This is the next interview in the "Door buzzer" series that Fomos has recently started. The first player interviewed for this series was Skyhigh, whose interview I have also translated. You can read his interview here:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=201258
Next was Hyuk, translated thanks to infinitestory :
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=200737
Hyuk chose Midas, whose interview I translated:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=205050
Next was Best, whose interview was translated thanks to Funnytoss:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=207952
Please read them if you haven't^^
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http://www.fomos.kr/board/board.php?mode=read&keyno=116115&db=issue&cate=&page=1&field=&kwrd=] http://www.fomos.kr/board/board.php?mode=read&keyno=116115&db=issue&cate=&page=1&field=&kwrd=[/url]
Jangbi, “I will find my ‘Huh-nuh-nim’ image again so please wait for me” (T/N: “Huh-nuh-nim is a play on the word “Ha-nuh-nim” (하느님), which means “God” in Korean. Jangbi’s Korean name is “Huh Yung-moo”; they replaced “Ha” with “Huh”)
“Ding-dong”
Ever since our “Door buzzer” series have started, has there been a player whose fans has waited for his visit and has given him so much interest? Despite saying “Don’t pick me”, the player who was told “You’re the only one” by Best is none other than Jangbi.
Midas, the player interviewed before Best, asked him “Your ‘loser force’ is really strong; when will it end?” Even if Jangbi got a similar question from Best, there is nothing strange about that. But Jangbi’s situation must have been painful for him, who, once the omnipotent “Almighty”, has declined into “Huh-paeh-wang” (T/N: is another word play with his name, and literally means “King Loser Huh”).
In fact, Best’s question was “When was the hardest time you had as a progamer?” Let’s find out what he has to say about this by listening to Jangbi’s story.
First, I’d like to know your feelings on being called out to the “Door buzzer” series.
- Best told me on battle.net that he would pick me. At first I told him not to pick me but then he said there was no one else to pick and ended up doing just that. Right when I learned I really was going to be interviewed, I thought to myself “ah, what has to come has finally come” but at the same time I looked forward to it.
If you say you’ve looked forward to it, it sounds like you have something to say.
- The last time I did an interview was at the Survivor Tournament prelims. Between then and now, a lot of things have happened and I think a lot of people have been waiting for what I’m going to say here.
Have you heard of the phrase “King Loser Force”?
- I don’t really know of it in detail but one time one of the teammates came across something funny while he was on the internet and we all went to go see what was on his screen. And it was about me. It was the “Guy guy guy” parody (T/N: shorthand for the movie "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" whose theatrical poster has been made into a lot of parodies by netizens). Best said he “would work hard” so he was the “Good Guy” while because of my minihompage incident I was put as the “Bad Guy”. And Hoejja must have said something from before but anyways he ended up as the “Weird Guy”. I was put in a pretty negative role but from my point of view it was pretty funny. It wasn’t something I was supposed to laugh at but I still did.
Your 2011 record stands at 5-12. It’s kind of awkward to say this but the word “King Loser Huh” doesn’t seem to fit the reputation of your name. And for someone like you, having that kind of a record seems especially poor. Do you feel that you’re taking more blame than you should be?
- When I was good, I was really good but now I am at the bottom so there is a big difference. I don’t think it’s unfair and the only thought I have right now is to just work hard and play better as much as I did worse.
I put up the original movie poster for "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" below. This movie came out in 2008.
It’s impossible not to talk about the “minihomepage incident”, which was dubbed “Gaem-all-mot” (T/N: A Korean acronym for “people who don’t know the game”. I want to hear the truth.
- Didn’t all the Samsung KHAN players receive free Samsung Galaxy Tabs? (T/N: when are KHAN tryouts?) The Galaxy Tab has an application that links you directly to your minihomepage. I usually don’t go on the internet after practicing and stuff but when I looked at my Galaxy Tab, I saw comments like “you should retire” “go do your military service” “don’t block the road of the younger players”. I became angry. I shouldn’t have done it but I wrote that comment (T/N: does anyone know exactly what he wrote?). People were criticizing me and I knew they would criticize me more if I made a comment but they were saying some really bad things. I was angry and I expressed my hardship but after that I really had a hard time.
Celebrities often go through similar hardships as you did and it seems like you’d understand their feelings very well.
- To be honest, this is the second time, after I went through a bunch of malicious comments during my “Huh-pil-paeh” period (T/N: another play on his Korean name, making fun of his slumping). At that time it was so difficult that I even thought about retiring. I feel like it was harder than now because it was not long after I had become a progamer and it was when I was still a minor.
The word “Gaem-all-mot” became pretty popular in use. Are you now able to get over the incident with just a laugh?
- It really does seem like the word has been popularized. Not just the fans but the teammates too. I even heard from others that the coaches were using it too. I don’t see it as a scar, and I think now I am able to get over it with just a smile.
One of the webtoons that was drawn by the artist. The left caption says "King Loser Huh" and the right caption says "da-dum". The speech bubble on top says "You guys are both pretty good...but it'll take 10 years to lose to me!!! I'll be waiting at the PSL..."
Before our interview, I actually had a conversation with the artist who started the “King Loser Series” webcomics. When I told him I was going to go interview Jangbi, he said he was a fan of you and wanted to apologize for depicting you as a “Loser King”. He said that if you start winning again, he will draw comics that praise you.
- I want to thank him for giving me attention when I win and when I lose. If I win spectacularly and if he draws something because of it, then I think I will feel really good. I think I’ll feel even better since there is a high chance I will see it with my teammates.
Anyways, you probably wanted to advance in the MSL in a tough situation but disappointingly lost.
- In my first game against Mind, I did a no-gateway double-nexus build. It’s a really common and unparticular build that I just carried out like anyone else would but after the game started going the wrong way, I started feeling bad about it. I wanted to know if I was someone who could win after using such a common build or if I was someone who would lose at it. But then I lost my first battle. I wanted to advance with 2 wins but then after my first loss, I started having thoughts that I would drop out again.
A lot of people say that you are someone without a lot of luck. Do you feel that it is a legitimate excuse for yourself?
- When I look back at my career, there are a great number of games where I lost in the very beginning. I was always the guinea pig that was sacrificed to that one deadly new build. I started thinking “why do they always use these kinds of builds against me but not anyone else”, lost to just zerglings, and anyways it was like that.
Wouldn’t it have been better to just go up the Survivor Tournament using proven ways?
- Even other team players say that it is better to do all-in builds or cheese to stop a losing streak. I could use it as an excuse but it was like that at that time.
Have you ever thought about getting psychological treatment?
- It seems beneficial but I’m the kind of person who wants to do something by myself as much as possible. When I get a cold, unless it is very extreme, I get better by myself rather than eating medicine or going to the hospital.
You must have a lot of free time since your team didn’t make it to the post-season and because you fell from the individual league.
- I feel like I am very responsible for not helping our team reach the post-season. But it isn’t over yet and we still have a chance to go to Gwanganri so personally I’m working harder than usual.
Why do you think you fell into such a bad slump?
- I don’t think I controlled my mind very well in the beginning of the 10-11 season. I should have started with a win or two wins but then I started with 1 lose and 2 losses and then ended up going into a losing streak. I also went through a lot of problems and troubles that bent my enthusiasm. I am very regretful.
What are your plans for the future?
- First, I want to play well so that our team can go to the Proleague finals. That’s the biggest. Second, I want to find my momentum from long ago, and thirdly, I want to recover my honor in the individual leagues. I want to go to the grouping ceremony and I want to stand on the finals stage again. Winning an individual league and earning a six-figure salary is something that I really want to do as a progamer.
Now I will ask Best’s question to you. “When was the hardest time you went through as a progamer?”
- I think a lot of people who believe that the hardest time is now but the “Huh-pil-paeh” time period was more difficult rather than the current “Huh-pae-wang” period. I’m older now and I can recover from it but at that time it was right after I started and I was really young so I suffered a lot. If I didn’t get a lot of help from others at that time, I would have retired. But in that situation, the older players on our team gave me good advice. I still remember when I lost to just zerglings in a game and my coach said “if your going to be like that, then let’s stop”. If I took that comment in negatively, I really would have gone home but I took it in as a positive thing and I worked hard, which is why I think I could have a “godly” period at one point.
Any words for your fans?
- When this season started, I made a promise with them. It was to win an individual league but I want to apologize for not keeping that promise. This season still isn’t over so I want to keep that promise. Also, a lot of people criticized me and also gave me helpful comments, both of which have stimulated me a lot. I really want to go back to my old image so please wait for me.
The caption reads, "Everyone... If I use my right hand... You would know what would happen even if I don't tell you, right?"
Please tell me who you are going to pick next for the series, and what your question for him is.
- I had no idea who to pick but after looking on the internet and hearing from my teammates, I think everyone wants one particular person. It seems like I have to pick this person in order to keep the line going. I think if I don’t pick this person people will really get angry at me (laughs). The person I want to pick is Hoejja of KT. And I’ve heard that if he could “break the seal of his right hand, then he will become amazing” so I want to know when he will show us that (laughs). (T/N: Hoejja uses his mouse with his left hand)
kangzuck@fomos.co.kr