[Interview] ex-MBCGame Caster Kim Chul Min

doothegee

Korea (South)3011 Posts

January 20 2012 00:41 GMT

Link
Enjoy the interview.
Original Interview: Daily e-Sports
Translated by: doothegee
All rights reserved to DES.

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MBCGame's Kim Chul Min "I feel like the captain of a sinking ship, holding onto the rudder for dear life"

With the opening of the channel "MBC Music" this coming February 1st, the 10-year old game channel, MBCGame, is set to close.

Opened in 2001 under the name "geMBC", MBCGame formed a friendly rivalry with fellow game channel OnGameNet, producing programs such as MSL and Tekken League. In the center of all this was caster Kim Chul Min. Given the duty of head commentator with the formation of the channel, he was there to witness the rise and fall of MBCGame.

Daily e-Sports met Kim at the LOOX MBCGame Hero Center, who was recording a program called "Adieu, MBCGame". Kim's eyes watered as he watched videos from over 10 years ago and his voice quietened with every spoken word.

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Q: We hear this is the final program scheduled to air on MBCGame. Thoughts?
A: It's very depressing. It feels like I'm on the last lifeboat from a sinking ship and floating aimlessly on the ocean. To be more accurate, I feel like the captain of a sinking ship holding onto the rudder. I didn't want to show up to the recording session, but it felt like my duty to show up, so I did. (Translator's note: Kim sounds extremely disgusted saying this. Original text: "출연하기 싫었지만 인간적인 예의는 지켜야겠다는 생각으로 나왔다")

Q: Any other reason you decided to show up?
A: When MBCGame opened, the person who called me was this program's producer. His name is Oh Hak-Dong, and he called me to say "We need you for our last program". He was the one who led me to MBCGame when I was working at SeoCho Cable TV, so I came out of loyalty to him.

Also, I felt sorry to the fans. After the Survivor Tournament for the then-next MSL ended, we never got a chance to say a proper farewell. The fans might be thinking that there will be still a chance for MSL to take place, and the players will be waiting for a tournament as well. However, "Adieu, MSL" is the last program. It seems like a very inhumane conclusion, but I showed up to present a formal goodbye to the fans.

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Q: You were with MBCGame since 2001, the opening of the channel.
A: At the time, the channel was called geMBC. If I recall correctly, the channel was renamed MBCGame at around 2005. I have many memories with the channel, and it's where I spent most of my golden days. I remember laughing and crying with the fans through various programs. I want to take this chance to give thanks to the fans again, with whom I shared so many emotions.

Q: What programs did you take part in?
A: I was in so many programs, that it would take a day to name all of them. I saw old videos during today's recording, and I saw a young myself, as well as younger versions of my fellow commentators, Lee Seung Won, Kim Dong Joon, (P)

Nal_rA, and (T)

Yooi. It made me laugh, but it wasn't a genuine laugh; rather, it was more like a disdainful chuckle. I still can't believe what happened and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Q: Still, don't you remember the first program you took part in?
A: I remember the first KPGA Tour. We crowned a champion every month. I think a player called (Z)

TaewoO won. It was the first league-style program of MBCGame, and it was essentially the first form of MSL.

Q: We know it would be difficult for you, but if you had to pick one program that sticks with you?
A: It's a program called "TPZ", and the MSL. TPZ is short for "Terran, Protoss, Zerg", and it was a program where (T)

BoxeR,

GARIMTO, and (Z)

YellOw came on as representatives of each race and talked about strategies and tactics. There was a corner called "Crazy Replays" which eventually made its way into a separate program in 2008, and it really took the viewers by storm. Personally, I think that's the program that made MBCGame so popular as it is now. MSL and Proleague gave the channel fame as well, but with out TPZ, it would have taken far longer for the channel to establish itself.

Q: Any episodes you remember during "TPZ"?
A: The program was marked by (T)

BoxeR,

YellOw, and (P)

GARIMTO's awkwardness. Of course now, they are star players and after many TV appearances, they are more comfortable but back then, they were young kids in their late teens and early 20s. I remember (Z)

YellOw was almost unusable on TV. We had no idea what he was saying. After time, I told the producer "I can understand what he's saying" and he replied "Your listening's getting better." I felt like I was taking the TOEIC with every episode.

Q: You also casted many leagues. Any partners that you can't forget?
A: Lee Seung Won, Kim Dong Joon, (P)

Nal_rA,

Yooi,

Shark. The first two, especially, are like my mother's home cooking. There's nothing special to remember. It was just my life. They were always around me like the air so I never fully realized how thankful I was for them. The program flowed like water with them, which couldn't have been better.

I have the most stories with (P)

Nal_rA and (T)

Yooi. To be honest, and I'm exaggerating a bit here, it was like broadcasting with two people with speech impediments (laughs). They were very pure at heart, but also very lost. At the time, Park Sang Hyun, Yoo Dae Hyun, and Lee Seung Won were creating great synergy together, so the three of us put our heads together all night to think of something as well. As a result, we came up with the name "Kang-Chul-Seung", which we even mentioned on the air. Our slogan was "Hello, we're the public broadcasting team, Kang-Chul-Seung." On the program which filmed the commentators live, I remember that us three had the most airtime.

Q: Any episodes with Lee Seung Won and Kim Dong Joon?
A: We were like gears running in tandem. There were no accidents. We yelled so much that we were dubbed as a singing trio, but they were two commentators who knew so much. Both have moved to OnGameNet, where Kim is commentating for League of Legends and Lee is working for ProLeague. I think it turned out well.

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Q: OnGameNet took in former commentators, celebrities, writers, etc. Didn't you think of moving?
A: People around me ask me why I'm not moving. It's not that I haven't thought of moving myself. However, every time I hear that I should move, I asked myself and got mad. I first thought about why a perfectly functional channel like MBCGame had to disband and we had to move to another channel. After that, I didn't feel like moving at all. It had nothing to do with my personal pride. I just didn't like the situation that we were stuck in.

I'm not blaming the people who moved, but rather, I detest the situation, environment, and structure that gave us all these troubles. We really thought gaming and e-sports had established itself as a culture, but to think that it was all founded on a pathetic base where a channel can disappear just like that, it almost feels like my ten years at MBCGame were meaningless.

Q: The program you took part in today was mostly about looking back on the past. Watching the videos, what did you think?
A: It sounds negative, but my first thought was "Why the hell am I doing this?" I asked the PD, "Why are we doing this?", and he told me, "It's because the ones higher up ordered us to." It's like giving another slap to a crying child.

If they gave the responsibility of this program to someone who will be moving onto MBC Music - fine, I can live with that. But they gave the responsibility to a producer who doesn't know where he is going to after this, and to me, who will be losing my job soon. That's why I really wanted to refuse when the offer first came in.

Q: Your face seems to tell us that it troubles you to even reminisce of the past.
A: There's nothing good to try to hold on to the glorified past. Rather than be depressed by thinking of the past, it's better to forget and move on. It's much more productive to worry about the future. I want another game channel to open, so that we can show up MBCGame. I want to show them that their policies are wrong, and they made a terrible choice to close the channel.

Q: If a new game channels opens, would you be willing to start again?
A: Yes. But let's face it, what's the likelihood of that happening? For the time being, I don't want to work in gaming or e-sports. Not like that's ever going to happen (laughs). If it's regular TV or sports, I will consider it.

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Q: This is the final program of MBCGame. We're sure you have lots of things to say.
A: I already talked a lot, so I don't have a lot left to say. If the channel closed in a good way, I wouldn't have these regrets. It feels like my home was taken away. Actually, no, this metaphor would be more appropriate. Let's say I was running a restaurant that was doing well on business. However, because of some particular people who believe that we must change our menu, we're forced to change our entire restaurant. I can't understand it at all.

When I heard that the game channel would be changing into a music channel, I was appalled. Noone seemed to be interested in saving a game channel. It was very disheartening to see everyone trying to find a new life and a new job. Last September and October, I worried an awful amount, and I even lost a lot of hair.

Q: What does it feel like to be at the last recording?
A: The seats that used to be full of fans and the waiting rooms that used to be full of progamers are now empty. It really breaks my heart to see the program set all over place, without any maintenance. It feels like I'm standing in an empty house that has been garnished by the government.

This is a precious place for the fans and an unforgettable venue for the players, and I hate the fact that I can't come here any more. The fact that I hate the most is that we've only been here since 2008 and we have to move out already.

Link to picture album of the recording set (Pictures in spoiler)
+ Show Spoiler +

Leftover props from @Play, B.net Attack, etc.

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The MSL player booth, never to be used again

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Empty dressing room

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Shark, before the recording

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Unused cheerfuls for the MSL, featuring all the seeded players from ABCMart MSL
Left to right: (Z)

ZerO,

Grape,

Calm,

Jaedong,

Hydra,

Flash,

Leta,

Mind

All the old programs on MBCGame

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Kim Chul Min

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Kang Hyun Jong, of the very popular program "Star Infinity Challenge"

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Getting ready for the recording

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Staff getting ready for the final recording

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Always professional on stage

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Reminiscent (Z)

Shark

The recording is over. So marks the end of an era

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Closed door to MBCGame Hero Center after the recording

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I've translated a lot of interviews before, some by Kim Chul Min, but this is by far the most depressing and bitter-sounding one of them all. Let's hope everything works out well for everyone involved.

+ Show Spoiler +

Boycott this shit.

Taekwon

United States8155 Posts

January 20 2012 00:45 GMT

Oh captain, my captain.
Your enthuse and systematic screams will never be forgotten.

Thank you for what you did for Brood War.
We are eternally greatful.

Kiett

United States7639 Posts

January 20 2012 00:51 GMT

Ahh... I was in the middle of translating this one T__T

Oh well. Thanks anyway. Such a heartbreaking interview ;~;

Torenhire

United States11681 Posts

January 20 2012 00:54 GMT

Some of this is really harsh, you can tell how very upset he is. As he should be, MBC really screwing the pooch just going "FUCK IT MUSIC CHANNEL TIME"

Feel really bad that he's having to do this last program - I'd be disgusted too. :/

Thanks for translating.

Plexa

Aotearoa39261 Posts

January 20 2012 00:55 GMT

This is probably the most gut wrenching interview I have read

doothegee

Korea (South)3011 Posts

January 20 2012 00:56 GMT

On January 20 2012 09:51 Kiett wrote:
Ahh... I was in the middle of translating this one T__T

Oh well. Thanks anyway. Such a heartbreaking interview ;~;

Ahhh sorry. T_T I kept refreshing while translating to make sure noone else was doing it.. ._.

I really wish I could convey into English how bitter he sounds. I never thought I could imagine him sounding like this.

Finskie

Sweden412 Posts

January 20 2012 01:03 GMT

On January 20 2012 09:55 Plexa wrote:
This is probably the most gut wrenching interview I have read

man. i second that. then i think about what gets lost in translation and it feels even worse.

Zona

40426 Posts

January 20 2012 01:06 GMT

Meh, I wonder how MBC will react if/when their music channel tanks.

Thanks for the translation.

dmnum

Brazil6910 Posts

January 20 2012 01:07 GMT

I want to cry after reading this interview

soujiro_

Uruguay5195 Posts

January 20 2012 01:09 GMT

#10

thanks for translating this interview
hoping the new channel fails big time

Tipany

United States368 Posts

January 20 2012 01:10 GMT

#11

It's not hard to understand where he's coming from, the bitterness is ridiculously overwhelming.

disciple

9071 Posts

January 20 2012 01:11 GMT

#12

T_T absolutely depressing

Kipsate

Netherlands45349 Posts

January 20 2012 01:11 GMT

#13

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

come to ogn

plx

fuck.

unoriginalname

England380 Posts

January 20 2012 01:12 GMT

#14

What on Earth were they thinking in bringing back a person they've fired/going to fire?

greenelve

Germany1392 Posts

January 20 2012 01:12 GMT

#15

reading this feels like be part of a funeral, like something beloved just died

MBCGame was 50% Proleague and MSL, for me, the more prestigue tournament, cant really tell why :/
its so sad that they closed the gamingchannel and the way they did it....i really wish for Kim Chul Min and all the others that they will find the job they enjoy and this does not happen again (to them).

and thanks for translation, making us all feel sad :p

bearbuddy

3442 Posts

January 20 2012 01:13 GMT

#16

Wow. What an interview. Harsh and emotion, it's like he's the embodiment of all the fans who went WTF MBC music channel.

Thank you for the translation. Nothing but mad props and respect for speaking his mind.

Corrupt

Bulgaria1312 Posts

January 20 2012 01:15 GMT

#17

Along with MBC Game.. a part of us died, a part of Brood War died..
but what you guys gave us will always live within our hearts.

Caster Park - Never forget. T_T