EPT
Team8_TRUE![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/tWyEl6Z.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
You've successfully made it directly into Code S.
I'm really glad; if I'd lost, I'd have fallen down to the Up & Downs. The Up & Downs overlap with the team holiday period, so I feel lucky (laughs).
You've advanced straight to Code S in your first GSL.
I think I was very fortunate. It was complete luck (laughs).
How did you prepare for today's match?
I've always had great confidence in my ZvZ, so I didn't prepare anything special and just trusted in my fundamentals.
You started off with an early advantage during the first set.
I ate Chungshimhwan [Korean herbal stress reliever] before I came here, so my Zerglings were quite well-composed. I was able to start off well thanks to that.
Did you anticipate that BBoongBBoong would choose to go for fast Zerglings during the second set?
I was prepared. I tend to take the rear base on Icarus, so I anticipated that he would look out for that and use such a build. I was looking for an early Spawning Pool, and when I saw my opponent's Overlord and learned that he was going for a Pool build, I felt great.
GSL will be using Heart of the Swarm beginning from Season 2. Are you making preparations?
I'll have to start preparing from here on out. Up until now, I've just been hearing things secondhand from my teammates. Zerg seems to be a bit weak, so I hope a new patch comes out soon. There isn't much time (laughs).
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
I want to send my thanks to Sola and RorO from Samsung KHAN, soO from SKT1, Size from STX SouL, and Savage, ALBM, and coach Cezanne from my own team. Coach Cezanne even took hold of my mouse directly in order to help me, and my opponent used precisely the same builds that I saw during practice. I feel that I was able to win today thanks to Cezanne. I had a very hard time preparing for today's match because of my cold (laughs). I'm truly grateful to coaches Han Sang-yong and Cha Ji-hoon for constantly making sacrifices for the sake of the team.
LG-IM_LosirA![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wqCSZzd.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
Tell us your thoughts on winning first.
I'm so happy that I'm able to remain in Code S. I feel like I've received an opportunity to take the championship.
You unfortunately lost the first set.
The build that I'd prepared was countered; I feel that there's nothing I could have done. In addition, because of the gold minerals on the map, my opponent's timing arrived more quickly with a larger army than I'd expected.
Did you know that you had left your Drones idle?
Is that true? I wasn't aware of that. I changed my key settings as the patch came out, so I don't know too well. The UI changed, too, so I wasn't able to spot it.
The strategy that you used in the second set looked as if had been prepared in advance. But while you only had 70 supply, you had enough Overlords for 116. It might have been advantageous if you were mass-producing units, but didn't you make too many?
I made them to ensure that I wouldn't be supply blocked. I had prepared to stop any counterattacks as I practiced, taking into consideration factors such as distance and time in advance.
You showed similar things during the third set. You provoked your opponent with just a starting attack.
That is true. But I had made preparations for the third set; the map allowed me to play as I had always practiced. Whether my opponent attacked early or late, no matter what he did, I was confident that I could win.
You only used the Infestor-Roach-Hydralisk composition.
I think that that's currently the best strategy for ZvZ. I've played a great number of games on ladder, and I haven't achieved very good results with Mutalisks. You can use Mutalisks at one stage, but Infestors are a core part of the Zerg army, and I feel that you can manage to catch any Mutalisks with them.
You'll be starting in Code S next season, too. It's been such a long time since you've stayed in Code S for two seasons in a row.
I did so well during Wings of Liberty practice that I was even thinking about taking the championship. But after the Up & Downs, the Infestor range nerf patch was released. I became worried, and I ended up losing to MC. I was very upset, and I was disappointed that I wasn't able to show off my skills. I'll practice a great amount in order to show people a much better performance during Heart of the Swarm, so please keep your eyes on me.
You're scheduled to participate in IPTL and IPL in March. Are you confident?
Since participating in MLG last year, it's been a long time since I last played in a foreign tournament. Wings of Liberty is about fundamentals, so I feel confident. There are things that I've prepared since the patch was released, so I'm going to work hard. I want to earn a prize, and I would also like to achieve victory at team leagues.
Could you tell us a little about your plans from now on?
Because of the team league, I'll have to keep on practicing Wings of Liberty thoroughly. I'm planning on playing Heart of the Swarm alongside WoL for the GSL and GSTL.
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
Even as I was practicing HotS, my manager told me to get some tournament experience, and it was thanks to him that I was able to participate in the GSTL pre-season. I'm always thankful to my manager and his wife, as well as to those who helped me during practice. I'm very glad that Squirtle, who is a friend of mine, is joining our team, and I'm looking forward to LG-IM becoming stronger. I hope that Squirtle does well during today's match, too. SoO is one of the best KeSPA Zergs, so I feel great that he won. I'll make an effort to show a good performance during the upcoming tournaments, too. I want to send my thanks to my team's sponsors, LG Electronics, SteelSeries, Googims Company, Coca-Cola, ASRock, Kingston, and Nvidia.
LG-IM_Squirtle![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/rbv6Xij.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
This is your first victory since you switched teams. How does it feel?
This being my first win since transferring makes me even happier.
How are things going at your new nesting place?
The atmosphere is very good. It's very lively here, and the people practice quite hard, too.
LG-IM has a very strong Protoss line, which must be good for you.
Everyone is mainly practicing Heart of the Swarm. MC-hyung, YongHwa-hyung, Ruin, and Squirtle all have different styles, but we're all doing really well. I think that's a big help.
How did you prepare once Shine was chosen as your opponent?
I'm busy preparing for Heart of the Swarm, too, so I started practicing for the match yesterday. I didn't prepare anything in particular and just focused on the fundamentals.
You won the first set with a timing attack that gave you a massive advantage.
Things progressed as I had anticipated. I knew that if my opponent scouted me with his Overseer, he would make a lot of units. Afterwards, I had confidence that if I produced an army out of two Robotics Facilities and attacked, my opponent would not be able to block it.
During the second set, too, you created a huge gap between you and your opponent with early harassment. But what was the reason why the game dragged on until the late game?
My hands weren't moving well, and I had a feeling that I would end up losing if I overdid things. Because of that, I focused on firming my hands. The fans probably didn't like it. I was surprised by the Fungal at the end.
Now that you've been confirmed for Code S next season, you're in a good position for Heart of the Swarm.
I'm very satisfied by my return to Code S, and it's very good that I didn't even have to play in the Up & Downs. If I fall in the Ro32 again, though, I'll be back in the same situation, so I'll have to make an even greater effort.
This is a period where you'll have to prepare for Heart of the Swarm.
I'm thinking of practicing and going alongside my teammates.
How does it feel to play Heart of the Swarm?
I don't get the feeling that Protoss is particularly good. People around me have said that Oracles are strong, but they're easily blocked and countered nowadays. I think that Widow Mines are imbalanced. And the most imbalanced thing of all is the Medivac booster.
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
I want to thank True, RagnaroK, and viOLet for helping me practice, as well as MC for recommending builds to me before I came to the studio. I also want to send my thanks to my manager for taking me to the studio and caring for me, as well as his wife for also taking care of me. Finally, I'm thankful to LG Electronics, SteelSeries, Googims Company, Coca-Cola, ASRock, Kingston, and Nvidia.
KT_Flash![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wjfzyTB.jpg)
Source: This Is Game
This is your first time in Code S. Start by telling us your thoughts.
It's taken a long time. I've finally set foot on the Code S stage, so I'll work hard and make sure not to drop out right away.
How did you prepare for your match once Rain was confirmed as your opponent?
Not only was this Round 3 of Code A, but my last Proleague opponent is also a Protoss, so I kept on practicing only TvP. I think that those skills showed during this match.
Last interview, you expressed sadness about constantly failing to reach Code S. Was it traumatic?
If I'd failed this time, too, I probably would have been traumatized; this much is okay. I think today's match went well for me.
You seized victory during both of your games using Medivacs. Until now, you've focused on macro play, but you showed off some brisk Medivac harassment today.
Even during Brood War, I trained in multiple styles in order to rise to the top. If I'd only been playing macro games previously, I would start practicing how to perform harassment. I'm still undergoing training right now, and these are the results of my efforts.
The next season will transition to Heart of the Swarm. We're curious to hear about whether you're looking forward to this.
I've heard that Terran is good in HotS, and I've also heard that Protoss is the best race. Like in Wings of Liberty, it's not good if the game isn't balanced. Before we started playing Starcraft 2, people had used to call Terran a very strong race, so I do get why [the game is imbalanced], but I do personally wish that the balance was better. I don't think it's quite right at the moment.
The MLG Winter Championships, GSL Season 2, and the upcoming Round 4 of Proleague will all use Heart of the Swarm. How do you plan on preparing?
I feel concerned because I haven't played a single game of HotS; I personally don't want to participate in tournaments without being able to practice first. I've just gotten a grasp on Wings of Liberty, and I want to do the same for HotS.
Tell us anything more that you would like to say.
Now that I'm in Code S, I want to practice hard and play matches against difficult opponents. I can't wait. I want to have a rematch against Life; I unfortunately lost to him at MLG, so I want to get my revenge.
