very entertaining to watch for the fans!


Do you think the foreign competition is easier, or do you think that with players like Idra, Huk and now Naniwa that they are catching up to the Koreans general Korean level of play?


I did think the level of foreign tournaments were generally low at one time, however now some foreign players are almost as good as any other korean players or even better, so now it seems as difficult as winning GSL.


I know you have played a little bit on the NA server, who is the best foreigner you have come against? Who do you think is the best foreigner period? Who is the best player in the world right now in your opinion? And who is the most overrated player in the world right now in your opinion?


I haven’t played famous foreign players on ladder, and it was all koreans who were quite good, I played couple practice games with SeleCT too. The best foreign player right now seems to be Huk? But I think that Stephano will be the best in the next few months. <He hesitated to answer most overrated> I asked a few close progamers that I know of, and they kinda all agreed with me. and I think Nestea is the best in the world in my opinion. Whenever I play him I just get overwhelmed, I don’t know why haha and this doesn't happen against other players.

How do you feel the recent patch changes have affected Protoss? What are your current feelings about the race? You mentioned earlier that the Khaydarin Amulet change affected your play, why do you think this change affected you more than other Protoss players. Is there anything that you think needs changing? What is the most 개사기 (****ing OP) thing in the game and why?ㅋㅋㅋ What is your toughest matchup and why?


In the past, I never seemed to find a reason why I lost, because Protoss was never allowed to make a single mistake when engaging versus EMP. But now with these patches favoring heavy upgrade builds for protoss, I think TvP is very well balanced at this moment. It seems to me that many Terran players haven’t found an excellent counter to upgrade heavy builds, even progamers. Plus, the upgrade patches were done when fast forge upgrade build has startet go gain popularity in GSL. So if TvP turns into very ordinary late macro game, it cannot be better for protoss. Even a few months ago, 200 versus 200 were still close if terran has a good ratio of mmm’s and ghosts. But everything has changed since the recent patches.
I know a lot of people say that marines and mules are the most OP thing in SC2. Khaydarin amulet was one of the most OP, yet a hope in the late game against Terran. In the past before Khaydarin amulet was deleted, I managed to develop a build that is based heavily on high templar from the early game, as opposed to most protoss players going robo at the time and then transitioning to high templar in the mid game. Terrans who never played me before seemed to have had a hard time countering my build, because Protoss with 3 bases, and Khaydarin amulet done was literally unstoppable in TvP. This allowed me to bring back the games when most people thought it was over, and I think that’s why people called me the "God of Protoss", haha.


You mention many players think MULES need to be changed, what is your opinion on this?


I think mule is imbalanced in a way or another that even other Terran progamers acknowledge. The recent patch changed a lot of stuff, but since its been only about few weeks after that big patch, other races would find answers for something like fast upgrade protoss in TvP or immortal heavy army compositions in ZvP.
The recent trend in zvp for zerg seems to be making many broodlords + infestors behind many spines, which can be boring strategy to watch for fans due to the small number of engagements among all other matchups in SC2. If ultra gets buffed by a little, it would be way more exciting in a late game matchups for Zerg.


Your games are usually always entertaining to watch and showcase unique styles. Do you do this on purpose when preparing for a game? Or is your primary objective to win the game? How important is it for you to entertain your viewers.


The reason of having my own playing style is that I don’t want to be remembered as just one normal players among hundreds of them, but sadly I’m now practicing those standard strategies for upcoming Code A qualifiers, because it’s safe, so higher probability of winning. I absolutely love when viewers go crazy when I win with unique playing style/strats, and I think it’s very important to entertain my viewers.


Did you get a chance to see some of the new units/features that Blizzard has announced for the upcoming expansion? What did you think of them and why?


There is a custom map that already simulated HotS, and I played a few games. Terran was the most OP, and Zerg seemed to be the worst in my opinion.


If you enjoy entertaining your viewers, have you thought of streaming for your North American fans? They would love to watch you play and learn from you I am sure! I think that's all I got for today San, thank-you for your time! Any closing words or thanks before we close?


Yes absolutely! Other players in NSheoseo started streaming in TL.net, and I’m also planning to stream my games on TL.net very soon. Hope many of my fans will enjoy them. And I’d like to thank all my teammates coming to GSL studio to support me, and SlayersYugioh who helped me practice my ZvP a lot. Thank you all my fans around the world for supporting me. I’ve been playing much more than I used to, to get back into Code A! I will for sure achieve better results, and show entertaining games in GSL! Thank you!