Source: This Is Game
How do you feel about making it to the Ro8 of Code S as first from your group?
Honestly, I think that was a really good group for me. JYP is weak at PvT and I've beaten Curious before. I was confident that I wouldn't lose to MarineKing so I felt like I was going to advance out of there as number one.
It was a shame that you fell out of the Ro16 from OSL.
I didn't really let it affect me that much. It was a shame I fell out but I just told myself I will do better for the next season.
Since you fell out of the OSL, your desire to win the GSL championship must have gotten stronger.
I really liked my group so I was just confident that I was going to make it. That's just how lucky I was for this Ro16 group.
You faced MarineKing after taking down JYP. Did your games go the way your wanted it to?
I thought Curious was going to win so I didn't practice any TvT. I practiced my TvP a lot and barely gave my TvZs and TvTs any attention. I was flustered because I had to play a TvT that I hadn't practiced for but I'm so strong when it comes to facing MarineKing so I had the confidence.
How did it feel to watch Flash and By.Sun become incredible KeSPA SC2 players?
I really feel like By.Sun is a good player. By.Sun is a player who seems to be understanding the Protoss race more than any of the other players in his midst. Flash was great from his BW days and has so much gaming potential that I think he's making great results. There was a chance that I could have faced Flash if I had fallen our first in my Ro16 Code S group, but I honestly didn't want to face Flash in Code A. I want to face Flash in Code S.
This season's championship must mean a lot more than the previous ones.
I am really strong during group stages but now that I've made it to the Ro8, I have to think about the championship. Since I usually get eliminated in the Ro32 or the Ro16, it's a great accomplishment for me if I make it to the Ro8. But now that I'm in the Ro8, I think I'll be able to play even greater games.
You will face TSL's Symbol.
Since Symbol dropped two of our fellow teammates during his road to the Ro8, I will now take this opportunity to get revenge for my fallen comrades. But I know Symbol is a great player so this won't be an easy task.
It seems like the reason GSL players keep on losing to KeSPA players is because the difference in the amount of practicing being done.
The notion that GSL players practice less than KeSPA players is true. I know this because I used to be a KeSPA player as well. KeSPA schedules are really tightly woven while GSL players have more leisure. So yes, it is true that we practice less than KeSPA players do.
Anything else you would like to say?
I want to thank YongHwa and First for practicing with me, the Terran teammates who gave me great advice, and my parents for cheering for me. I hope the fans have a great fall festival.
MarineKingPRIME
Source: This Is Game
How do you feel about your first ever 2012 Code S Ro8 appearance?
In one of my past interviews, I stated that if I failed to make it to the Ro8 for this season as well, I would contemplate retiring. I'm so relieved that I was able to make it to the Ro8 like this and was able to postpone that retirement (laughs). I'm not sure if it's because I fell out of the Ro16 for OSL, but this Ro8 appearance makes me just as happy as I would be for a finals appearance.
What did you think after you saw your Ro16 group?
80% of my practices were done for my TvZ against Curious hyung and the rest of my practices were TvPs. I thought that there would be no way that I would be able to make it out of my group unless I defeated Curious hyung first, and I also figured that with JYP's momentum in PvT these days, that I would face him in the winners' round. But then Mvp hyung came up so I got flustered. Honestly, Mvp hyung is not good enough to make it to the Ro8, but I ended up becoming his opponent so he made it. Mvp hyung should really thank me (laughs). For some reason, I play even worse than I usually do whenever I go up against Mvp hyung. After I lost the winners' match and realized I would have to face ST_Life if I made it out second, I just cleared my mind. I just said to myself "meh, it is what it is," and just played with that mentality. In the end, that decision allowed my games to come out great.
Why are you putting yourself down now that you have to face Life?
He's even better at using his zerglings than DRG is. Also, he seems to playing his games with a very recent source of ambition so I don't feel confident that I'll win. I've seen him do tons of plays where he just presses his opponent in to a corner, so I'm going to work on pushing out of that corner.
It must have been a shame that you fell out of the Ro16 for OSL.
From the group nominations, I really didn't think the KeSPA players would play that well. I pretty much figured I would advance out of my group with DRG hyung but I fell out of the Ro16 for my first ever OSL so it was really disappointing. I am going to fix all my holes that I showed in the Ro16 and make sure I do better for next season.
In the winners' round, you once again fell to Mvp.
I had no luck in game one so I lost the build order battle. And then it seemed like my loss in game one just made my game two turn out even worse. After my loss in game one, I just kept on thinking whether or not I would end up falling to Mvp hyung again so my game didn't turn out well. When I had the lead during mid game for game two, if it had been any other opponent, I would have been very patient as I played the rest of the game, but it was Mvp hyung so I became impatient. That's why I couldn't handle his constant pressuring and just ended up folding.
You will face Life in the Ro8.
I have to play a bo5 against the one player that I really didn't want to face. That's why I know it's going to be hard for me to prepare for this match while feeling happy. But I still have the determination that I must win.
It feels like your momentum has dropped a lot recently. Why is this so?
After falling out of the OSL, I also failed in several other tournaments. That's why I was so worried that I would fall in to a slump if I lost in my Code S group. Since I'm putting everything I've got in to this GSL, I'm going to decline everything else and go all the way to the finals.
Anything else you would like to say?
I am so grateful to TwitchTV manager Kim Tae Sung and BitByBit who recently started playing again, for coming to the studio today to cheer me on. These days, the coach keeps my mentality in check really well. Thanks to that, I was able to grab a victory today. Lastly, I want to thank Salmosa, AriA, and Lucy for practicing with me, and our sponsors Ttesports and OCZ.