[Twitter Q&A] Stork!!

Stork: "Consistency comes from creativity and exploration."

Original article from DES.
Author: Reporter Yoon-Sung Nam (@cheerdoo)
Translated by: OpticalShot, TL's #1 Stork Lover
Thanks to: smekz for letting me know about this awesome Q&A

Hello, this is Reporter Nam from DES.

'Twitter Q&A' is growing more popular, and as a result, we can't help the interviews from getting longer and longer. There are so many interesting questions and topics to discuss with your favourite progamer, and personally I greatly enjoy the interviews myself. Of course, at the same time, your questions are getting answered - so it's a win-win, like "killing two birds with one stone!"

This edition of 'Twitter Q&A' features Samsung Khan's ace, Stork. When asked about the secret to his incredible on-going record of 12 straight OSL Ro16 appearances, he replied "creativity and willingness to explore." He added that if he simply played the game by the same trends as everyone else, he probably would have deteriorated a long time ago. During his career, defeating his rivals meant trying out new creative builds and executing them with authority. Not surprisingly, he added that the undying support of massive [T/N: and primarily male!] fanbase helped him through the toughest challenges.

Many questions directed at Stork involved his long list of excuses. One of the most well-known mistakes he made was forgetting Dragoon range upgrade. Regarding this, Stork said that he "admitted his mistake and let people know" because he just wanted to be honest about the reason he lost the game. He believes that it's better to admit the mistakes rather than to hide them away, so that he can come to terms with himself and not make those mistakes again.

Regarding the Protoss race, Stork firmly believed that it's a race that can "rise to the top" and vowed to do exactly that himself. He also explained why he abandoned Terran [T/N: Stork played Terran before going pro with Protoss] and became one with the Aiur.

@reminisence asks: Are you willing to do a post-game ceremony wearing a dinosaur costume? What's your most memorable birthday gift? There's got to be an odd one you can't forget.

A: I actually did prepare for a 'dinosaur ceremony.' There should be a picture available of me wearing one when I did a photo shoot with esFORCE magazine. I knew that fans liked that picture so I searched the internet to buy it after. However, the actual dinosaur costume was very expensive and all I could find in the reasonable range was a dinosaur pajama set for ~$30. So I'm pushing the ceremony back until I can find a reasonable costume, but don't worry - I'll get to it soon.

Regarding the gifts, I remember most of the gifts receive. I can't list in detail all the CD's, clothing, letters, food, and other gifts but I will mention that the hair-products I got last year were well used. I used up the 3-pack of essense, shampoo, and treatment products and I was very satisfied. Recently I got an eye-health pack so I'm using that up diligently. I'm very grateful for all the gifts, no matter big or small.

@ksh1541 asks: What is (P)

Bisu, to Stork?

A: If it wasn't for Bisu I probably wouldn't have entered the Kong line in the first place (laughs). I'm filled with regret when I think about the finals in 2007 versus Bisu. That was my first finals in my career so if I defeated him, I would have walked a more glorious path as a progamer. Actually, on a related note, I lost to YellOw in my first starleague ever in the Ro16... so maybe if I beat him then and moved on, I may have maintained a starleague Ro8-status until now (laughs).

@DraGoonHero asks: What's the driving force behind your lengthy and consistent career?

A: First of all, I think the nature of being a progamer allows you to have a stable career. The game isn't exactly physical, so the progamer just has to take care of wrists, arms, back, and stuff like that and I'd say a career in the 30's is still plausible. Let me add to that - a staff from CJ once mentioned in an interview that "physical sports naturally call for the player's retirement when his/her physical form and stamina deteriorates. However, e-sports has an edge because it evolved from a hobby, almost like lifestyle-sports. That being said, e-sports demand intense exercise in the brain and the hand so the competition is extremely fierce between the talented individuals. Therefore, practice almost directly correlates with performance and it forces the progamers to practice long hours. This means that progamers can experience fatigue and depression and lose interest in their jobs, resulting in retirement." I agree with this statement 100%. That's why I'm always trying to find new areas to explore.

Secondly, I had to produce good results for my family. My family was not financially well-off and I learned from a young age that earning money helped the family. I remember buying a new house for my family with my earnings and I promised myself that I would continue playing for a long time to support my family.

Last but not least, there's the satisfaction from satisfying the fans' expectations. When my results fell below expectations in the past, I got a salary cut. Needless to say I was sad and disappointed, but I also felt terrible about disappointing my fans. When the results pick up again the fans made funky nicknames and catch phrases for me which fuelled me to continue doing well. The best way to repay the fans' support is to present them with a well-crafted, well-played game.

@imagasuki asks: When did you feel best about your life choice to become a progamer? How about the opposite, when did you most regret your choice?

A: As I answered above, I feel like I made the right choice every time I am recognized by fans, teammates, and fellow progamers for the good things I do. I wasn't very smart at school and people used to put me down as a dumb kid, so it was a refreshing change when I became a progamer and quickly received recognition for talent. It also makes me feel proud as a long-time progamer when I look at the scale of e-sports scene right now because I was (an still am) a part of it and made contributions as a player.

One thing I regret the most is that I haven't made a lot of friends. I also get quite nervous about the unclear and volatile future [of the e-sports scene].

@cjy_jy asks: "You went through a successful weight-reducing program. What was your maximum and minimum weight?"

A: I think I weighed as high as 84kg around 2006. The team practiced a lot for the finals and often those practices would go into late hours. We loved eating night meals after practice, especially grilled pork belly and other various instant foods. I probably gained over 10kg that year.

My successful diet was during 2010, when my weight dropped to 64kg. I exercised at least two hours a day while reducing my diet. I was so careful about food intake, I would wash the Kimchi in water to reduce sodium intake. When I wanted meat, I'd always go for chicken breast. Nowadays, I'm hovering between 71-74kg.

@faNatic0509 asks: "Do you still play WoW?"

A: I quit a long time ago - probably been 4 years. Actually I checked my account after I quit to see if my stuff is still there. It was hacked! My password was "송병구." [T/N: "SongByungGoo", his name. thdqudrn if typed on keyboard. GOGOGO LOOT HIS ACC LOL] Was it too easy? Hahaha. I changed it to a different password but someone succeeded in hacking it yet again, I think. I probably won't pick up WoW again while I'm a Starcraft progamer.

@mtejolm asks: "What are you plans for the off-season? Anything to say to the teammate (Z)

great who's going to Airforce Ace?"

A: I'm mostly resting in the weekends, and playing a bit in the weekdays. We bet acorns [T/N: currency for Cyworld - Cyworld is like Korea's Facebook+MySpace combined] for games and I usually win.

I don't know whether great will transition well into army life. I'm sort of jealous he's going so early though (so that he'll be done early). [T/N: planning when to go to the army is extremely stressful for all the Korean men]

@Eunhwaaa asks: "If there is one excuse you made that you'd like to have back, which one would it be? Also, what's your most regrettable silver?"

A: I used to regret a lot of things that I said. Nowadays though, it seems like the trend in most talk shows is to blurt out everything honestly. Perhaps I was honest too early? If you took that as an excuse, please reconsider it as honesty.

As a veteran progamer, I firmly believe it's better to say out what's in my head. I used to take a lot of criticism for being full of excuses, but nowadays that's died down a little bit and I'm getting more positive feedback for being open and honest.

The two most regretful finals are the recent Bacchus Starleague 2010 and the WCG Finals 2009. I could have became the only active Protoss player to have two OSL wins and then I could have challenged for the Golden Mouse afterwards, but all that crumbled when I lost to (T)

Fantasy. I prepared a lot of different builds for the finals but I ended up choosing the generic ones and got dominated. I think it hurt a lot not because I lost to fantasy but rather because I repeated the same mistakes (of being predictable) I made against the finals versus (T)

Flash.

In regards to WCG Finals 2009, I was so ahead in the 1st set on 'Tau Cross' but I forgot to upgrade Dragoon range yet again. Somehow I managed to win the 2nd set and forced the 3rd set, but I think the regret of 1st set carried over to 3rd set and I wasn't 100% prepared for the 3rd set mentally. That may have been the only finals that I cried after losing. I could have been inducted into the WCG Hall of Fame [T/N: requires the player/team to win at least two gold medals for the same game].

@pocarijung asks: When do you plan on getting married?

A: When I was younger I just wanted to get married as soon as I find a suitable girl. Nowadays I'm hearing a lot about marriage from nearby people - and I realized there are lots of difficulties. It seems like I should become more sociable and achieve better financial stability. Not to be forgotten is the fact that I still haven't done my military service. So many things... and most importantly, I have to find a girl I want to get married to.

@CrystalTheRain asks: "It's a dark time for Protoss. How will you overcome? Do you think there will be another revolutionary PvZ build like double Nexus (fast expansion)? What's special about Flash's TvP that sets him apart from the other Terrans?

A: Overall the win rate for Protoss players have been low so it may feel like a dark time, but look at Bisu - he's got the most wins last season. I just think Protoss players other than Bisu, including myself, have to step up and play better. I mean, teams wouldn't use Protoss players in matches if they truly felt that Protoss was an inferior race. In televised matches it may seem like Protoss is weaker because Terran or Zerg players tend to dictate the pace with their proactive builds while Protoss players tend to settle for reactions and adjustments. If the Protoss player doesn't make too many silly mistakes, it should be a fine. Protoss is the best race. [T/N: FOR AIUR]

The reason PvZ usually opens with double Nexus is that the early game should be manageable and it sets up the Protoss player well for mid- and late- game play. 1 gate play or other forms of 1-base plays are all viable in their own ways, but they are much more volatile and tend to offer too many variant factors open. Double nexus is probably the most stable and reliable way of getting into a decent position in mid-game. In practice I do try out 1-base plays against Zergs and usually end up losing.

Flash is a scary player. I recall being absolutely awestruck watching him defend against (P)

JangBi's pushes in the latest OSL Ro8. First and foremost, Flash defends well. His defensive abilities are far greater than other Terrans. He places his units in critical places other players wouldn't even imagine of. In practice I can probably beat him a couple times out of 5. However, up on the stage, Flash displays the peak of concentration, focus, and decision-making skills. I don't think it's possible to beat him in a tournament under normal circumstances. That's probably why he's called a 'God.'

@mungO_O asks: What's your favourite underwear colour?

A: I used to like black or navy coloured underwear but nowadays I'm looking to try something more vibrant. Actually, I still prefer the darker colours though. One of my white underwear got bleached into a different colour during laundry, so maybe I shouldn't buy any more white ones.

@Daumpotplayer asks: "With nicknames such as 'Speedy Stork,' 'Advanced Excuse Mastery,' and others, the consensus in Starcraft Gallery is that you are the 2nd most popular progamer to be discussed/mentioned (1st is YellOw). What's your opinion on this? What do Protoss players need to do to rise again?

A: Maybe I can top him with linguistic skills but nobody can beat him physically. What I mean by this is that I wouldn't dare do something like the 'Kong Dance' in front of everyone because I'm too shy. I want to be friends with many of those community members but maybe I'm not funny enough (laughs). I want to be loved by more fans. My mindset used to be that I should just focus on gaming and show great games, but now I feel the need for more communications with fans. I will try to show more interesting winning ceremonies next season.

The best way to ignite a Protoss revival would be for a Protoss player to win an individual league title. After the Bisu and I, no other Protoss has won a title. The hungry Protoss fans direly need the taste of gold and we will work hard to earn it.

@xcgx123 asks: Do you have a girlfriend right now? If so, I want to know how you met her. Please!!

A: It's only right to openly answer any questions for a fan, but I'm more cautious about matters like this because of the malicious internet users who love to trash down anything personal. I don't want anything I say to harm nearby people so I'm afraid I'll have to dodge this question. Apologies!

@etoilerush asks: Who's your best friend outside the team? Who do you spend spare time with and what do you guys like to do? If you could tell me how you spent your vacation that'd also be great.

A: We don't have a lot of time to go out with players from other games. I sometimes meet up with my friends [T/N: to be exact, "older bros" he chills with] (outside the team) but even that's not too often.

During the last vacation time I watched some American dramas like 'Walking Dead' and 'Spartacus.' When I got tired of watching I practiced a bit.

@zergalive asks: Do you have any plans to join the [aLive] guild?

A: Several Battle.net users have suggested that to me. I don't really see a need for a progamer to join a guild. A guild is for gamers with similar interests and goals to get together and have fun, but for us progamers, we have our team. I used to be in the [gm] guild but currently I'm guild-free. I couldn't participate in guild activities during my time with [gm] anyway because I was busy. If the guild's looking to promote itself by acquiring a progamer (i.e. if I'm to be used as some promotional poster) then I would like to kindly decline.

@zoxn9 asks: How do you hotkey/group your units? Tell me some tips for PvP!

A: I'll go briefly over the hotkeys. from 5 to 0 on the keyboard is for buildings and 1 to 4 is for units. Later in the game when the army count goes higher I used 5 and 6 for units as well. For more detailed grouping you can probably find it in VODs.

One thing for sure is that if you use the same hotkeys as me, your skills will not improve. I'd recommend Bisu as the Protoss-hotkeying-textbook. He re-hotkeys all his units and buildings according to the situation to optimize the task at hand.

For PvP, the most generic builds are 1gate robo or 2gate. I don't particularly favour one over the other - usually I just follow my guts. Unlike ZvZ, build order advantages/disadvantages are harder to overcome with intense micro or base trading. I don't think there is one particular build that's safer than others.

@CusomeJD asks: How far will you get in the current MSL? Have you ever been unsatisfied with your salary? I heard you don't watch VODs, why?

A: I remember in the last MSL, great and (Z)

Hydra combined their powers to create a 'DSL.' After the groups were finalized I recall Flash saying that if he's seeded next season, he'll put all the Khan players in the same group. If that really happens, I'm going to lose out in Ro32. My teammates know me too well. On the other hand, if Flash values our frendship, I'll probably advance to at least the Ro8. I'm quite certain of how much time is left of my progamer career so I'll put everything I've got into the game, until the end.

Everyone is somewhat unsatisfied with the salary he/she is receiving. Same goes for people working in other jobs as well, and I'm sure even sports stars receiving millions of dollars are unsatisfied as well. Even if a player is satisfied with the contract at the time of signing, one year later there are new issues with the salary negotiations. I've experienced it many times and now I'm sort of indifferent to whatever I'm receiving. Being obsessed down to every dollar of the salary would lead to a miserable life. So I try my best not to care too much.

One thing important about watching VODs is the reason why. Watching VODs just to blindly copy someone else's play style or strategy is very dangerous as it can destroy the player's own unique strengths. For example, I can't become good at PvZ by just blindly copying Bisu's plays. What's more important is figuring out why he's doing that and then learning from it. As a veteran progamer I've developed my own viewpoints and styles that I don't find it beneficial to watch VODs for the purpose of copying builds. I do, however, watch VODs to analyze my opponent's habits and weaknesses.

@cjy_jy asks: You're being called 'SongExcuse' because you said stuff like 'I could have won if I didn't forget to upgrade Dragoon range...' what do you think about this?

A: I didn't care much about being called 'SongExcuse' because I was disappointed about the second place finish already. That phrase 'only if I upgraded Dragoon range' wouldn't leave my mind for several months that time. Now that time has passed and disappointment has faded, all that's left is the 'SongExcuse'. Unfortunate (laughs).

@__selene asks: What's your favourite food? Are you still on intense diet and workout routines? Do you like rainy days?

A: I'm not a picky eater. Ever since two or three months ago I kind of get a heartburn every time I eat instant food (fast food). Then I eat a spoon of rice and I get this feeling of it being pushed down and peace is restored (laughs). I'm restricting myself from instant food.

I've resumed weight training, focusing on back and shoulder muscles. I already had a decent build so the weight training is showing good results.

@Sawamura87 asks: What are Samsung Khan preparing for the next proleague?

A: We're resting and recharging, and at the same time keeping our hands loose with practice. We hold our in-house ranking tournament regularly. Completely letting go of gaming for a short while can make it hard to regain the top form, so everyone is doing their part in keeping up. I believe we are putting more hours into practice than other teams.

@DraGoonHero asks: Do you plan on twitting again? How's your eyesight after the Lasic surgery?

A: I'm done with Twitter, but I kind of want to pick up Facebook now [T/N: YESYESYES]. Just like Cyworld, I hate organizing and writing stuff.

I think both my eyes are 1.2 or better [T/N: not sure how to convert that into western medical standards]. Getting surgery done was not all convenient but I'm glad I went through it. I remember eating a meal after the surgery while being completely blindfolded. Anyways, I'm very satisfied with my eyesight right now, and I would love to recommend the hospital to you!

@wowjs2 asks: You're using an ID called 'Stork,' what does it mean/signify? Also I know you had your Lasic surgery but why are you wearing glasses again?

A: It means 'Stork.' [T/N: lolol] During middle school my English teacher was really tough, and would hit students if they didn't do a good job on their homework. So I was trying to memorize all the vocabulary words for this one unit, and found this word called 'stork right after 'storm.' It seemed like a pretty cool word with a pretty cool meaning, so I ended up using that as my ID.

Glasses... well I thought I did better with glasses on so I started wearing it in my matches, until I lost to (Z)

Shine in the OSL. I trashed the glasses right after.

@jordantoine asks: I wonder if it's ok to ask questions not about starcraft. There are rumors stork used to play WoW, and I'm wondering which class."

A: I played a rogue, and I hit the level cap back when the cap was level 70. I quit 4 years ago and I passed my account to someone else to play. If my character is lvl80 now, that's not my work.

@ksh1541 asks: You're one of the older ones in progaming. I think at your age it's time to seriously consider doing your military service. When do you plan on going?

A: Of course it's impossible not to think about that. I got a mail from the military yesterday and I was super scared that it would be the official conscription letter. Instead the mail included a step-by-step brochure and voluntary enlisting form [T/N: so he doesn't have to go now, but he can if he wants to]. I don't want to look like I'm running away to Airforce Ace when my gaming skills deteriorate. Even if I decide to try out for Airforce Ace, I'll be a top player and bring Ace to SPL victory.

That being said, I don't want to go right now. I'll try to go as late as possible. Even when I'm much older, I'm confident that I'll be an top-class ace player for Ace.

rani0213 asks: People say you look better with glasses, what do you think?

A: I've worn it since grade 3, so that makes it 15 years with them. After getting the lasic surgery done, I still sometimes bring my hand up to my face to raise/adjust my glasses which aren't there any more. It's really comfortable now that I'm not wearing them. One of the reasons I wore glasses even after lasic was because I wanted to hide a scar on my face. Nowadays the scar is almost all gone so I don't wear it. To be honest that scar was from wearing glasses [T/N: perhaps got hit in the face with a soccer ball? I had a scar like that many years ago] so I don't want to wear glasses ever.

@hjhee17 asks: What's more comfortable for you, glasses or no glasses?

A: No glasses.

@xcgx123 asks: If you fall into a deep slump with Protoss, are you going to try playing Terran professionally?

A: I'm a decent Terran but that wouldn't be fun. The world needs a Protoss winner right now so I'm working hard to be the one. I don't think the fans will like me if I achieve good results with Terran. I'm that good, I might become the next Flash if I switch to Terran full-time (laughs). I'll just give you little glimpses of my off-race skills in event matches.

@MuK_x asks: How often you talk with Bisu? You are getting help from Bisu for your PvZ?

A: I asked him a couple times but he doesn't teach me anything in detail. Actually most of his advices are either too general. He basically tells me what everyone knows already, and doesn't tell me any of his special skills. As a result, I'm not learning anything and I'm left with the conclusion that Bisu is awesome at PvZ. I'm sure he felt like 'only if Stork can keep up with my instructions and multitask, he'd understand.' There are things that can't be explained with words, for sure.

@bbosyuk asks: How do I become better as a Protoss player? If you could go back in time to when you first started Starcraft, would you select Protoss again?

A: In this game called Starcraft, you need to have a thorough understanding of everything - units, structures, spells, maps, etc. - to be a good player. You also need to know everything about other races than the one you play. You almost have to "feel" the build timings, unit attack range, and stuff like that. Add countless of hours of practice on top of that, and you're ready to take your play to the next level.

I originally started as a Terran player. It was (P)

IntoTheRainBOw that inspired me to switch to Protoss. Back when I was only beginning to experience high level play, I faced off against IntoTheRainbow and got absolutely demolished. I thought 'Protoss imba'. The positive thing is that instead of giving up my dream and thinking that I lacked the fundamental skills, I believed that I could become successful if I switched to Protoss. So I did, and here I am today.

@kimwoobi asks: You have a lot of nicknames, but which one is your favourite?

A: The hottest nickname nowadays is 'Song Myung Goo.' I find it amusing. I believe the origin of this nickname is from the last post-season game against Woongjin Stars, when the subtitles went out with the typo on my name. Interestingly, in the OSL game after, the same typo was made. Fans picked it up instantly, and posted jokes on internet saying 'new rookie Song Myung Goo looks promising and should be a contender for next year's rookie of the year award.' Personally I feel like this can be used the same way as fans use 'Yong Taek' for Bisu when he's playing terrible. You guys can call me 'Song Myung Goo' whenever I play like crap (laughs).

@VOXSuperFly asks: What is [your] view on Starcraft2, do you think that you could ever switch?

A: It was a sensitive issue when SC2 first came out, but now that SC2 has settled in, I can open my views on it now. Just like any other sport, a game needs a strong fan base for it to exist as a form of professional sports. As long as there are fans, SCBW and SC2 will co-exist. Instead of declaring when I'll switch over right now, I'll keep my ears open to my fans and keep up with their opinions. If I decide to switch over in the future, I don't think I'll switch my race.

@onedayclose asks: What is your opinion of Starcraft2 and do you ever plan to play it professionally?

A: I heard that SC2 is very popular overseas. There are many SC2 fans here but SCBW is still much much bigger here; the consensus is that SC2 is more popular overseas. I still believe that SCBW can grow even bigger overseas. I felt the international popularity of SCBW myself as a competitor in WCG and IEF in the past, and on a related note, I'm very disappointed that SPL Finals in Shanghai was cancelled.

When majority of fans no longer feel like watching SCBW, it'll be the right decision to switch to SC2. As long as there are fans who cheer for me playing SCBW, there is no reason to switch. If the fans stay, SCBW should be fine for another 10 to 20 years.

@babyrock23 asks: Which progamer has a personality that is most closely matching to yours? Maybe amongst people playing Terran or Zerg?

A: In terms of game style, I can't pick out someone that's similar to me right now. There are, however, several players who share the same hobbies and interests as I do. I recently bought figurines of Luffy and Mihawk from One Piece, and some other players bought their own also. Few other players are very jealous about it.

Other than that, my interests lie in the similar vicinity as any other young man in their 20's. You know, stuff like watching movies, dramas, animes, and listening to Kpop girl groups.

@__selene asks: What would be your career, if you didn't decide to become a progamer? I know that a few days ago, August 4th, was your birthday~ Did you have fun and receive a lot of gifts?

A: If I didn't become a progamer, I would have studied architecture in university. I attended a technical high school and specialized in architecture. I was pretty bad at memorizing formulas and theories, but in crafting, I was definitely the head of the class. I know that I have a special talent for crafting.

I'm also an electronics mania. My father was skilled at fixing small electronics himself and I used to watch him as a child. Like father, like son!

On my birthday, I was at a photo shoot for Samsung 3D monitor promotion. It was a fun experience. Afterwards I had dinner and a couple drinks with my teammates.

All done!
Source: DES Q&A With Stork

[Twitter Q&A] Stork!!

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