EPT
[Daily e-Sports Lee So Ra Journalist sora@dailyesports.com]
Together in the e-Sports world with SK Telecom (www.sktelecom.com)
Source - http://esports.dailygame.co.kr/news/read.php?id=59433
[20120419 - People] A simple youth, KT Kim Sung Dae’s honest story. (
Action)![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/1WCVb.jpg)
Mafia Zerg, aw yeah
“Guldo? So what about that nickname? Because of that my name spread one more time. I am thankful for that nickname.”
If you search on portal sites the term Dragonball Ginyu Force ‘Guldo’ a picture comes up. Amongst big tall characters, a short green and sort of ugly face is ‘Guldo’. If this kind of nickname sticks to a person, their feelings are bound to get hurt.
+ Show Spoiler [Reference Guldo] +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/z9Y1N.png)
However KT’s Action just laughs it off. He gives out a hearty laugh because this nick had given him more attention. One can think this kind of personality may seem too humble at times. So we asked him do you know about ‘Guldo’ and he replied, “Honestly even as I see it, I do see some resemblance” and surprised the questioner. One can describe him as pure and simple.
There was a reason why Action recognized this nickname as his. If it wasn’t for this ‘Guldo’ nickname, he replied ‘how could he have gained this attention?’ What a Progamer needs with skills the most is the interest, he says that his doesn’t know how precious a nickname is. After hearing this we nodded in agreement.
A warrior being called ‘Guldo’, but also being called a movie star by his teammates receiving affection from his teammates. He has spent tough days during his Progaming life, we listened to Action who is trying now to spread his wings and his story.
◆A difficult time in eStro.
“I couldn’t eat meals properly. Because, I was a practice partner without a salary. I think some days I ate ramen the entire day. But I did not struggle because of food. Because during time, playing the game was so enjoyable”
It is known to everyone that during his eStro days he never received any salary. Even if he was pulling 1/3rd of his team’s wins, he never received one note. Action, where all his teammates bought snacks was everything. However back then he explains he was comfortable. There was no pressure to perform those days; he explains the games turned out better.
“If you tell me to go back to my eStro days, of course I would hate it (laughs). Those days were really tough. Still, I do have thoughts trying to go back to the mindset I had when I started. Just playing the game and eating ramen, I felt happy and during those days I had no burdens so I could unleash my skills freely.”
After the decision for eStro to be disbanded, Action rather let out a sigh of relief. That moment, it’s because Action had been putting out good records. Also in that spot KT or SK Telecom which had great support game teams were lacking Zerg power, because of his expectations to join those teams and play in a good environment he had trouble sleeping. That’s how Action’s eStro days ended.
◆A more difficult time, transfer to KT.
After the transfer it seemed everything would turn out okay, but Action had spent a tougher time at KT. Because of his strong responsible personality, he explains that this past season was his most difficult season as a Progamer.
“Going into one of the best teams receiving the best treatment, how happy I felt back then. The practice environment was the best. But I couldn’t put up good results. I felt that I could not shake off this poor performance and struggled. Every time I saw the coaching staff and my teammates, I was sorry I could not even raise my head openly.”
Action who did even expect this kind of problem to arise after his transfer, he started to fall in a slump. Since this was the first occasion where he had confidence in his skills but could not show results, he could not find a way to deal with this kind of pressure.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cOAYq.jpg)
“Somehow after the eStro team disbanding, I think the two months I could not practice properly had affected me greatly. I kept losing in the early game. Soon after my confidence started dropping, even though my skills have returned I felt like I forgot how to win, and started doing weird strategies. I felt so frustrated. It was probably the most difficult time in my life."
◆Friendship built by a drink.
When Action was struggling in this slump, the biggest support was his teammates.
Flash, BarrackS, and HoeJJa whenever Action had a tough time whether it was on the rooftop or a park, they drank a can of beer each together and cheered Action up. Through this, Action started to slowly recover his energy.“It was to the point I started being scared to even play matches. Because I thought nothing I do would work, leading to a mental defeat, and the first who lent out a hand was Flash, Hoejja-hyung, and Barracks-hyung. After the match, they saw my struggling self, called me out for a drink and gave me support. If my teammates did not guide me then, I don’t think I would be here right now.”
Especially Flash in his interviews often mentioned Action’s name and encouraged him. After talking to his teammates that helped guided him, he slowly started getting back on track. Also this season’s postseason, finally Action started showing his true skills.
“Even now when I think about those days where we had a drink on the roof, I can laugh about it. Some people may believe that KT players are not that friendly, but if you see us in person you’ll be surprised. I believe that the secret to KT’s teamwork is probably the friendship amongst players.”
◆A history of passiveness.
Action, who started to perform during the post season. What made him change? Action explains it simple in one phrase.
“I’ve given up. Then I started to do better.”
It sounds easy, but this contains many meanings. Losing in every way possible, Action became desperate. Even thinking about being kicked off the team, Action at that time started approaching the game emptying his mind. However the results turned out better. Seeing that, Action says he had a moment of enlightenment.
“During my losing streak I had this kind of thinking. However I get there, I’ll win with my management game. If I don’t, nobody will acknowledge my skills. Winning with a management style, I can be judged as coming out of my slump. Thinking like that, I became obsessed with management and my opponents had a breezy time making straightforward builds or strategies against me.”
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EHMKA.jpg)
D’awww
After emptying his mind, Action started playing where his hands lead him. He removed the pressuring thoughts in his head wanting to be acknowledged and even erased thoughts of trying to win with a management style. Even if it was a strategy he lost often during practice, if his sense were good, he used them decisively. Soon after emptying his mind, the flow of the game started becoming visible and he now can do a genuine management game.
“Honestly in practice, I do use a lot of bold strategies and tactics. But my win rates were not that good. That’s why I kept going back to management style. But the real match and practice games were definitely different. During practice my teammates know what I would try and it would be blocked easily, but in real matches strategies that can surprise my opponent are endless. I forgot about that.”
Even in the finals against
n.Die_soO the reason he could do that bold Zergling attack, was similar to the Starleague Dual Tournament’s final match against BaBy with a 7-drone strategy, those decisions were made because Action emptied his mind and played where his hands led him.“If it was my past self, could I have done an all-in strategy in the finals? Even attempting a 7 drone strategy in the final match entering Starleague, if it was the past Action it would have been impossible. However now I started trusting in myself. If I played according to my thoughts and my senses, I realized I could play well. Now I won’t do plays trying to show people."
◆Thankful and sorry to Woo Jung Ho (
Violet)Action whenever he thinks of Violet, his mind becomes deaf. Always supported Action like an umbrella, Violet suddenly became diagnosed with leukemia. Action confessed that it felt like a corner of his heart felt empty. But because of his curt self-contained personality, he says he could not express his thoughts to Violet.
“It was around the same time me and Violet-hyung fell in a slump. Violet-hyung during resting time asked me to go practice together, but for me I did not practice during rest time. So I refused his offer, and then for the first time ever Violet-hyung got angry at me. I was scolded a lot. Then I realized. I changed, in the past nobody would tell me to practice, and I even practiced during rest time but the thought that I have become complacent made me feel disoriented.”
Those difficult days, Violet’s advice and encouragement were a big help to Action. Violet, who trusted in Action more than anyone, Action after hearing about his diagnoses had to send him out of the doors without expression even a word of comfort.
“I’m truly sorry. Contacting often, and I should be first to send the news but my personality can’t do it. But I hope he won’t forget that I’m always thinking and cheering him on. I hope he gets better quickly.”
[T/N: This last statement might translate a bit weird, sounds like he's just a very introverted]
Wanting to build more relations with people. Action, like how his skills that have grown up, he hopes that all his wishes will come true.
.
