[Int] Jan Up and Downs Day 4 Winners

Genius

Source - http://www.thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=995231&category=13439

Q: You returned to Code S right away. How do you feel?
A: While I was on break for a season, all of my accumulated skills got sucked away. I believed that if I could just recover that level of skill I could advance. I've returned again to the most significant league, so I'm happy.

Q: You had nothing to do for a long time. What did you do during that period?
A: I went to one foreign competition and didn't get a good result. I kept practicing but my skills didn't improve, so I got frustrated. Because I had so much time for practice, I think it also got boring.

Q: Today you secured a Code S spot with four straight wins. How confident were you?
A: I was most worried about the PvP game against Squirtle, but because it was my last game I didn't think about it and also didn't practice for it. I came to the studio absolutely aiming to get 4 wins in a row. That was the key to today's 4 wins.

Q: How would you personally rate today's games?
A: I didn't really practice much, but it suddenly felt like I improved. It's not to the point of a realization, but since I kept playing games things I had previously not known about improved. Honestly, since I didn't practice much but my skills improved, I'm amazed. I think the games went well because I enjoyed them while I played.

Q: At one point you told Protosses to do well, how do you think they are doing nowadays? [T/N sorry this is just what I think was meant]
A: I saw the Up and Down matches on Monday and Tuesday and thought that Protoss wouldn't do well. But then I practiced and my winrate was alright. But I'm still not satisfied. Terran is still number one.

Q: Your use of High Templars today was good.
A: You can do that kind of play against greedy Terrans. But it's somewhat harder against Terrans who get ghosts quickly. You can't do anything.

Q: You did a proxy nexus ceremony against Boxer, and then he followed suit making command centers.
A: Honestly, before I did it, I thought “Is this alright?” I'm thankful that he returned the gesture like that. As expected, it seems like his nature is different. [T/N sorry he's just saying that Boxer's a good person for not taking it hard]

Q: You've returned to Code S again. What result do you predict?
A: I think that if I practice a little more and work on my flaws, I can rise to a really high place. Since yesterday, my games are suddenly going well. Until now I've practiced only as much as I felt like, but now I am able to enjoy playing. I don't practice a lot, but since when I do practice I enjoy it, the efficiency has improved. I am looking forward to next season.

Q: Anything else you want to say?
A: I thank Sculp, Nada, and Keen for their help in practice. There are more people who helped, but I can't remember their names. I'm really sorry. The last thing I want to say is “MVPDream is a bad guy” (laughs). Dream helped me practice, but it was useless practice.

Boxer

Source - http://www.thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=995460&category=13439

Boxer and Taeja's joint interview.

Taeja> Since it was a situation where if I lost, Boxer would get knocked out, I wanted nothing but to win. Because I did my best, I thought it would be alright even though I failed to advance. I congratulate Boxer on returning to Code S, and I hope that he will rise to a high position in my stead.

Boxer> I'm sorry to Taeja. Even though when I beat Cezanne it confirmed that he would not advance, in the last game he tried really hard for my sake and won. Thanks to that, it seems like I will have a good end to the year. Now I really like Taeja. Before that I wasn't sure (laughs), but I am thankful that he did he best for a teammate today. I think in the future I will need to give him a lot of benefits.

Taeja> I think I will advance to Code S quickly from Code A. I won't go through the Up and Downs and will advance directly. I thank my parents and brother for supporting me. I wasn't able to get Code S, but I will work hard so that I can advance next time.

[now Boxer's interview]

Q: Thoughts on returning to Code S after 6 seasons?
A: I got three wins and thought, and because I lost to asd I couldn't advance from my own efforts. At that moment I knew I had knocked Taeja out. I was really sorry and thought that fate was making a sad joke. But honestly, I couldn't hide my feelings.

Honestly, my will to advance was a little lacking and I was having trouble with some personal things so I wasn't able to focus, and I was really stressed. I played the games thinking not to just show games like ladder so as to not be cruel to fans. But strangely, more than Code A rounds 1 and 2, I was more relaxed, and my judgment of situations was better. More than before, I was able to show better ability. I advanced to Code S while thinking like that, so I'm sorry to other players and fans.

Q: Due to what sorts of things were you not able to focus?
A: There were some things with sponsors, and I was busy because of plans to move the teamhouse. Because I went to the finals with MMA and my parents had an operation, I was not able to focus well. It was a situation where I could only play carefree like with ladder games. Despite that I did better in games than before, but due to my feelings I feel sorry.

Q: You lost to Marineking in the Code A third round and lost the chance to advance that way.
A: I have a lot of memories of not doing well on Dual Sight. I was also made sad on the day of my game with Marineking on Dual Sight. Up until that, I had been researching Dual Sight a lot with coach Ryu Won. Clide had been possessed by Marineking [T/N played a lot like him I guess] so he practiced a lot with me, but in the end I got overthrown, so I was sorry to a lot of people. I had planned to get battlecruisers if it went to three expansions, and if things went like that I think I couldn't have lost.

But then when it actually came to pass, things went as they did and my plan didn't go well. Honestly, after I lost in that way, my mental state collapsed. So after that, I tried to put some more bold factors into my games. Marineking did well in battles and attacked well so I played passively, but that ended up becoming a bad decision.

Q: Wasn't that period of time not in Code S difficult?
A: When I go and return from foreign tournaments, difficulty arises from stamina. But more than that, my feelings cause difficulty. I thought of the past and felt regretful. For 9 months my heart was troubled. My face also aged a lot, and because of stress I binged and gained a lot of weight. But after we move to a new location, I will work hard on managing my stamina and prepare for next year.

Q: What did you think when you watched Code S in that time? Especially with regard to MMA's activity.
A: While MMA did well, things felt really worthwhile. During the Blizzard Cup, our team received the most popular team award and MMA won. When I looked at MMA, I thought that I did well making the team. It was worthwhile. I hoped that a player would be able to soon enjoy as much public interest as me, and if MMA becomes that player, I think I will be glad. Won't e-sports do well when many players become famous?

Q: How do you think you will feel standing on the next Code S stage?
A: I think I barely reach the level of skill worthy of Code S. Because of those thoughts, it seems like I will have to work harder than other players. During today's games, my hands didn't shake much. Like always, feeling the rush of victory is the best medicine. If I win, my body and heart get stronger and my ability improves. Because I was somewhat afraid of Code S, I think my performance next season will match with my practice.

Q: Don't you have to set up a goal for next season?
A: More than making a goal for a rank, first I want to improve my ability to match with Code S. If I can cultivate my skills, I wonder whether I won't naturally be able to become a regular (laughs). Because my dormant goal is to eventually win, I think it's okay even if I don't say definitely.

Q: It seems like there are a lot of people you are thankful to.
A: Gayeon has worked hard and suffered for Slayers for 1 year. The very first thing I want to say is that she has done a good job. Also, Slayers players have worked really hard for a year, but I hope next year they can enjoy more glory than this year. I thank Coach Cella, Coach Ryu Won, and staff Jung Hee-Chul who worked hard with me. Finally, I want to thank all the supporting fans and all fans of Slayers. I want to say have a Merry Christmas and please look forward to us next year. I thank Intel, Razer, EXR, Donga-Otsuka, and HosanENG representative Jung Byung-Il for sponsoring us this year and want to say have a good end of the year.