EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/qr5GuoL.png)
MarineKingPrime was not the first interview i did that day but it was by far the longest (just over an hour). When he entered the little room GerrardPrime gave us to do the interview, he sat cross-legged on this huge red seat and hugged a pillow that would remain in his hands for the entirety of the interview.Before starting i really wanted to light up his mood so i talked to him about the reactions you could read on foreign forums about his retirement from SC2. I explained him that the vast majority of the message were thankful message for the memories he made, that even on boards that usually don't receive anything related to LoL well, people were still encouraging to him. I also mentioned the team liquid thread.
He was pleasantly surprised by this, and this could set up a nice mood for the long discussion we were about to have.
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Q:You actually used to be a Starcraft1 progamer. How did you ever first picked up the game and how did you made the transition to being a progamer ?
A:When i was in elementary school, starcraft1 was very popular. In middle school and high school i used to go to PCBang to play starcraft with my friends after class. It made me want to go pro, so asked my parents for permission. After this i entered the Courage tournament and won it.
Q: So you entered MBC Game Hero by being drafted. How was life as a pro-gamer back then ?
A: I was a big fan of pro-gamers at this time, so i couldn't believe that i was there, in the MBC Game Hero teamhouse. I was really thankful to be there. I will never forget about those times and will cherish this memories for the rest of my life. After some time i started to get used to live there and i realized how hard it was to be a progamer, i got a feeling of the amount of time you must put into the game.
You instantly switched to Starcraft2 when it was released and was well known because of your very high ranking on the ladder. You met success early in the GSL Open Season 2, using a unique play style, focusing on the use of one unit in every match-up : the Marine. We could describe the style as very micro intensive for TvP and TvZ, whereas relying on mobility for TvT.
Q: What did you find so good about the marine and why did you use it so much ?
A: I really liked the unit the first place. It is really fast and really strong. So i started to play with it a lot and got better and better at controlling it and soon it became my best skill in the game.
Q: Everybody remembers the game against Kyrix Zenith on Shakuras Plateau. This game changed the face of Starcraft2 for ever. How and when did you realize that you could control your marine this way against the banelings ?
A: I don't like to copy other players and trying to mimic them. I like to find unique ways to play. Actually this is not something i do only in game, but in general in life, i try to be original and have my own style.
So i was trying to find my own way to play the game, i didn't watched any other player, i was focusing solely only my play. At that time i was practicing a lot and trying very hard and eventually i managed to control marines better and better.
Q: After another second place at the 2011 GSL January, you started having problems advancing far in GSL. You were still doing very well in tournaments outside of the GSL but it seemed you hit a wall in the GSL booth. What to do you think was the reason for this ? Was there some kind of mental block or was it just that your opponents were really strong ?
A: A lot of fans started to show up for my games and everybody was expecting a lot from me. I couldn't afford to fail in the earlier rounds and the pressure was very high. It was something specific to the GSL and the nervousness made my play worse.
Q: 2011 was the first time for you to play in foreign tournaments with MLG Orlando and ESWC 2011. Was it the first time for you to travel outside of Korea ? How was the experience at those tournaments ?
A: It was my first time to travel aboard and i was really excited since i always wanted to travel since i am a little child. I was expecting a lot from those trips.
At foreign tournaments, the fans are really different, they are more numerous and more cheerful than Korean fans. I was surprised and pleased by their warm welcome.
Also the foreign leagues just takes two or three days and i felt this style was very good for me.
Q: So you feel more comfortable playing a tournament like MLG or IPL where you had to play many games in a row rather than a tournament like GSL or OSL where you have one week to prepare for each game ?
A: I don't like to prepare everything before the game and take a week to get ready. I prefer to just play the game and feel the flow.
Q: After those foreign events, you fell to Code A and managed to secure a Code S spot again. In order to do this, you had to play against
BoxeR. It is well known that you respect him a lot. How did felt to play against your childhood idol and even beating him ?A: It was a good experience to play against such a strong player in Stacraft2. I couldn't realize i was playing against Lim Yo Hwan (
BoxeR), as i was a very big fan of him when i was a child, i couldn't believe i was playing against him. But actually something didn't fell quite right during the game : it was a good feeling to play against him but since i admired him it was also a weird feeling to be on the same stage and even winning against him.Q: The end of 2011 was again mixed : in MLG Providence, online cups and in WCG you managed to beat very good players but still missing on this big tournament win.
A: At those times i was playing very relaxed because i was certain that i would eventually win a tournament, i knew i was good. I was not feeling to pressured and in retrospect i regret it because i think this made me make lots of small mistakes that cost me important games.
Now let's talk about 2012, which was a wonderful year for you. There was an awesome rivalry between you and
DongRaeGu during this year. You managed to win MLG twice and to repeatedly beat all the players that had been in your way in the past. I even remember one day I was at the GOMTv mokdong studio and i was chatting with cArn who said to me that all the Koreans wanted to avoid you in the GSL, you were regarded as the best player in the world by your peers.Q: During those days, who are the players you think were on the same level as you were ? Did you feel that you were on top of the game more than ever ?
A: It was the second time for me to have a period like this in my pro-gamer career. First time the league had maybe three or four players that were at the same level on top of the game [NDLR:he is referencing the early GSLs]. But for the second time, even I was thinking that i was the very best in the game. I was really proud and confident in my skills so i could control the game very well. I felt calm in the booth. It was a relief to finally win big championship tournament after so many second places. These times are also memories that I will forever carry with me.
At the 2012 MLG Pro Circuit Winter Championship, i was feeling nervous to play the finals against DRG. I didn't wanted to meet him because i knew he was really good and could beat me because we used to meet often on the ladder. Beating him felt like a big accomplishment.
Q: After the release of HotS, everybody expected you to do well because of the changes made to Terran that seemed to fit your play style very well. Why do you think you were not able to enjoy a revival in your game unlike many other Terrans did at those times ?
A: I started to loose interest in Terran before HotS release. So i started to practice Protoss for around 3 month. But then HotS was released, the changes to Terran were really good so i had to switch again. The thing is i was not enjoying that style of play anymore [fast and aggressive], i was actually practicing Protoss because i wanted to play a more relaxed and defensive style.
Q: So you said you were considering a race switch. Was it only because you felt bored with Terran or more or so with the game overall ?
A: When i was a beginner, i had a lot of passion about the game. But after that many years of being a pro-gamer i can see more clearly what has to be done to win. The game is getting more basic and the strategy are kind of always the same. It is true that i was starting to get bored with Starcraft2.
Q: If you have to pick the best memory of your Starcraft career, what would it be ?
A: Of course it would winning the 2012 MLG Winter Championship. There was so many fans that i didn't knew i had. It was impressive and i am so thankful to them.
Q: How long did you think about switching to LoL before you finally make the decision ?
A: It happened very suddenly. I was playing LoL only as a hobby. After loosing twice in GSL and doing lots of silly mistake it hurt my pride and i felt like i couldn't win in Starcraft anymore. So after loosing i decided to make the switch.
Q: What aspect of LoL do you prefer to SC2 ?
A: I don't think LoL is better than Starcraft, they just have different good aspects. Since LoL is a team game, it makes me feel more relaxed to play with friends, it cheers me up to not play alone. Always being alone in Starcraft made me lonely and pressured. I still think that Starcraft is the better game tho.
Q: What is your favorite champion and what is your favorite position to play ?
A: I like to play with Vi [NDLR:Not 100% sure, with korean accent it sounded like "Pa-i" and i don't know anything about LoL but looking at the champion list i think its this one] and my favorite positions are Jungle and AD Carry.
Q: Will you keep the same ID in LoL ?
A: I considered to change the ID because it is about the Marine which is not in LoL. But i know all my fans love it, especially the foreigners, and now i feel this ID is my identity so i want to keep it.
Q: How much time you think you need to reach pro-level play in LoL ?
A: If i compare with other AoS players, it's easier for them to adapt to LoL. But i come for Starcraft so it will take me more time.
Q: Did you play Dota1 or any AoS game before ?
A: no, not really.
Q: Are you going to keep streaming your games ? SC2 or LoL ?
A: Now i have to practice a lot because i am debuting in LoL so i have no time for streaming. But after i am done with practicing a lot, i will stream again and i want to stream both SC2 and LoL.
Q: Are you considering a come back to SC2 ? For LotV for an example. What change to SC2 would make you come back to the game ?
A: I just announced that i quit SC2 so actually i don't know if i will come back. But if the fans are really asking me to make a comeback, maybe i will come back.
Q: Do you have a message to your fans ?
A: Thanks. Just thanks a LOT, to all my fans. I really didn't expected that after quitting my favorite game, that my fans would keep cheering for me. I saw some post about fans wishing me to do well in LoL. It is really to much, i feel i can't deserve it, i am so thankful for it. I will never forget about it. If you want to still care about me, please follow me in LoL, it is hard to change games because i really love SC2.
