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Son Jong Lee (이선종), known as ST_Legend, is a freelance observer for GOMTV, he is in charge of observing matches for the global GSL broadcasts.
If you could state this with as few words as you can, who is 이선종 (Son Jong Lee), the man outside Starcraft and GOMTV?
I may be viewed as a mischievous and reckless guy, but I am a person who loves to have fun.
What kind of childhood did you have growing up? Were you the quiet kid or the loud kid?
I grew up as a troublemaker; I was a loud kid, every place I went became loud with me there.
Do you have any funny/embarrassing stories from your younger days?
When I was 14 I spotted a pretty girl as I was walking down the street, so I followed her for 20 minutes...
Did you have any dreams besides Starcraft? If you weren't ST_Legend the observer today, who would you (probably) be?
I think I would have been making pizzas at a pizza place if I wasn’t observing. If I someday start a pizza place named after ST_Legend, please come and eat there!
Who are your closest friends inside and outside your career? Any girls?
I am close with John Park and Jay who translated the GSL awards at the 2012 Blizzard Cup.
Girlfriend... I don’t have one... Anyone who feels like I am attractive after reading this, please send me a love letter.
If you could state this with as few words as you can, who is ST_Legend, the GOMTV observer for the international GSL broadcast?
Chef. The players provide and prepare the ingredients, and I cook with what they give to put it on the table for the guests.
Could you describe your Starcraft 1 experience?
I started SC1 when I was 14 and I enjoyed it until I went to the army. I was in the HanBitSoft Gaming team when I was in high school.
Do you remember your first Starcraft game? Did you win?
The first game I played against was with a school friend. We played modem play (LAN) and I lost to nuke that my friend used on my mineral line.
What prompted you to try and become pro at Starcraft? How did your friends and family react?
나도현 (Na Do Hyun), a gamer that used an ID called Silent_Control asked me if I wanted to start a new challenge.
At the time, I was working at a pizza place and I told my family that I wanted to become a pro-gamer a day before I was supposed to move into the StarTale team house. My parents did not approve my decision until I told them this: $100,000 prize money.
How was your SC2 professional life? Did you enjoy it?
I started playing games again after I was discharged from the military, but my hand movement was not the same, so I got stressed out a lot.
Players younger than me were doing better... which hurt my pride a lot... I tried to practice and put more effort but I thought I did not have enough talent and decided to turn to coaching.
How did you go from SC2 player to GSL observer?
My coach thought it would be difficult for me to continue playing as a player, so he wanted me to help him coach and take care of the players. However, he told me that there was an observing spot left so he recommended me.
Recently, the GOMTV special: Legend Of The Swarm focused on your "return" to progaming in Heart Of The Swarm, but ended with Choya, Nestea and Polt crushing you. Do you have any unresolved feelings about not being a competitive player? Are there any plans to devote time to seriously playing?
I do not have any plans to comeback as a pro-gamer... despite this, I still practice on my own very hard.
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HeavenDom, the observer for the Korean broadcast, is the senior GOMTV observer, and your mentor. Although he has observered for interational events such as BWC and IPL5, few people outside Korea actually knows his name. Who is HeavenDom? What kind of relationship do you share with him?
HeavenDom is my observing teacher. He is in charge of the Korean stream, so not a lot of foreign fans know about him. On the other hand, the Korean fans do not know about ST_Legend. A Korean fan wrote in a Korean Starcraft community forum after watching “Legend of the Swarm”, asking ‘who does that guy think he is, calling himself a Legend’.
In Korea, HeavenDom is performing well as the observer and ST_Legend is doing well globally.
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Could you describe your training under HeavenDom? What kind of practice routine did he prescribe to you. Does he still regularly criticize and mentor your observing today?
It was very hard when I first started observing. When HeavenDom observed I sat next to him for hours just watching. I asked him a lot about the hot keys and he taught me one of the most important skills to have which is how to read the mini map. He does not comment that much about my observing anymore.
Among the foreign audience, people stipulate that ST_Legend is the third commentator of the English broadcasts, often times frantically circling items in the production tab, clicking upgrades, trying to tell the viewers and casters about what's missing from the commentary.
Are these actions really a way for you to try and fill in the gaps of the commentary? Are these simply just a way for you to direct the presentation of the game? Are there even any thoughts or feelings behind this?
Observers can't directly talk to the audience, but since the audience watch the game through my screen and understand the flow of the game, I agree that observers are just as important as the caster(s).
I circle things that are important. That is because it is that much important to the outcome of the game. In a mirror match the most important thing when identical units battle are the upgrades.
If a player misses an upgrade by mistake that might change the whole result of that match so I try to highlight that by circling it.
Many times during a broadcast, you choose to redirect the camera during a battle to show the audience other events such as a dropship moving to backstab, or a key decision being made by the player outside of an important event when there are multiple events taking place simultaneously. How do you make the choices to move away from an event and take a shot of something that may appear unexciting? Is there a specific contingency for these situations or is it all intuition.
There is no specific rule. If two players have a big battle and one of the two players may drop units in the opponents base during the battle. If I do not show the drop, it will be hard for the viewers to fully understand the true outcome of the battle and why one player seems to be having a harder time even though the big battle ended without a single player taking the advantage.
Once I missed two drops that occurred during a big battle in the center and that night one fan asked if it was really ST_Legend who was observing.
At IPL5, viewers were treated to relatively new flashy opening camera movements for the games, with diagonal camera motions, circular close ups, and dramatic player introductions. How often do you and HeavenDom spend time coming up with new game directing tricks and styles? Do you ever get nervous executing a particuarly complicated introduction?
The most nervous moment is the first day I show something new in the broadcast that I have been practicing. I make small mistakes from time to time, but I hope the viewers would understand. I do not practice the player introductions separately. When I observe (in the middle of the games) I will turn my camera “this way and that way” and I get my ideas from that and use it in the broadcast.
What do you think about the new replay features in HOTS, and even other ESPORT games specator modes. Are there any specific wants and dislikes you would want Blizzard to know about?
I was not able to try the observing mode of HOTS yet. Since it is the Beta version I am currently trying to understand the game.
I have a lot I want to request to Blizzard. There are too many things for me to simply state. If David Kim (Taeyeon Kim/김태연) reads this please scout me to the balance team and you will not have further problems about the race balance.
With the KeSPA players and organization fully integrated into Starcraft 2, do you have any comments on the KeSPA/OGN observers? Is there anything particular in their game directing styles that are interesting to you? Have you met any of them personally?
In WoL I personally think that the KeSPA players are still a little bit behind, but when HotS starts I think they will do better. This is just my feeling.
When I have the time I try to watch the Proleague and the Starleague, but I really do not like their observing style. They only observed SC1 until recently so I think they did not fully understand the observing system of SC2. However even though a few months have past their observing is still not improving. I think they do not recognize the true importance of observing. They also do not seem to possess a professional mindset.
There are many negative threads in the Korean community about the OGN observers. I hope they gain more professionalism when HotS starts so that I can truly compete with them.
2012 was an incredibly busy year for GOMTV with LoL to Starcraft2; WCS, Blizzard Cup, GSTL, GSL, IPL5 and many other special events such as GNN and the KeSPA vs ESF show matches. Looking back on the previous year, how exhausted were you throughout all of these back to back events? Is the studio atmosphere notasbly more tense with fatigue, or does the staff manage to cope with the stress?
I am not a full time employee for GOMTV, and I work as a freelancer. So I am only in charge of the SC2 part for observing. Other employees in the production team often stay up all night to create player videos, map introductions etc. They really try to be perfect, but please understand any small mistakes they may make, if there are any.
All of our staff members have fun working and maintain a good atmosphere 365 days.
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In the first episode of Legend Of The Swarm, you were shown drinking merrily with SK.MC and the other GOMTV staff. Is this a regular occurrence after work or after tournaments?
Often after the Finals or any major events all the staffs gather up to go out drinking. We do not gather up that frequently, but every time we drink I tend to travel all the way to Cloud Kingdom, Daybreak and Antiga Shipyard.
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Has observing influenced your play at all? (A common theory is that you have immense mini map awareness). Watching and observing literally thousands of games, are you able to use the knowledge from the players and matches you watch in your own play?
Honestly when observing even the plays of the top players seems to have many flaws. So when I observe, my dream of becoming a progamer comes back again.
Every Progamer considers looking at the mini map very important. Watching the mini map is a very basic skill, but it is also the hardest skill to train. You have to be aware of the mini map constantly to scout and be aware of your opponent's movement.
What is it like being a non player on StarTale? Do you give any of them advice since you are there at the studio before the matches?
I always tell the StarTale players to play the game with a professional mindset. Every progamer in Korea gives their all to gaming starting from a young age. So if you want to be successful you have to really put in your effort.
If you had to marry a StarTale player, who would you pick?
Hmm... This is the hardest question.
If I had to pick one I would pick Bomber. It is because I can trust him and he is very responsible. He shows this through his games. I can trust him because he throws away games by calling down manner mules. You can see this in the team league Finals in Las Vegas when he played against MarineKing.
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Do you have any plans beyond observing for GOMTV? Does having tenure at GOMTV give you any reassurance for a future career with the company?
I am currently practicing World of Tanks. If I get the opportunity I would like to observe that game. As for my future in the company I would have to talk more with the company as time goes by.
How you feel knowing you are a household name on the Reddit and Team Liquid community sites?
It is actually very amazing. When I first created this ID ST_Legend I wanted to become the Legend of SC2. But right after I created it the Legend seemed to fade away instantly.
I am really thankful that so many people know me now.
Are there any goals you have in mind with this new year?
This year I hope to observe not only in the GSL but also in other tournaments. I want to show better observing to more fans and help them enjoy watching the game more.
Your birthday recently passed, how old are you now? How did you spend it?
I am 29 in Korea and 28 in the States. I had to observe the Up and Down Matches, but I played some HOTS in my spare time.
Would you like to make any predictions for the last Wings Of Liberty Code S?
I think Life has a good chance to win again. He is carrying the momentum from last year. He will also become the champion many times for HotS.
Have you considered live streaming your play? I'm sure there would be many people interested in watching you.
I have free time after the GSL, so I thought about streaming and even bought a new computer and a webcam. I asked the TL staff a few times if they can put my stream up with all the progamers, but that was not accepted. At that time he told me that I was not famous enough to be included (Editor’s note: shame on you whoever you are).
I know that you can earn money from streaming. If I earn money I want to open up an event so that the global fans can come visit Korea to watch the GSL using the money I earned. That is my goal, and why I want to start my own stream.
Where can we follow you?
Twitter: @Startale_Legend
Any closing thoughts/comments?
I am thankful to the fans who love and support me and the GSL. I will continue to observe with a professional mindset so look forward for my observing this year. Also, I would like to observe in other tournaments, so if you need me please contact me through my Twitter. I am willing to travel to any part of the world.
Care to say anything in english for your fans?
Thank you everyone. Me English chobo but your and me Starcraft love same!!!
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Song Ho Young, was a veteran of the SC1 scene. Having lived the progaming life for nearly ten years, he had experienced many things, and carried with him the burdens of the B - Teamer.
Hopes and dreams that he had when he began his journey, the crushing realities, and the hopes and dreams he had when he decided to start again.
When Song Ho Young first decided to switch over to SC2, he seemed a little lost. Playing on the NA ladder for an unknown team, losing the support of the many SC1 fans on Team Liquid, he didn’t look like the former professional SC1 player streaming his Fish games on Afreeca and teamliquid. There had to be a reason for this, there had to have been a story to tell, and so on Feburary 21st, three young Koreans came together to share the story of SKT T1 In_Dove, and the hopes and dreams he had for SC2.
The next day, the SC2 community was introduced to a man from a different era. Receiving interest from players and fans, Song Ho Young was surprised and humbled by the support he received.
But the fairy tale wasn’t meant meant to be. Unfeatured by Team Liquid, cast aside by foreign teams, and continually frustrated with the game, In_Dove, the progamer who had given everything he had for years chose to retire. 23 years old, with no education, employment or work experience, Song Ho Young chose to put his progaming past behind him.
We name Project Dove after him, not because we have regrets about his career, but because we respect his decision to move on with his life. We were happy to have been able to let In_Dove’s tale be told, and even happier that Song Ho Young was able to set aside old regrets and burdens for his own sake and future.
It is our hope that we can interview those who do not readily have a chance to let their voices be heard. Like Dove, we want those willing to share their funny experiences, and let their hardships, regrets and dreams be heard.
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Ji Hoon Park (박지훈), affectionally called “totteur” by his younger sister, and known as “Rylzey” elsewhere, is a young teenage graphics designer from France. Volunteering his services for his online friends, he hopes to one day make a living as a professional graphics designer. Jihoon enjoys Korean and other Asian cultures, playing the PS3 and watching/playing SC2. You can find his twitter here.
Sang Hoon Park (박상훈), known as “Gamegene” in the SC community, is a Korean American student living in Los Angeles. Developing a passion for Starcraft 1 after living in Korea for half a year, he now plays SC2 semi-competitively on his livestream. A former running athlete, he enjoys the challenge of the game. You can find his twitter here. (@GamegeneSC)
Christopher Jo, better known as “rotinegg”, is a Korean software engineer living in the United States. Experiencing the PC Bang craze first hand as a kid, he has an amazing passion for Brood War. Enjoying playing and watching it the most out of any game, he does his best to give the SC1 scene whatever support he can. Despite his incredibly busy schedule and his self admitted bias towards SC1, he has agreed to lend his superb translation and conversation skills to Project Dove. You can find his very intriguing blogs on Korean culture here.
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Long ago, the journey began with one man's story: SKT T1 In_Dove
Be sure to follow us at @ProjectDoveSC for updates, upcoming interviews. Tweet at us and let us know if you have any questions you would like asked, or if you want someone to be interviewed!
Have a suggestion? Do you know an interesting person in our community? Are you able to introduce us? Contact us at ProjectDoveSC@gmail.com OR PM Gamegene on Team Liquid.
Be sure to let Legend know that you are in love with him on twitter! @Startale_Legend You can watch the GSL and his observing on GOMTV.net. Feel free to post love letters to Legend below, and we'll be sure he gets them.
