
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IrZKfsr.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
You've returned to Code S once again. Tell us your thoughts.
My goal at the beginning of this season was to secure a Code S seed for Heart of the Swarm, so I feel glad. It's a bit unfortunate that I wasn't able to advance to the Code S Ro8.
How did you prepare once HerO was confirmed as your opponent?
I did play a little Heart of the Swarm before, but I prepared [for this match] for around two days, starting on Monday.
Did you anticipate a 2-0 victory?
I was playing a TvP, so I was confident. HerO may be a good player, but he kept on practicing Heart of the Swarm, so I felt that I would win.
You used early-game harassment during your games to get ahead of your opponent.
My play style is usually to go for a quick CC, so I decided to focus on performing early-game harassment this time, and it worked well. HerO looked like he got flustered.
You've mentioned that you've played Heart of the Swarm. What do you think of HotS?
I feel that Terran is the best, followed by Protoss. Zerg is the worst race, and I think there will need to be a patch. Zergs can manage during the mid and late game, but they have a hard time coping against early-game harassment.
You must be looking forward to Heart of the Swarm next season.
If HotS is released as is, I think that Zerg will become extinct (laughs). I would like them to leave just the Medivac boosters alone; that's my flavor of Terran.
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
I would like to tell Zerg players that since you've won a lot during Wings of Liberty, I would like it if you suffered a bit. I want to send my thanks to Avenge and Han Jae-hoon [not that Jaehoon] for helping me practice, as well as my team's sponsors, Red Bull, ZOWIE, and Joy Gear.

![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/NJhZjFf.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
Tell us your thoughts on advancing to Code S.
I feel delighted about finishing well and being able to play in Code S for Heart of the Swarm next season.
How did you prepare for your match once your opponent was decided?
To be honest, I thought that I would lose. I aimed for the Up & Downs and only practiced Heart of the Swarm. After playing only HotS, playing Wings of Liberty somehow became more comfortable, and that's why I think I was able to win.
How was Heart of the Swarm?
Early- and mid-game harassment is too difficult to deal with, so I keep losing early on; there's no way to block Terran early-game pressure. I think I've lost nearly all of my HotS games [against Terran] (laughs).
What would you think would be good improvements for HotS?
I can't say for certain because I haven't played much, but I don't think there's any way to counter Hellbats; I even lose to amateur players. I can handle ZvZ or ZvP, but I keep on losing my ZvT games.
This is your ninth consecutive Code S season. If you stay in Code S just one more time, you'll receive the NesTea award.
I think that I can earn the NesTea award as long as I work hard, and I think that I'll be able to go above and beyond that if I work even harder.
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
I'm always grateful to the fans for cheering for me, and I'm also thankful to my team's sponsors, FXO, Twitch.tv, and Razer.

![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/aUJsmzx.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
You've advanced to Code S for three consecutive seasons.
Today's results were so-so. I wasn't looking foward [to this match] because my condition wasn't very good, but I feel that I was able to win because luck was on my side.
How did you prepare for today's match?
I practiced when I could find the time, but I didn't get enough practice because I was too fatigued. Even this morning, I had to go the hospital to get supplement shots.
Considering that you blocked the proxy Barracks attack during the first set, the game went on for a long time.
I don't know whether it's because I've gotten bad recently, but I wasn't able to focus well during today's match. I don't think that my performance today was very good.
You ended up losing Set 2 to MarineKing's Marines.
I definitely felt how astounding MarineKing's army maneuvering is. I definitely think that it's his strong point and that it's something that I should learn.
Were your MULE drop and manner CC during the third set intentional?
I used it after seeing the MULE drop during the second set. I didn't mean anything bad by it.
During your last Code A interview, you said that this match would be an exciting one. How does you feel now that you've actually played it?
MarineKing's army maneuvering was as good as I thought it would be. I wasn't able to enjoy this match because of my bodily condition, and I felt very pressured.
You've gone directly into Code S. Starting next season, you'll be playing Heart of the Swarm, so how are you planning to prepare?
I haven't played that many games yet. For now, I'm thinking of playing as much as I can. There are three Zergs by my side at the team house, and they all seemed to find HotS difficult; I think that Terran is the best right now.
Do you have any last words?
I'm thankful to my team's sponsors, LG Electronics, Googims Company, HyperX, Coca-Cola, SteelSeries, and ASRock, as well as to my brother's wife and my manager. Now that I've gotten sick after leaving home, I've started wanting to see my mother. I hope that all of you take care not to catch a cold.

![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/erNYgmR.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
First of all, tell us your thoughts on today's victory.
If Sniper had won today, he would have blocked my path forward just as he did in the finals, so I feel very glad. It's fortunate because I would have had trouble in the Up & Downs because of my tight overseas tournament schedule for March.
In the first set, you fell behind for a moment.
It had been an even situation; Sniper is a very good macro player. I had thought before that winning would be difficult, but when I took a strong position after the first engagement, I believed that I could easily win. However, I somehow ended being pushed back. I don't know whether it was because of my experience losing to him at the finals, but I kept on going. I lost both the build order battle and the mind games.
What do you think were the factors behind your defeat in the second game?
Instead of spawning a Queen at my natural, I made two at my main base. After my first Queen came out, I knew that I had made a mistake. Truthfully, I couldn't get much practice on Icarus because I was knocked out of Code S so quickly. They say that Icarus will trip you up if you don't practice on it much. All I focused on was mining the gold minerals with my workers, so I only ended up getting four Larva instead of eight. Even when I attacked, I had no support for my Banelings; my opponent had more Banelings than I had Zerglings. I really regret making that initial mistake.
You must have been in a difficult position with the third set ahead of you.
I thought of how much I lost when I was defeated at the finals and how terrible it would be if I lost today, too. I think that Sniper was thinking about a lot of things during that game; he kept trying to scout me. I just focused on what I should do myself.
You seemed to have intentionally showed your expansion Hatchery during the third set.
It's true; I did it because making no expansion means that your opponent knows that you're going all-in. I think it was effective.
With next season's Code S seed, you'll have to start preparing for Heart of the Swarm right away.
I'm already practicing now, but it's too hard. I'm not asking for much, but I wish that it were more similar to Wings of Liberty. I also wish that Zerg would become slightly better. I feel that WoL was good. After last season's GSL finals, I feel like my results have been on the downfall; I kept getting blocked by ZvZ. I do feel confident, but I keep on facing strong Zerg players.
Tell us anything more that you have to say.
I hope that with today's turnaround, I can start showing good results. I would like it if the fans cheered a lot for me. I want to thank Symbol, RagnaroK, and Revival for helping me practice even when they had games of their own, and I also want to send my thanks to Quantic Gaming's owner and manager.
