EPT
SKT_soO"There just aren't that many fans in Korea, it makes you wonder if you should keep going on... coming here and hearing all the cheers, it makes you want to play."
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Waxangel/WCS2013/season3finals/oooitssoo.jpg)
How did it feel to play at the Season Finals?
It was my first time at the Season Finals, and it was really great because there were so many fans. But I'm disappointed that I got eliminated early.
How was your confidence headed into the tournament?
Looking at the roster I thought I had a fighting chance, I did have confidence. But I haven't been to many foreign tournaments, and I found out maintaining your condition is really important. My condition was just so bad, so that was unfortunate.
You've been to foreign tournaments before at MLGs. Was it tough regulating your condition then as well?
Each time I come, I lack experience at foreign events, so I think it's hard for me to stay in good shape, dealing with jet lag etc.
How would you rate your play this tournament then? Was it really that bad?
Yeah, I think it was severely bad.
What do you think of the foreign fans?
I really like them. It's more enjoyable to play games overseas than in Korea, whenever I go abroad it gives me extra motivation. There just aren't that many fans in Korea, it makes you wonder if you should keep going on... coming here and hearing all the cheers, it makes you want to play.
Have you thought about doing anything special to try to entertain the foreign fans?
On the inside I want to, but I have a hard time actually getting myself to do something. The language being hard and all... so I'm thinking of taking English classes.
Anything you enjoy about being overseas, besides the great audiences?
It helps me with my English, and there's just a lot to see and learn. I try to talk to the staff in English and stuff.
Give us a comment in English then?
Well, I'm bad at conversation... But from what everyone says, they say it's okay if your grammar isn't that good, people will all understand you.
Thank you for my fan? I will be a winner. Champion? Cheering-cheer for me?
Is that right?
Close enough. You could go out and say that in an interview!
Really? I get embarassed when I'm incorrect.
It's just Korean fans who would call that a cringe moment.
(Laughs)
After being stuck in the Ro16 for a while, you finally reached the Code S finals last season. Did you always have that finalist level of skill but were just getting unlucky, or did you make a leap last season?
Whenever I lost in the Ro16, I was kind of mailing it in, not giving it my best. This time around I focused hard on preparation, and I was able to go to the finals.
In the past I just didn't have that much interest, given the state of things. But this season I was more motivated, more interested in doing better. Fans started giving me more attention, and it made me feel like I needed to play better.
You had quite the trash-talk exchange with Dear before the Code S finals. What kind of relationship do you have?
I'm really close with Dear. When I came to MLG before, I shared the same room with him. We didn't know each other before that, but afterward we became friends. The stuff at the media day was just joking around between friends.
It seems like Korean players are getting better at that aspect of eSports these days, trying to entertain fans like that. Do you agree?
In the past, I didn't really do that kind of thing. But the fans really enjoy it, so I try harder these days to do that.
A lot of ex-BW players are retiring nowadays. What's the general atmosphere in the ex-BW player community?
We're all pretty worried about the situation, and I had a dillema as well about what to do. Honestly, the atmosphere isn't good. But still, the players left on T1 including me are all planning to do our best. Talking to guys on other teams, I think we are all still working hard, the guys who are still remaining.
It seems like teams like CJ Entus have become more interested in the overseas market. Are SKT or other KeSPA teams planning to focus on the foreign scene as well next year?
Yes, I think there will be a big focus on the foreign scene. I'm not sure about the specific plan, but personally I would like to compete in all the online qualifiers for foreign tournaments alongside my teammates.
Any final comments?
I'm sorry to my fans that I got eliminated disappointingly from the tournament. But I will be a winner in the future, so keep watching me.
ST_Hack"...Even if I have to compete in Korea, I'll practice hard and make sure I can return to a high place."
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Waxangel/WCS2013/season3finals/ooooitshack.jpg)
How was it coming to play in overseas in Canada?
I didn't know it was so great to play in front of such huge crowd. I wanted to get good results, so I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't do that. But it's not over yet, so I'll try to do well next year so I can return to stages like this.
Were you confident coming into this tournament?
Honestly, I didn't have much confidence. There were about 3 weeks between IEM NY and this tournament, and I couldn't really practice properly during that time so I was a bit lacking in confidence. Still, I had some hope.
What did you think of the Ro16 group you drew (Polt, MC, Soulkey, Hack)?
Looking at the draw, I thought it was a group of death. Besides me, everyone had won a championship, so I thought it would be hard. But because the first match was a TvT, I thought there might be a chance of advancing.
You were a Code S regular for a bit, but your results fell off after HotS. Was that indicative of your skill level, or were you still doing good in practice?
I think I was doing well at the game, but in tournaments I kept running into the match-up I was doing the worst in at the time, getting eliminated. I couldn't draw the match-ups I was good at, so it was disappointing.
You're the only Startale player who picked the WCS America Region. How did that come about?
Our head coach suggested it to me, asking me "have you thought about going to that region?" I told him I would give it some thought, and I ended up making the decision to switch.
Why did he suggest it to you specifically?
It's because he thought that I had accumulated a decent amount of tournament experience in Code S in the past, and had brought in some degree of good results. He felt that if I switched regions, I would at least get into Premier for sure.
So it was a good choice in the end?
Yes, personally I think it was the best choice I made this year.
They say the format of WCS might change next year (region lock). How do you feel about that?
I don't know what the exact format will be, but if there's a lock there's a high chance I'll have to compete in Korea again. Well, even if I have to compete in Korea, I'll practice hard and make sure I can return to a high place.
What do you think of the crowd here?
The response from the crowd is really great, cheering loudly for every single game. I like the way they react to everything.
Seeing this crowd, do you feel that you should also try to display more showmanship like some other players?
I've thought about that, but since I wasn't able to win my games (laughs), it had to remain as just thoughts.
But you beat Polt!
I did beat him in the first series, but it didn't confirm advancement to the Ro16, so I thought it was a bit early to celebrate.
Speaking of that match, how did you feel when your 2-rax proxy failed on the third map?
It was a situation where it wouldn't have been strange at all if I just GG'd out. First, I thought that it was going really tough, but then I told myself that this is a tournament, and I need to try my best. I kept trying hard, and somehow I came out with a lucky win.
Do you think Polt made a lot of mistakes?
Yes, there were some mistakes he made. When he scanned, I think he didn't notice that after I had been forced to cancel my hidden third base, I had rebuilt another command center in my main. I think that he was concerned about my big drop play from the previous game and he ended up playing too passively, which became an opportunity for me.
Do you have any tournaments left this year? What are you going to do when you go back to Korea?
There's nothing except Team Leagues, and preliminaries for tournaments like IEM Singapore or Red Bull Battle Grounds. I'll try to adjust to jet lag and the different time zone first. After that, I'll practice so I can do well next year.
Protoss is doing well this tournament. Any thoughts on balance?
Playing against Protoss is hard these days. Talking to Zerg players, they say ZvP is hard as well. In my opinion, Protoss is the only race that can win just by staying still. I don't know how long Protoss will stay strong, but if it keeps going on, maybe nerfs should be considered.
Any final comments?
Unfortunately I wasn't able to get good results in this tournament, and I'm disappointed I got knocked out early. I'm really going to practice hard so I can win a championship next year, so please keep cheering for me.
