[Interview] TVing Starleague Ro16 Day 4

You had your first victory in ro16. How do you feel?

I feel great to have won. The round is not over yet but if I manage to beat Jangbi, there’s a possibility for both Flash and I to advance to ro8 which makes me want to work even harder.

You lost a close match against Flash

I think I was in a good spot until the midgame because my defence was so strong. Then, I lost in the late game which gave me some regrets. Still, Starcraft 1 and Starcraft 2 running in parallel (T/N: sentence cuts out here… -_-)

Some say you GGed out too early

Flash has played several times on that map and I’ve practised with him in the past. When you play against Flash, you end it before a certain timing. Past that, you can never win. Flash was well off economically and I was short on gas so a comeback was not possible.

Are Flash’s and your parents who are sworn siblings still close?

A single match isn’t going to push them apart (laugh). I haven’t been eliminated from ro16 yet so it’s fine. If Flash and I win all our games, we can have a rematch so I’ll try my best to make that a reality.

Because Flash lost yesterday, for either of you to advance, you must have a rematch.

Because of Proleague, we actually didn’t have much time to prepare for OSL. Flash couldn’t have won in such a disadvantageous position. It’s an individual league after all where each person works hard for themselves.

Zerg in Starcraft 2 seen as the weaker race

Every team claims that Protoss is the strongest but at our level, Protoss is easier and Zerg is harder to play. However, once we reach a certain skill level, that should change.

You are the first in Group B to have won a second game

I knew losing today would mean that advancing to ro8 would be difficult so I feel great. However, I can’t decide whether I played well or badly. The reaction from the waiting room after a game has always been good but today’s was very lukewarm (laugh). It made me worry whether my play was subpar today.

Your opponent was such a newcomer that it must have made it difficult for you to prepare for the match

Since he’s a newcomer, I decided to be as safe as possible. I tried to take the lead by focusing on vultures in the early game but failed to do so falling behind only to make a close comeback later in the game.

You made the comeback possible by winning engagements in the centre

Actually, until the engagements in the centre, I thought I was too behind because my opponent had an economic lead. However, once the engagements were over, I knew I stood a chance.

Wraiths played a big part as well

I scanned his base and saw that he had made a dropship. So I was making a small number of wraiths to take down the dropship. The two wraiths helped out a lot even in actual engagements.

Many fans are expecting a lot from you in Starcraft 2

Because people expect so much from me, I feel burdened at times. However, I am quite confident also. I shouldn’t lose after saying this but I feel like I am adjusting rather well.

Do you find TvP difficult in Starcraft 2?

It’s not easy but not impossible either. I am so sad about the fact that there are no vultures in Starcraft 2 but I don’t like how the hellion attacks so I won’t be using it in their place.

You are seen as a possible champion for this season of OSL

Personally, I don’t like the fact that Starcraft 1 and 2 are running in parallel but I am adjusting well. Still, playing both games is really difficult. If I could focus on a single game, I would do much better. However, despite not having played Starcraft 1 for a long time, I played fairly well. If I keep up my confidence, winning this season shouldn’t be a problem.

Anything to add?

In the last OSL, my fans celebrated my 5th year anniversary. I don’t think I was able to properly thank them so I want to take this opportunity to say that I am really grateful. Lately, it seems more fans are coming to see me so I thank you all and ask that you continue to support me..

With this second victory, you have set up an advantageous position to advance to ro8 from

I feel great because I won a game I shouldn’t have. However, I’ve failed to advance to ro8 after two victories plenty of times in the past so I should work very hard for the next match. It’s too early to celebrate.

With your early zergling attack failing, you fell behind a fair bit

I never expected my opponent to go for a two hatchery build. I thought Soulkey would go for the 12 drone spawning pool but as the zergling fight started, I saw he had a lot more lings than I did and that I could lose helplessly. It pissed me off.

How do you think you came back in the game?

I thought my opponent had a natural after a 12 pool and despaired but looking at his zergling count, it was a 9 pool. Since we had the same number of drones, I believed that a comeback was possible as long as I didn’t let my concentration slip.

The extra round of drones really helped.

Since I knew that Soulkey had a weak economy, I decided that I should outplay him in that regard. It worked very well and from then on, I estimated that I was ahead and played the game out comfortably.

Every time your grandmother comes to the studio, you win

Even though her health isn’t great, she often comes to the studio to watch me. I don’t think I can ask her to come to Proleague as well (laugh). Anyway, weirdly, my grandmother is happier when I do well in individual leagues. I think she wants me to hog the glory all to myself. I really want to live up to her expectations.

Your opponent for the last match is Hydra

He stands between me and ro8 and because I regard Jaedong and Hydra to be the best ZvZers at the moment, I really want to win against Hydra. Looking at the bracket, I thought Hydra would be the most difficult player to beat so if I beat him on my way to ro8, I should be able to use that momentum to go even further.

Today’s match was very fun

This match put me in situations that I have never experienced before in other games. I was unsure the entire time. I think that’s why the match was interesting.

Anything to add?

I really want to win the rest of the matches and advance to ro8. It’s been a long time since my grandmother had a chance to cheer me on in OSL so I’m happy to have this opportunity. I will make sure she continues to have a reason to visit YongSan studio.

You took your second win after an epic comeback

I thought I was going to take the match after I killed two overlords early on and was looking for a timing to attack. However, as my natural got destroyed by zeglings, I was taken aback but still thought I had a chance. I had so many mutalisks so as long as n.Die_soO didn’t have any spore colonies, I was in an advantageous position.

Weren’t you set back by your loss in Proleague?

Not really. I’ve always done well in ro16 of OSL so I went into the match comfortably. My record in ro16 is really good so I was sure I would win.

Didn’t Soulkey’s loss prior to your match affect you?

If it were Proleague, maybe but this is an individual league. I only focused on my own games. I did feel bad for him of course.

If Stork lost to Horang2, you could have been the last step to Stork’s 100th win.

I hoped that wouldn’t happen (laugh). So I wanted Stork to win but now, if I lose to Stork, there could be a rematch. It would have been better for Stork to lose and for me to be that step to his 100th win (laugh). However, seeing Stork’s interview yesterday inspired me. If I knew he was planning such an interview, I would have gladly chosen to be his 100th victim.

Is the hybrid league hard on you?

Very hard. I think everyone knows. I’m not at the same level as Stork to be saying stuff like that but even if I don’t, I’m sure everyone knows.

Are you confident against Stork?

Of course. Since Stork has said what he wanted to say and gotten his 100th win, he should focus soloey on Proleague now (laugh).

You now have to play Starcraft 2 in Proleague. Are you confident? Q

I want to do well in Starcraft 2 but my skill is too low. I can’t bring myself to say that I am confident. I’m nothing compared to my teammates who are so good.

Anything to add?

Park, Wan Gyu sang an awesome theme song for Proleague. He even sang the opening song for us so I am really thankful.