[Interviews] 2014 GSL Season 2 Code S Ro32 Winners

KT Rolster Zest



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about easily advancing to the Ro16?

I had confidence as I was practicing. But as I was practicing mainly through ladder, I lost a lot of games so my confidence level dropped from 200% to 120%. But the scenarios played out the way I wanted them to.

Why did you choose TAiLS as your first opponent?

Everyone is a good player but I decided to choose someone I wasn’t really close to. I also had a lot of confidence for mirror matches. Also, since mirror matches don’t really get influenced by the maps you play on, since I hadn’t really deciphered the new maps completely, I decided to choose TAiLS.

All three races were present in one group. Wasn’t it difficult to practice?

That’s why I decided to practice mainly through ladder. Since all three races were present, rather than focus on one specific race, I decided to focus on all the races.

How come you had a specific strategy planned for game two of the winners’ match?

I’ve played a lot of matches recently so my style’s been exposed a lot. So I’m sure he was anticipating things. He also made sure that he was aware of everything. But still, I went with the thought that “even if you do anticipate my moves, I’m still going to go for it.” I didn’t tell myself that he couldn’t block it even if he did know about it, but it was a build that could end the game for me if he dropped his guard even a little so it wasn’t bad.

But Dark still put up a good defense overall. Weren’t you feeling uneasy?

I pursued Dark’s drones because I thought he had pulled all of them but as it turned out, he patiently had some lying in wait. I was taken by surprise for a moment once I realized that he had secretly built two spine crawlers inside his base midst the attck, but I figured that I would be fine as long as I held up his entrance so I decided to improvise. This build isn’t something I use even on ladder. I improvised for the first time today.

In the televised interview, you stated that you would be confident as long as you didn’t meet any Terrans. Was that directed at Maru?

That wasn’t just for Maru. All the Terran players that have made it through are all excellent. From here on out, I’m going to have to go back to the team house and increase my PvT skills if I expect to put up a fight.

What is difficult about PvT?

It feels like Zerg views Terran as comfortable opponents and Terran views Protoss the same way. In my opinion, Terrans aren’t advancing through in individual leagues because they keep getting stomped by Zergs. As of late, I really think that the current trend is Zerg.

You protected your T1 killer title once more. What do you think about this?

I heard that Dark was a great player within the SKT players. I also knew that he placed first in the inhouse ranking system. I was nervous but I also had a lot of confidence regarding PvZ and PvP so there weren’t any problems. Some luck also followed since the first map was Alterzim Stronghold.

You will face SK Telecom for Proleague next week. What do you think will happen?

This time around, I want to meet Classic so that I can beat all the SKT players.

Anything else you would like to say?

It’s been difficult to focus since I have had to play so many games lately, but I think that as a pro gamer, you have to be able to enjoy situations like that. I am glad since I am having more than enough fun. I want to thank my teammates for helping me with practice even on their days off and I want to thank the fans that came to cheer me on. Lastly, I want to thanks the supervisor and the manager for always coming to the studio.

SK Telecom T1 Dark



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 for the first time?

I would have preferred to advance through after winning in the winners’ match but it was disappointing since I lost after not being able to do anything against Zest. I made it through to the Ro16 but rather than feel happy, all I can see in front of me is Zest.

Zest is known to be strong against SKT but you had never faced him before. What did you think about it?

I had a really good build prepared but I lost before I was even able to use it. If we meet again then I will win no matter what next time.

Were there any specific commands by SKT in order to take down Zest?

There wasn’t really anything special that I was instructed to do. Supervisor iloveoov told me to win no matter what. I even stayed back at the team house and practiced against ParalyzE hyung during our Proleague match last week but I ended up losing so it’s really frustrating.

Why do you think that Zest is so strong against SKT?

I think he just gets an incredible amount of luck whenever he meets us (laughs). Even today, his build order was advantageous and I also barely missed out on seeing his warp prism. I originally intended on scouting for game two but I decided not to because I had the mindset to be daring. After seeing that he went for a proxy gate build, I told myself that he really was a lucky player. I really had no idea about this warp prism. Had I seen it, then I would have taken the necessary measure to defend against it and I would have won.

Even Bbyong did not seem to put up that much of a fight. It felt like you were placed into a powerful group but what did you think?

After seeing my group I thought to myself that this season had not been kind to me. I got a strong group for Code A also. I was thinking about how I was going to get through, and then I started thinking that Bbyong’s style was synergistic with mine. I am really good at watching the minimap (laughs). I think I won easily.

Did you think that Zest was going to get through no matter what into the winners’ match?

That’s correct. In comparison, TAiLS just doesn’t have that much of an impact as Zest does. It felt like Zest was going to make it through. I was looking at some ladder results before I came to the studio and I noticed that Zest couldn’t beat Bbyong. If Bbyong had made it through instead of me then he probably would have advanced through after taking down Zest, but I think I became an obstacle.

Are you confident in ZvT?

Even back when Terran was the dominant race, I didn’t lose in ZvT. Right now, Terran power has diminished so all Zergs are good against Terrans. I would like it if things could go back to the way it was.

This season’s goals?

Today was yet again a kind of group of death. Since I was able to get through, I think I’ll be able to make it to the quarter-finals, and I also think that I can look to aim even higher than that.

Recently, T1 Zergs have been showing a strong form. How come?

Honestly, we were never at a point where we deserved to be labeled as “T1 Zergs.” We were doing well even before Soulkey hyung arrived. But I think we have that kind of image about us because T1 Zergs didn’t perform well for the first Proleague back when HotS was first introduced. I think that there are still people out there who use the term “T1 Zerg.” So my ultimate goal is to win the championship and do my absolute best.

Are you confident for other racial matchups as well?

I don’t really lose against Protosses or Zergs either. I wanted to show that today but it was such a shame that I lost 0-2 to Zest.

We heard that you placed first in SKT inhouse rankings. Since SKT has the most players in Code S then you’ll probably do well in team-kill scenarios.

I don’t like playing in situations where all my styles have been exposed. I am hoping that some luck will follow me and allow me to get a group where I can avoid team-kills.

Anything else you would like to say?

Before I came to the studio, my parents cheered me on and told me to stay strong. But since I ended up losing to Zest, now I have a lot of thoughts in my mind. I told myself that I’m going to view this as my last chance and focus as hard as possible. Since I wasn’t able to show my ZvP skills today, I will show them for the Ro16. It’s fine if people have expectations for that.

Jin Air Green Wings TRUE



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 for the first time ever as first from your group?

I really wanted to make it through for this season so I practiced real hard. I wasn’t really feeling confident so I am so glad that I was able to make it through.

How come you weren’t feeling confident?

Honestly, I had a lot more confidence last season. After I was eliminated last season, I wasn’t producing many results even for practice so I had no confidence.

Your first opponent was Trap who is known for being a Zerg killer. How did you prepare?

I was feeling confident right up to the point where I came to the studio. But I lost game one because my hands weren’t warmed up enough and then the games afterwards were also really difficult.

In order to combat his army of void rays you built a fuckton of infestors. (inven didn’t actually use the word fuckton but I figured what the hell)

I went for infestors once I saw how many void rays he had. Afterwards, there was a timing where I was supposed to put on pressure but I got shaken up by his warp prism so I missed that timing.

Your match against soO was very intense. How did you feel after you won?

Personally, I think that soO is very good at ZvZ. That’s why I was even gladder. For my match against him, because I wanted to avoid any lame losses, I decided to play it as safe as possible.

You got shaken up by soO’s burrowed roaches in game three but you pulled off a comeback through a large battle.

I even knew about his burrowed roaches, but I still got shaken up badly. But I figured that his roach number had to be small because of that so I focused on battle formations and that’s how I was able to win.

This season’s goals?

My goal is to win the championship, but I don’t think my skills are good right now. So my next goal will be to grab the Code S quarter-finals seed.

Anything else you would like to say?

The supervisor gave me vitamins since I haven’t been feeling so well lately. I really want to thank him for that. Also today, the coach gave me some chocolate and told me that it would help me focus. I want to thank him for that. Lastly, I want to thank Axiom’s Impact, teammates Rogue, Adios, and Pigbaby for helping me with practice.

SK Telecom T1 soO



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 as second from your group after a close call?

Honestly, I thought that my group was going to be the easiest. But it was much more difficult to get through than I thought it would be. But still, I’m relieved since I was able to advance through.

It looked like game two against RagnaroK was a battle of the minds.

I tend to improvised for my ZvZs. After I saw what map he chose, I decided to do a 9 pool because I just got this feeling.

It looks like your style has changed up recently since you’re implementing more and more all-ins.

Even I have no fun when I watch my matches. My style focuses too much on stale macro games so I needed some effort to change it up. So right now I’m focusing on having various cards up my sleeve.

It felt like you gave up an advantageous game for game three of the winners’ match. Could you explain what the situation was like?

Up until the mid-game, the scenarios were playing out the way I wanted them. I even thought that I had secured a good advantage with my burrowed roaches. But I was feeling uneasy because I had experienced practice games where I lost even in that kind of scenario. And then it became TRUE. (wink wink)

You showed an impressive spine crawler/queen rush for game one against Trap. Was this a prepared strategy?

I like to check out streams on a regular basis. I saw NA player ROOTCatZ use this strategy. So CatZ was the one who recommended that strategy to me. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see him in person but when I do I will treat him to something delicious.

This season’s goals?

As I stated before, I would like it if I could make it to the finals three times in a row. This time I would like it if I could win the championship no matter what.

What do you think you need to work on in order to win the championship?

I think I’m weak against players who have solid and perfect styles. So I am hoping to work on areas like that.

Anything else you would like to say?

I love CatZ! (I did not translate this part. soO said this in English )

SK Telecom T1 Rain



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 as first from your group?

I was bothered by the fact that my first opponent was Stork. If I had lost to him then I would have felt really down even during my break after the GSL matches, so I am glad that I won.

You advanced through after defeating only Protosses. Were you confident?

I wasn’t feeling really confident for PvPs. But I was feeling uneasy because my group consisted of a lot of Protosses. I was hoping for Symbol to advance to the winners’ match because of this. I was able to win in the end however because I was able to respond properly to each happening.

You suffered two losses in Proleague at the hands of Stork. Was the match against him burdensome?

I only lost that one set against him. I’ve won a lot of games since then so it wasn’t bad.

Your match today did not occur the way you wanted it to. But you still pulled off a comeback because you responded properly to each happening. Is this because you have stacked up a lot of experience?

It kind of does feel like a lot of experience has stacked up because I’m around 4 – 5 years into my gaming career. I can see my opponents’ intentions well whenever I play.

Recently, SK Telecom T1 has gotten into one of its best conditions ever. Did that have any influence behind your performance today?

The team is doing so well right now so we got some time off early. So even though I still needed to practice, everyone went on a break. So I loosened up my hands by playing on ladder. But since Classic hyung has to play his match on Friday, I was able to find some comfort by that fact (laughs).

Recently, you have been reviving yourself. Why do you think that is?

Honestly, during rounds one and two for Proleague, my game was not going well. But I was able to establish good results once I let go of the pressure that I was once feeling. I wasn’t able to enjoy the game during then, but now I am enjoying it again.

What are your goals for this season?

I feel like anything I accomplish will feel exactly the same unless I win the championship. So I will work hard so that I can win the championship.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank the fans for cheering me on. I am so relieved that I was able to win today. I am going to practice real hard once I get back from break so that we can win the championship for Proleague.

Samsung Galaxy KHAN Stork



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 after a fierce battle?

For my match against Rain, I decided yesterday that I would do similar builds for all three games. Rather than tell myself that I needed to win, I wanted to influence other players so I decided to use those builds. The end result didn’t work out but the scenarios went the way I wanted them to so that’s why I was able to advance through.

Were you confident after seeing your group?

Honestly, yes I was confident. I had a good win percentage for practice as well. So I was confident that I would get through with two straight victories, but my game has not been going well as of late. But even though I lost my first match against Rain, I still got this feeling that I would be able to advance through.

We saw you tear up after you won the final match. Why the tears?

While I was in the booth, I had no idea just how many fans there were. Once I came out of the booth, I saw just how passionate the fans were being and I also saw that many people had been cheering for me. I was so glad. Even though my goal was to make it to the Ro16, I am now telling myself that I shouldn’t be satisfied with just that.

You are the oldest royal roader candidate. How far do you think you’ll go?

My condition has not been good as of late so I’ve been frequently attending dermatology and health clinics. I’ve been taking a break from practicing late into early mornings because of the stress and fatigue accumulation, but now that I’ve gotten this far I will find some way to work hard for the fans. And personally, I really want those WCS points.
Since it’s difficult for players participating in Proleague to try to earn WCS points, I am hoping that something will be implemented so that Proleague will also somehow allow you to earn WCS points.

Your final match against Ruin was all about the constant back and forth rumbles. Especially for that last game, a comeback almost occurred because of DTs.

I saw his warp prism and his dark shrine. But I wasn’t able to fully make sure about his dark shrine. So I only prepared for a warp prism based zealot drop, and then I thought that I had lost once I saw that he had DTs. But I was able to make the quick decision that I would be able to win as long as I defended since I was able to destroy his natural nexus.

Overall, you were very aggressive today. Was this prepared?

Honestly, back in my SC1 days, I would often set the trends for Protoss. But for SC2, I would just follow other players’ build orders. So for today’s matches, I took note of other people’s build orders while also putting on a play style that would show people my various forms.
I especially think that SKT T1 and KT Rolster Protoss players’ play styles fit me well. And the entirely new build order that IM’s Oz showed a couple of days ago was also unique. It was awesome.

Did you also anticipate your sudden rise in form?

I had no confidence even before I came to the studio. But I still had this good feeling even after I lost my first match against Rain. For now, I’m sure I won’t have any regrets even if I only make it to the semi-finals.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank my teammates for helping me with practice even though we are supposed to be on break. I wasn’t sure if I was going to receive any support from the fans for the Ro32 but I did end up receiving them so I am so glad. I am going to prepare extensively and do my best so that I can put on the kind of heat that I once had for the SC1 days .
Lastly, I feel that IM’s Ruin might be feeling largely saddened by the fact that he’s been eliminated from the Ro32 two seasons in a row now. But I want him to know that he is a very excellent player, so I hope we will both be able to advance to the Ro16 for next season.

StarTale_Life



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing through to the Ro16 as first from your group?

Even though I came late today, I was the very first one to advance through so I want to apologize for that. Traffic was so bad but I want to apologize to the fans for being late.

You weren’t given a lot of time to set up.

My hands were really twisted up during my match against Rogue. I was supposed to have banelings for game three but there were none as it turned out. So I thought to myself that there was no way that I could block Rogue’s ling/bling attack.

Weren’t you feeling edgy because you arrived late?

Rather than worry about that, I was more worried about my hands not being warmed up enough since how well I warm up my hands depends on how well I play. But since arriving late was my fault, I told myself that I had to deal with it.

How far do you think you’ll make it this season based on your confidence?

If my matches ahead of me from here on out continue to progress well for me, then I think I can go all the way to the finals.

It feels like your lings are solely good at intruding opponents’ bases. Is there a secret there?

It’s not like there’s some specific know-how there or anything like that. They just work really well for some strange reason. I also think I am good at utilizing them unconsciously.

You blocked Classic’s cannon rush very well. Were you aware of it?

I had no idea. Cannon rushes are so powerful. I was in advantageous situation because I blocked it well in my opinion, but even that kind of situation is like 50/50. It’s because drones do not given enough income for that much loss.

How much higher do you think your skills have gotten with your DreamHack championship?

I think it’s just similar. In my opinion, during my championship run at DreamHack, my games went really well and I think luck followed me as well.

Last season’s semi-final elimination must have been really disappointing for you. Any particular player you would like to face for this season?

Not really. Everyone is really good these days so I don’t care who I face.

Anything else you would like to say?

I’ve been looking at community sites lately. I keep seeing people talk about match fixing whenever I lose. Since I work really hard to prepare for my matches, it really takes a toll on me when I hear things like that. I am hoping that people will refrain from such comments from now on.

SK Telecom T1 Classic



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing through the Ro16 as second from your group rather difficultly?

It was such a difficult advancement since I had to go to all three games for each match. I would have been very sad had I gotten eliminated but I was able to advance so I am glad. Next time, I want to really prepare well in advance so that I can advance out as first from my group.

Overall, you showed a lot of sky toss plays today. How come?

All my opponents in my group were Zergs so I prepared mostly with the basics in mind. Out of those, the sky toss build order was the one that I had most confidence in. Since I lost the winners’ match against Life after trying to do a phoenix macro build, I decided to play the sky toss build that I had the most confidence in from then on.

We heard that SKT was on break right now. Wasn’t it difficult to practice?

soO told me to give him a call if I needed practice but I think he was just being polite (laughs). So I had to lossen up my hands mainly through ladder.

What were you feeling when Hydra’s zerglings intruded your base during game three of the final match?

When his drone arrived, I knew that it was a 6 pool. I told myself that I had won after making sure that he had lings. But then I unintentionally didn’t have enough money so his lings broke through and I told myself that I was screwed.
If it had been a practice game, then it wouldn’t have been strange even if I did hit gg at that moment, but since it was the final match, I was able to win in the end because I focused and worked real hard.

Last season, you were eliminated in the Ro16. What are your goals for this season?

Honestly, last season, the disappointment was as big as the expectations I had for myself. And because Zest was able to win the championship even though it was his first time in Code S like me, I saw just how awesome that was. Since I am now about to have five years of pro gaming experience, I think it’s time for me to win a championship.

Any particular player you think could stand in the way of your winning a championship?

First off, I want to avoid any team-kills. Also, I got eliminated last season because I lost a lot of PvP matchups. Since there are a lot of Protoss players for this season as well, as long as I practice a lot and don’t meet any teammates along the way, then I will feel confident.

You received your break a lot later than all your other teammates. Do you have any special plans for while you’re on break?

Since Rain had his match on Wednesday, we practiced together up till that point. Even though I was the one who had the later date for his match, Rain whined a lot (laughs). I know I’m supposed to be on break, but I told myself that it would be all worth it as long as I was able to make it through. I am so glad that I was able to advance through, and I plan on recharging myself with what time I have left on break.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank the fans who cheered me on. I am going to work real hard and establish good results for this season so I am hoping that the fans will continue to cheer me on.

Jin Air Green Wings Maru



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing into the Ro16?

I feel good since I was able to advance with a clean 4-0 than expected.

Not a single Terran had been able to make it through till now. What do you think about the notion that this is the dark age for Terran?

TvP has become a lot more doable now. But TvZ is still very difficult.

What is difficult about TvZ?

Everything is difficult. There are so many cards that Zergs can play against Terrans. I especially get headaches because of roaches.

In game one of your match against ParalyzE, we saw him use a peculiar two stargate build. Tell us what the situation was like.

I wondered what was up when I saw his stargates since I had never seen this build before, but it didn’t affect me since I was in such a good position.

It looks like you are known for having a weak TvZ since you’ve lost to Soulkey so many times.

It is so difficult to beat good Zerg players. But now that I think about it, I think only Soulkey is difficult to play against (laughs).

In your televised interview, you stated that you were confident even against Soulkey. Is this true?

I think I can win as long as I prepare well. I’ve worked hard even before this but now I think I need to work even harder.

Do you want to face Soulkey for the Ro16?

I want to face him from an even higher place than that. I don’t care about when I face other Zerg players though.

A lot of Protoss players seem to say that PvT is difficult. What do you think about this?

Personally, I think it’s 50/50. But I think Protoss players exaggerate a little (laughs).

You will face CJ Entus soon for Proleague. Are you confident?

I am confident. But I am worried a little bit about CJ’s Zerg lineup.

Anything else you would like to say?

Not really. I’m Maru bitch. What more is there to say? (invent didn’t add a “Anything else you would like to say” section so I made one up)

SK Telecom T1 ParalyzE



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 for the first time ever?

It was really difficult. But as difficult as it was, that’s how I glad I am also.

How did you feel when you saw your group for Ro32?

Originally, I came with the thought of advancing through by securing four straight wins. I thought that as long as I was able to win the first match somehow, then I would be confident enough to beat even Maru since I was confident in my PvT.

Your loss to DongRaeGu was rather weak. How come?

After I lost game one, I told myself that it was because I made many mistakes. But then after I lost my second game, I started thinking to myself, “are thing just not going to go well for me today?”

Even your final match against DongRaeGu was a rather difficult one.

The final match was the most difficult. But I felt that he wasn’t going to make anymore mutalisks so I trusted my gut and kept on playing.

It’s been a while since you’ve debuted. But it feels like the fans aren’t used to you yet.

I’ve never established good results in individual leagues before, and I haven’t been able to play that many games for Proleague that made long lasting impressions. It’s difficult to grab an opportunity to be sent out for Proleague since our lineup is so fantastic. Even though this is something that I have to be able to overcome and advance through, I haven’t been able to show a good form so I think that’s why things are like this.

Aren’t you also frustrated in yourself?

I’ve been frustrated ever since about two years ago. I also find myself in a hurried state as I get older little by little. It’s not like that kind of feeling is completely gone but that’s how badly I’m yearning for it.

There was even some talk amongst fans that the best decision for you would be you leaving SKT.

I think my fans are saying that because they’d like to see me get sent out for Proleague, but honestly, it’s thanks to SKT that I am in my current condition right now.

So is it fine to expect performances from you in Proleague from now on?

I will show a hard working form. Honestly, if it was a Bo7, 4 wins needed format then I probably would be sent out often, but right now the team lineup is just too strong.

What’s your next goal for this season?

I don’t have one yet. I just has this mindset that I’m going to practice to the death whenever I have a match in front of me.

Are the fans disappointed by your recent hairstyle change?

I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from people who have actually seen my new hairstyle up close. Some people still say that the afro hairstyle was better but people around me all say that it looks good. I also really like this style myself. I’ve even lost some weight.

SK Telecom T1 PartinG



Source: inven eSports

This is six seasons in a row that you’ve been able to advance into the Ro16 through flawless plays.

We received a break for about a week. Since my feel for the game hadn’t completely returned yet, I approached today’s matches with a 30% worried feeling and a 70% confidence feeling. Since I had stacked up a lot of skills from a long ago, I felt that I would get through as long as I won through the basics.

Your micro was very good. Any special reasons?

For me, micro has always been shut in place basics wise. This is micro that I’ve stacked up since the WoL days. I’m sure that people think that I prefer to do all-ins rather than macro games. The fact is, people who can do all-ins well become good at micro. Thanks to that, my micro was good for today also.

After receiving the NesTea award, you stated that you were going to aim for 20 straight Code S appearances.

If GSL is still going on by then, then yes, I think that’s perfectly possible (laughs). As long as I’m not hit with any accidents that will cripple me from gaming, then I can do it. Whenever I practice, I have a good win percentage. Even back when I was losing a lot against Zergs for televised matches, my actual skills were still fine. I believed in my skills and gained confidence. That’s what I plan to do from here on out as well.

You’ve made it to Code S ten seasons in a row but you have not won a championship yet.

Honestly, I’m not satisfied with that. If you were to ask 100 people regarding winning a championship, I’m sure all 100 of them would say yes. If they say that winning the championship is not their goal then their bowls are too small. I started this game with only one championship in mind. I did win a championship overseas but I want to win one within Korea. Since I’ve only ever won overseas, my family isn’t there whenever with me whenever I win. So I want to win in front of my family from now on.

Any tournament where you absolutely had to win the championship?

I think there were three. One was the 2102 Hot6iX GSL Season 2 when I lost to Mvp hyung in the semi-finals. I was too conceited during this time. I think the second one was the 2012 Hot6iX GSL when I got eliminated in the Ro32 because of Sniper. I was feeling really good about the league during this time but I was eliminated too easily so it was disappointing.
The last one was 2012 Hot6iX GSL Season 4 Code S Ro32 when I lost to Seed hyung. If I think back on it, all three were during 2012. It was the most disappointing year. And the saddest year was 2013. That’s when Zergs had me by the ankle.

Do you think it will be easy to get to the quarter-finals for this season as well?

There is a high chance that I’ll run into teammates. I’m not too excited about that. It was the same last season. I didn’t lose focus because I had to undergo team kills, but I didn’t like the atmosphere that team kills brought forth on us. I don’t want to face team kills, in fact, I think I’d be more comfortable being in a group of death.

What is the group of death that you are thinking about?

First off, Zest absolutely has to be in there. I would like it if Maru was in there too. Also, INnoVation being in there would be nice.

Anything else you would like to say?

These days, I don’t really check community sites. In the past, I would check them out on purpose so that I could get conceited but that’s not the case these days. But I checked out one site yesterday and I saw that someone posted a prediction that I would get eliminated. I think it’s because I have this image that I am weak at PvZ. I am hoping that my performance today was able to change that person’s mind. I am confident in PvZ. But thanks to that person, I was able to prepare even harder.
Lastly, I feel really good that I was able to receive the honorable NesTea award. I realize that I’ve played for a long time thanks to this achievement. I have a deep relationship with the GSL so I want to win a championship no matter what. Among all other NesTea award recipients, I am the only one without a championship (laughs). But if I can make it to the finals, since I’ll have plenty of chances to plan out what I want to do, I know that I can win no matter what.

Samsung Galaxy KHAN Solar



Source: inven eSports

You difficultly managed to get into the Ro16 for the first time ever. How do you feel right now?

I feel really good. I’m sure everyone will know by looking at the score but ever match was a 2-1 victory. That’s why my joy is twice as much.

It looked like your performance was also rather discordant. How come?

I feel confident during practice but I played in a dazed state for today. It feels like I often repeat this phenomenon during televised matches lately. I think I’m going to have to fix this issue for the Ro16.

Do you think this occurred because of your losing streak in Proleague?

That is correct. It influenced me. Since I lost a lot, my worries about losing kept growing bigger and bigger, and thanks to that, my games would not go well. I think I’m going to have to manage things better for the Ro16.

Tell us about the drone rush you did on Habitation Station.

When SuperNova went behind the geysers for game two, I should not have chased him. I fought in a hurried manner because I had the mindset that I had already won so I wasn’t able to properly micro my drones. Honestly, that’s a strategy that can’t be blocked. I was able to win the final match because my micro was patient.

In game one of the losers’ match, you lost to ByuL’s fungals.

I thought I was going to overthrow ByuL with my mutas since he didn’t have eight gases but then he had infestors. Once all my mutas got fungaled, my mentality went out the window. But still, I tend to recover rather quickly. That’s why I was able to do well for te game afterwards.

it also looked like you were getting shaken up in the last game on Overgrowth from his burrowed roaches.

Honestly, even I thought I was going to lose. But I think that ByuL hyung overdid it during that one giant battle. I won because I got lucky.

This will be your first time in the Ro16. Any group you specifically want?

Personally, I want to face Protoss players, and I want to avoid SKT players. I especially want to avoid soO. But even if I do end up facing SKT players, Protoss is always okay.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank IvD’s Apocalypse, teammate Guilty, and teammate Hurricane for helping me with practice. I also want to thank teamless PenguiN for teaching me about the drone rush.

SK Telecom T1 Soulkey



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing into the Ro16 as first from your group?

I was in a really bad condition today. For my next match, I will try to win in an overwhelming fashion.

Was there any pressure since all your other teammates had made it through?

I didn’t get any thoughts that I was going to lose so there wasn’t any pressure.

You took a hit in game one of the first match against YongHwa. Did you think that today’s matches were going to be difficult?

I knew that I had lost game one because I made the wrong decisions, so I just focused for games two and three. But I think that all the other matches were also difficult.

What was difficult about today?

Overall, my decisions were not good. There was also the fact that my opponents had good strategies.

You were defenseless against YongHwa’s oracles for game three. Can you explain what the situation was like?

I got flustered because it was the first time I faced a strategy like that. Since I lost so many drones, all I could think about was somehow pulling off a comeback by trying to remain alive through the use of swarm hosts.

You lost game two of the winners’ match to sOs’ cannon rush. It also felt like your GG was rather quick.

If I hadn’t pulled workers, then I probably could have just played on by giving up my hatchery, but the situation was just too difficult. The map was also Alterzim so I predicted that the situation would get even harder, so I just prepared for the next game.

It must have been difficult to practice for today’s matches since yesterday was the Proleague Round 3 playoffs finals.

I told myself that I should play by sticking to the basics, and then I just did some image training. Since we did have to play in the Proleague playoffs finals, there was some lacking in my preparation for today’s matches.

There are seven SKT players in the Ro16 right now. There is a high chance that you’ll run into teammates. Anyone specific you’d like to avoid?

It’s a nuisance regardless of who I face if it’s a teammate. The same goes for anyone else I would end up facing.

This season’s goals?

I lost in the Ro16 for last season so I am aiming for the championship this time around no matter what. I have to win the championship in order to increase my chances of making it to the WCS Grand Finals.

Anything else you would like to say?

In my opinion, sOs is perfectly capable of making it into the Ro16 through the final match. So I will cheer him on even when I do go back to the team house. Lastly, I am going to do my absolute best for this season so I hope people will cheer me on a lot.

Samsung Galaxy KHAN Shine



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing into the Ro16 after returning to the GSL after being gone for a while.

Whenever I make it through the final match, the only thing I can think is that it was very difficult. But I am satisfied in my performance so I am really glad.

You lost in the first match pretty badly to sOs.

sOs prepared really well for game one, and I also made a lot of mistakes. For game two, sOs’ stalker movements were too good so I got distracted focusing on that too much.

Even though game one of the losers’ match against YongHwa was really difficult, you pulled off a comeback. When did you think that you had pulled off a comecback?

It was really difficult since my base was completely destroyed. But I had a lot of gas so I was able to get infestors. I thought that I had it won when I used neural parasite to grab control of YongHwa’s expensive units. Since I had a lot of swarm hosts, I figured that a road would eventually come to light if I just held on.

You faced sOs again in the final match. Your decision to go for nydus worms for game three shone through, but wouldn’t the victory have been easier had you kept on making hydras?

That wasn’t a build order that I had prepared in advance so the optimization was not perfect, and I had a lot of money left over since I got supply blocked.

We haven’t seen you in Proleague for a while. How have you been?

I wasn’t frustrated about not being sent out for Proleague. I just kept on working hard since I wanted to improve my performances.

This season’s goals?

My goal is always the championship. But I always get eliminated in the Ro16 or the quarter-finals. This time around, I am going to prepare really hard so that I can aim for the championship.

Anything you need to overcome in order to win the championship?

My performances go up and down a lot. When I lose, I tend to lose completely, and when I win, I think things tend to go my way. If I can just fix that part, then I think the championship could be a possibility.

Anything else you would like to say?

I am disappointed a lot since I haven’t established satisfactory results for Proleague, but I am going to work hard so that we can win the championship for Round 4 and advance into the post-season.

CJ Entus herO



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing out as first from the group of death?

On my way to the studio, the day just turned out to be a rocky road starting with the traffic. But I’m still glad that I was able to make it through because of how tough today was.

You are the sole CJ player to advance to the Ro16. You must have found a sense of responsibility.

Recently, I have found a lot of greed for individual titles. That’s why I plan on preparing real hard for this season.

All your matches were loss/win/win today. Were there any uneasy feelings?

I had a lot of confidence for PvT so I felt confident for the first match. But I had an uneasy feeling ever since game one of the winners’ match ever since my stalkers got trapped. But generally, I think a lot of luck followed.

How did luck follow through?

It followed through in various ways (laughs).

It looked like your match against Leenock was very difficult. Anything to say about Leenock?

I think Leenock’s style is very different than that of most others. I think he is really an excellent player.

Your stalkers got trapped for game one of the winners’ match. It looks like that caused you to fall behind a lot.

It was really flustering. My build was intended for early aggression so the stalkers’ role were important, but I wasn’t able to do that.

You even took on a lot of damage in game one against INnoVation because of widow mines.

It doesn’t come out often during televised matches, but Terrans have been utilizing them often these days. It’s not a hindrance if you go for colossi but it’s a huge hindrance if you go for high templars first.

Is that why you went for colossi for games two and three afterwards?

There’s that too. High templar tech isn’t really used these days, but I like going for high templars after blink stalkers so I went for it. But I don’t think I should use that from now on.

It looks like the time has come for you to start making results for Korean leagues now.

Personally, I feel that I can do really well for leagues in Korea, and my expectations for this season are different.

What about IEM?

By now I’ve forgotten all of it. It’s okay. It doesn’t bother me anymore (laughs).

The tier 1 KeSPA Cup announcement was made.

It is a really tempting tournament. Proleague players who are ranked first and second for most wins get automatically seeded so I need to raise the flame even higher as I prepare.

Anything else you would like to say?

I want to thank the fans for coming to cheer me on, and our manager hyung for taking care of me from the side. Rather than show a good form today, I think I showed a comical one. So I will show a perfect form from the Ro16 and onwards.

Acer INnoVation



Source: inven eSports

How do you feel about advancing to the Ro16 as second from your group?

I feel like I haven’t been to the Ro16 in such a while. I want to work really hard this season so that I can advance to a high place again.

Why do you think you have been performing poorly all this time?

I think it had something to do with skill and because I got nervous for televised matches. Also, Terran kept getting nerfed. But in the end, I was lacking in skill.

Anything that made you want to work hard again?

Falling to the qualifiers was a big one. The team also has big expectations of me.

Ro16 groups came out. Are you satisfied?

In my own way, I’m satisfied. Soulkey and Zest are both excellent players and Shine also has a cumbersome play style. But recently, I feel that Zest has slowed down, and I’ve beaten Soulkey several times before so I think I’ll be okay.

In your match against herO, you won game one because you went for an early aggression strategy, but you lost both macro games afterwards.

After I won game one, I temporarily became oblivious to the fact that Protoss is OP. All Protoss has to do is defend. TvP is so difficult.

Are you confident for your first match against Zest in the Ro16?

All in all, I think TvP is the least troublesome. I am confident. But it’s an unsupported kind of confidence (laughs).

You lost to herO today but you’re still confident?

I am still lacking right at this very minute, but I still have time so I can’t help but think that I’ll find confidence as I test things.

During all this time, the fans have wondered as to whether or not you were going to rise again. What do you think?

This is a really difficult time for Terran. I am proud of the fact that I was one of the Terrans to make it through out of the two that advanced. But I still think that I’m lacking in being experienced at televised matches. So I’m going to have to work on that part.

Do you want to participate in Proleague?

If I get the opportunity, then I would like to do it, but as far I know, I cannot participate for this season anymore. There really is quite a difference when it comes to maintaining your feel for the game when you are or aren’t participating in Proleague.

You must feel greedy with this advancement into the Ro16. Do you have any goals for this season?

From the quarter-finals and onwards, it will be boX format, so I will be confident as long as I can get to the quarter-finals. I think the Ro16 as an obstacle. My goal is the championship.