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Um Jae-kyung, going by the handle Next_(R), long-time OGN announcer/commentator/map designer and overall Starcraft god, agreed to spend some of his time with me for a long and detailed interview for the benefit of TL.net.

Given the nickname "Overlord" for not only his physical demeanor but his knowledge of the game, Um Jae-kyung is not only one of the most knowledgeable individuals anywhere on Starcraft, but also must be given significant personal credit in making Korean progaming what it is today. He has served as the main commentator for a plethora of broadcast games from the very beginning of progaming (hailing back to the days of GameQ and Tooniverse), and has been a mainstay for Ongamenet, for the likes of OSL and the Challenge League, among others.

He is well known for his blunt honesty, strong opinions, and unparalleled knowledge of SC, qualities which I think are quite evident throughout this interview.

Warning: This interview is VERY long. Read it a little bit at a time o_o But I think it will be worth the read. ^^

Request: Please do not take this interview for publishing elsewhere on the wide world of the web without obtaining consent and also properly crediting teamliquid.net.

ENJOY!!!


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uhjoo: First, could you briefly introduce yourself? Such as your date of birth, where you live, hobbies, special talents, etc.

Next_(R): My birthday is Feb. 24, 1968. I live in Mapo-gu, Seogyo-dong in Seoul. My hometown is Seoul, and hobbies, I would have to say gaming. ^^ I have a lot of hobbies, I tend to do a lot of this and that.

Talents? -_-

Game commentating. ^^

I also play folk guitar at an advanced level, and also do some composing, although at an amateur level. I started learning rock guitar after I turned 30 so I quit -_-;

uhjoo: Is there a special reason you chose Next_(R) as your ID?

Next_(R): There was a cartoon drawn by Lee Jin-young that I wrote the storyline for called “Time-space warrior Next.” It was a sci-fi space fantasy, and the main character was named Next. Also at the time I was a fan of the Korean rock group N.E.X.T. Later on this cartoon was going to be turned into an animation movie and I asked Shin Hae-chul (lead singer of N.E.X.T. and a famous Korean rocker) for the soundtrack… but after about a year and a half it was cancelled.

uhjoo: That’s too bad.

Next_(R): Yes... but anyway normally I get my ID’s from cartoons. Oh, and the (R) tag is from an anti-cheat guild I was in, called Real guild, that I was in from the days of the first Diablo. Nowadays Real guild is full of oldies ;; So the atmosphere is a mess ^^

uhjoo: keke

Next_(R): But Real played Starcraft, Diablo 2, and even upto Warcraft 3

uhjoo: Do you still play Starcraft on a regular basis? And when did you first start?

Next_(R): Nowadays I don’t really play that much. In the very beginning I might have been considered gosu so I could draw on actual experience which was a lot of help in commentating. But as time goes on I found it was more helpful to watch and analyze the replays of pros instead of playing games myself.

So more or less I play games mostly for testing purposes and watch a lot of replays. Especially after the Challenge League preliminaries are over I really have to watch them like crazy -_-; Also it takes a lot of time because I organize all of my replays.

The first time I started playing… around the end of 1998? Perhaps the middle of 1998? Or was it the end of 1997? -_-; In any case I started playing a little before it was released in Korea.

uhjoo: What’s your main race? And when you play do you play with people you know or do you occasionally play on bnet?

Next_(R): I don’t play public games, because I had a few bad experiences.

uhjoo: Cheats?

Next_(R): There were a lot of people who used to bug me;; Even though it’s been so long since I’ve gone on bnet so I’m guessing I probably won’t get any whispers now ^^ But in general I used to play on free servers with Sori guild. They’re a pure Starcraft guild with relatively older players. After everyone in Real clan quit Starcraft and started playing only Diablo 2 and Quake, etc., I went to Sori’s free server and played a lot. So I played ladder a little in the beginning then stopped for awhile so I fell to 800. I raised my ladder to 1200, but then I got disc dropped 3 times and I quit ladder for good.

Gaming is for fun but if I get stress over it I don’t game. I stop right away if that happens ^^ I also quit Warcraft 3 after the introduction of maphacks -_-; I liked the teamplay ladder format and so I played a lot and raised my ranking quite a bit too but… when I get mad I just stop immediately.

uhjoo: What’s the best solution to maphacks?

Next_(R): The best solution is… community. That’s the easiest way. Play with a community full of people with good manners and good skills. Sori guild was one of those places. Also when I used to play a lot I preferred to play continually instead of chatting, and in Sori, after one game is finished, you come right out and go again. Almost all team games. I liked that a lot. Sori had a special method for games called TBC- “Team by color.” After the game started, we would match the teams by color—in the beginning it was sort of confusing but after you get used to it this is the best way to randomize team games. ^^

uhjoo: It sounds like you are quite skilled.

Next_(R): Not exactly ;;

uhjoo: Okay, next question. I think I’ve heard before that you were a cartoonist, but could you tell me what you did before you started working with Starcraft progaming?

Next_(R): I wasn’t quite a cartoonist, but rather a cartoon scenario writer.

uhjoo: Ah I see~

Next_(R): I never got one accepted but I also wrote scenarios for animation movies. I also wrote game scenarios, so it might be more accurate to say I was a scenario writer. I’ve been in the game business for 7 years now but I did work with comics for around 10 years. After I started in progaming I also worked part time in cartoons for around 2 years.

uhjoo: The next questions are about the commentating profession. First of all, how did you first become a commentator? And did you have any previous commentating experience?

Next_(R): I didn’t have any experience. Among the scenarios that I was in charge of there was a cartoon called “Kakoong” which was a fantasy cartoon for teens. In any case I was managing the characters for that cartoon in the cartoon-only cable channel Tooniverse. At that time there was a game company for kids called Kid&kid.com and they wanted to make a channel for games, so the guy in charge of putting that into place was Hwang Hyung-joon, who was the producer for Tooniverse’s only game program Gameplus. Even now if you go to Gameplus it says since 1997 or something.

Anyway Producer Hwang had a conference for planning this game channel, where we sat in a motel room for 4 days 3 nights straight. Producer Hwang was a young producer who had the vision of Starcraft broadcasts like we have today. It’s not hard to find someone to MC or commentate on sports, but for this first try at broadcasting games, it was a real dilemma on who to get to commentate. Anyway at the time, because I was such a Starcraft fanatic we talked about Starcraft a lot in between breaks, and since it seemed like 1) I was pretty good at talking, 2) Because I was in cartoons I would understand kids who liked games, 3) I knew a lot about Starcraft, he suggested me. And for fun, I agreed. And from that beginning I’ve come all the way to now ;;

uhjoo: Wow, that’s interesting ^^ Next question is, what qualities or personality must you have to succeed as a commentator?

Next_(R): This is hard to explain -_-;

But for now, it’s hard to succeed as a commentator. There aren’t that many game broadcasts in the first place and also there are also a number of people (like myself) who have already established positions. So if in the future if young people want to succeed as broadcasters, I think that they must, as I did, concentrate on strategizing on how to make a new game popular. In the very beginning of Starcraft broadcasts, I was completely in charge of all the related issues such as the league rules, maps, etc.

uhjoo: Ah, I see~

Next_(R): I would say, “You have to do it this way for the broadcast to be fun.” Of course it’s different now. Progaming has become more institutionalized and professionalized in all its various respects so all I have to do now is commentate.

But in the very beginning, in order to establish a game’s popularity, someone who is on the production side, someone who really knows the fun of that game, must play a big role in coming up with a method for best relaying the game’s attractiveness. The game’s inherent qualities must be magnified and only then can you succeed as a commentator.

It’s not easy. And it’s especially hard for Starcraft -_-;

uhjoo: Why is that?

Next_(R): To become a Starcraft commentator in Korea… in the first place, nowadays it’s hard if you’re not a former progamer, and even if you were a progamer there aren’t that many spots.

uhjoo: Oh is that the case?

Next_(R): Yes. Not that it’s impossible, but people from the broadcast company, producers, representatives from the progamer association, etc. would likely look to former progamers if a new commentator had to be hired. They’ll probably pick someone with a good presenting style, a good voice, and also have a handsome face. At some point auditions or whatnot might become possible, but as for now the pool is too small.

As for me, I was lucky—being the first commentator and whatnot. Also, the Star League/Challenge League is now completely established, so my position is very stable. But there are only maybe 2-3 people in Ongamenet, 2-3 people in MBCgame who are completely stable. The gamecasters are stable but the remaining commentators/analysts are usually half-time, and do other work. So in this respect it’s not quite a stable profession ;;

uhjoo: Do commentators make enough to live on? To put it differently, has the e-sports commentator profession become economically stable?

Next_(R): Yes. You make more than enough. The people who only work half time—they continue to stay at their jobs for this reason. Even though it’s cable, it’s still broadcasting. So the money is not that bad. I can’t say what my exact salary is -_-; but for me because I have the most experience among commentators ;; and because I have a regularized number of games I commentate, I can certainly live on my salary ^^

uhjoo: I see~ What do you think about your own commentating style? And if you can say what your strengths and weaknesses are?

Next_(R): Well first of all my style, as is well known already, tends to be focused on presenting data. This is because I prepare more than is necessary—to the point that other commentators would be annoyed if they had to do it^^ So I’m making my niche, in my own way—a space others can’t quite achieve. After all, since I have the handicap of not being an ex-progamer, even if I am similar to the other commentators, the younger audience bracket tend to give more credit to what former progamers say. So I bolster my image with irrefutable “data.”

uhjoo: Ah, I never thought of that.

Next_(R): Yes. The younger group is quite different from more mature watchers ^^

My strengths are presenting data like I said above, and since my past experience is with making storylines, my ability to take a situation and to turn it into a story? Something like that.

uhjoo: Yes, and you’re really good at it ^^

Next_(R): ^^ Also because I’ve invested all my efforts into making cartoon characters, I’m able to identify progamers’ characteristics and package them, almost like cartoons, to present to the audience.

As for weaknesses… -_-;

After all as I get older and older I sometimes forget details here and there, and sometimes forget statistics that I used to memorize by heart, etc. Also because I’m so opinionated it seems like sometimes I make a portion of the audience considerably uncomfortable

uhjoo: Can you tell me briefly about your preparation before broadcasts?

Next_(R): As for preparation, first of all as soon as a broadcast is finished I come home, update my excel files that contain records of games and also update various pages. Even games that I don’t commentate I keep close records. Also I update and keep track of statistics relating to this season’s maps, race matchups, player’s winning streaks, etc.

uhjoo: When there are unexpected accidents in live games, do you have a prepared script to pass the time or just think of something on the spot?

Next_(R): Sometimes I ad lib it, but I always prepare a lot of things to say. Most of the time, I tell Yong-jun (Jeon Yong-jun, the “center-sitting” commentator for OSL) ahead of time: “If something comes up, ask me this or that.”

uhjoo: ^^ That’s interesting. Which commentator(s) do you think you have the best teamwork with?

Next_(R): Well, I work well with Do-hyung (Kim Do-hyung aka rainbow[roka]) because we’ve worked together for so long. I also work well with Chang-sun (Kim Chang-sun aka [B_Blade]Leader). Also, commentating slightly differently according to their style is easy so we all work well together. And other than them, Chae Jung-won. We work well together too ^^

uhjoo: keke~ When watching games, each of the commentators’ different characteristics and style is evident. When the commentating team is put together, is everyone’s complementary styles and roles considered?

Next_(R): Yes, I would say so. For example, when I’m not there, Do-hyung or Chang-sun naturally assume the main role and take over data presenting. Just naturally these kinds of informal roles have been established, so Do-hyung and Chang-sun like working with me, because it’s comfortable as they don’t have to gather so much data ^^ So for instance, Chang-sun takes much longer preparing for Warcraft 3 games than for Challenge Leagues, and Do-hyung takes much more time preparing for ProLeague games.

uhjoo: I see. Next question is… please tell me what are the most memorable games you’ve commentated.

Next_(R): There are so many ;; Hmmm….

Well if looking back on it now this game might seem so chobo but my number one most memorable game is Lim Yo-hwan (Slayers_’Boxer’) vs. Yoo Byung-joon ([NC]…nO.1). It wasn’t the best in terms of pure skill but more as a historical game. It was a game on GameQ, a TvT on Lost Temple.

uhjoo: Yes, I remember~

Next_(R): At that time, what I felt was an amazing psychological battle between both players. They were fooling the other and getting fooled, and on and on. After watching that game, I felt that Starcraft as a game would flow in another new direction, and in reality this is what happened. And a new star named Lim Yo-hwan was born as well.

uhjoo: Tell me one more game you remember well.

Next_(R): After that one… to be honest I don’t remember those long drawn out games between huge armies.

Kang Min (Nal_rA)’s games…. Hmm… how can I say this;;

uhjoo: He’s my favorite ^^;;

Next_(R): Really this guy has played so many games that overturn what is considered standard…

And among recent games I would pick Park Sung-jun (Julyzerg) vs, Choi Yun-sung (iloveoov)’s final, game 1. I didn’t come up with Sung-jun’s nickname “Tushin” ("Tu" - "Battle", "shin" - "God", so "God of Battle") but it’s so fitting. ^^

I don’t understand why Min (Nal_rA) is underperforming so much recently in Ongamenet. ;;

uhjoo: You’re right T.T Who do you think are the most influential progamers in history? Especially gamers who might be influential but aren’t recognized for their contributions?

Next_(R): The most obviously would have to be Yo-hwan (Boxer) and for Protoss it’s Dong-su (Garimto). Also Kang Min (Nal_rA), Hong Jin-ho (Yellow). The person most unrecognized for this contribution would be Kim Dae-gun (St.Eagle). The fact that Terran is so strong now is at least 50% due to Dae-gun.

Even if he started again now, he would still be good -_-;;

Ah, also I can’t leave out Guillaume Patry (Grrr…). Before Yo-hwan (Boxer), Guillaume Patry who single-handedly raised the standard for Korean gamers at almost a culture shock level.

uhjoo: Absolutely~ What is the biggest change in progaming from when it first started to now?

Next_(R): Fans. The transformation of fan attitudes. In the beginning, progaming fans were all “hardcore” fans. Only people who were really hard-core. They knew all the rules, and when they watched a game they knew as much as the commentators. But now, more than half the fans only know who won and won lost. Fans who are only interested in whether the progamer they like has won or lost. Some people might not like this development, but it’s a sign that progaming has truly matured. The fan base was originally those who really knew the details of the game itself, but now, added to this core base is another group of fans who only root for their favorite player, favorite team.

For example, people might say, “Lee Seung-hyup (Korean baseball star) hit a homerun today, right?” That fact in itself is enough to draw their interest. Now there are fans who say, “Lim Yo-hwan won today, right?” So progaming has almost become on par with other sports.

uhjoo: What do you think is the biggest problem with progaming today?

Next_(R): Hmm… the shallow depth of progamers is becoming less of a problem through the Courage League and other such matches;; So I would say still the difference between rich and poor teams. There aren’t enough pro teams.

uhjoo: I see.

Next_(R): “Real” pro teams. There’s increasing stability of KTF, SK, etc…

uhjoo: Some of us in the U.S. compare KTF to the New York Yankees.

Next_(R): Yes, that’s right. We call them Real Madrid as well ^^

But in any case the activity of these teams suggest a more established e-sports scenario in the future, but if Samsung were to more actively invest, and a few larger companies were to jump in ;;

Also the nebulous role of Team coaches has to be more defined—whether they’re coaches or managers or CEOs or whatever it is. For example, Song ho-chang (coach of P&C) was originally an agent, but as the contract with P&C was solidified, he was clearly put into the “coach” position. I wish other teams also followed suit and that an atmosphere where progamers could train in a more stable environment can be instituted.

Also, in the beginning, it was a common thing that players would get a big salary and just go downhill. To put it differently, “I hit my jackpot so what else is there to do in progaming” type attitude. Something like this? But now, since salaries can now go multiyear, and since greater performance means greater pay, those who hit it big try even harder ^^

And this is the attitude of a true pro as well.

uhjoo: There’s an opinion that other than “ace” or “star” level progamers, that progamer salary is way too low. What do you think about this?

Next_(R): That’s not an opinion but a fact.

However, even though this is a fact, I’m not sure if this is a problem. Even if you look at American baseball, the difference between the majors and minors is heaven and earth. It’s completely natural. Isn’t that the realities of a competitive field? For example, if 100 progamers wanted to get Yellow/Nal_rA treatment, there would have to be 10,000 progamers in total. Of course if this were the case, “star” level pros would receive much more than what they do now. But this is the case in any field.

It’s the same in the comic book industry. There are young kids who eat ramen noodles 3 times a day, and with the money left over buy supplies to draw comics. But there must be a dream at the end—“if I become the best, I’ll become like that.”

So in some ways, the difference between rich and poor is not always necessarily a bad thing.

uhjoo: Since we’re talking about “star” level players, Kim Dong-su (Garimto) has gotten a lot of notoriety for his phrase “sense of star.” Do you agree with this concept? Or to put it differently, do you sense something different about the very top level players?

Next_(R): Of course. The phrase “sense of star” is … ^^ I don’t think it fully expresses this difference, but…

uhjoo: keke~ of course ^^

Next_(R): But to be honest, they’re definitely “different.”

uhjoo: I sensed it watching Seo Ji-hoon (XelloS) playing at this year’s WCG.

Next_(R): Yes, there’s a palpable and sudden something you feel immediately ^^

Hmm… to describe it… gaming itself is 100% a big play of data. It’s an interplay of extremely fixed quantitative factors. However, when humans get involved, how can I say this… the player’s personality shows through? That is what Dong-su was talking about.

Also, the movement of units, or sense of timing in rushing out, strength, confidence, a sense of excellence-- there are definitely pros from whom you clearly get these impressions.

uhjoo: Who do you consider to be the most promising newcomers?

Next_(R): Song Byung-gu (stork[gm]) who advanced to the Star League this time was considerably surprising. Because he’s so young, his future seems so bright, and I think he’ll grow to become a scary player.

Among terrans I think Sang-wook (midas[gm]) will eventually achieve what he is capable of. Sang-wook just has to not get nervous. Among zergs… nowadays the light from the two stars Park Sung-jun (Julyzerg)/Park Tae-min (GoRush) is shining so bright that even Hong Jin-ho (Yellow) has to shield his eyes;; So I don’t think now is a time that newcomers can enter easily.

uhjoo: Speaking of which, there are many impressive newcomers coming from [gm]… should we think of these top clans as a sort of minor leagues through which you have to pass through before entering the majors?

Next_(R): They’re more like research facilities, where they’re learning from each other. Among them, someone amazing can emerge, but not always. Boxer, Yellow, Reach, Nal_rA are all not [gm] after all ^^

uhjoo: Many players tend to retire or fall off after their early 20’s. Is there any specific reason?

Next_(R): Progaming itself hasn’t been established for long. In other sports as well, pros didn’t quite have longevity until the sport became fully institutionalized after a long history.

uhjoo: In the current IOPS starleague, Park Jung-suk (Reach) was the only protoss user. In general protoss users haven’t been very successful—is there a reason?

Next_(R): There aren’t many protoss players in general. Many people have a basic misunderstanding—for instance, they think “Hey, this year 1/3 of the players making it past the Challenge League preliminary are protosses, so this year’s league is balanced.” But this is absolutely not the case—that would mean tosses did extremely well, because there are fewer tosses to begin with. Depending on the season, it’s natural that one race does well or does not do well. When terrans or zergs don’t do well, it’s not that obvious. But if tosses do poorly, it’s so obvious because there are so few of them in the first place. The 1-protoss Star League was due to the nightmare of Mercury. And Jung-suk (Reach) went 1-2 in his pool. That’s it. In the Challenge League tosses did very well.

But to be honest, I also think this. If Kang Min (Nal_rA) was there, I don’t think he would’ve fallen so easily. In reality, the players who make the new strategies aren’t always the players who win, but each race has a “strategic leader.” Currently, the “strategic leader” of protoss is Kang Min (Nal_rA) but… this damn guy -_-;; Isn’t advancing ;;

uhjoo: kaka~~

Next_(R): If a sensational strategy is developed, the race balance on any given map can be changed drastically.

But Mercury is definitely a failed map. Even a map like Requiem, if a specific race keeps losing in the beginning, then as a commentator I can make suggestions here and there, but Mercury is really…

uhjoo: kekeke~~~ What do you consider to be the best map to be used in the OSL?

Next_(R): A good map is “a map with many choices.” It’s hard to pick one map but Nostalgia and Requiem?

uhjoo: Okay, next question. When Warcraft 3 came out there were a lot of people saying Starcraft will disappear. However, why hasn’t Warcraft 3 been able to overtake Starcraft? Is it simply a matter of time?

Next_(R): Warcraft 3 could not beat Starcraft in appeal to the mainstream. Warcraft 3 is really a fun game, but tends to be more appealing to hard-core fans. So in this respect I think broadcast games should have taken a different direction. I think they should have tried to appeal to the audience in as simple and fun way as possible, but they wanted to catch up with Starcraft overnight. Starcraft is mature enough to commentate on the basis of statistics here and there, but Warcraft 3 should have been presented strictly on the basis of its “fun” level. If I was commentating Warcraft 3, I would have encouraged building rushes (building rushes were banned with tacit informal rules or whatever). And I would’ve decisively named one of the 4 races as the “evil race”—and while there would’ve been a lot of complaints, it’s easier to generate interest. Also, decisively I would’ve limited Town Portal scrolls to 1 through the map editor or something. I’ve watched many games as just another member of the audience, but when an exciting battle is just about to happen, and 1 unit dies, and then *poof* portal, everyone changed the channel. Broadcast is after all about “fun,” so if there’s something that is blocking “fun,” then it should’ve been boldly cut out.

uhjoo: That makes a lot of sense. The next question is, how long do you think Starcraft will last?

Next_(R): Nobody knows the answer to that question. I really can’t say -_-;

Mmm… I’m not the type of person who can answer those types of questions with a set answer like a politician so ;; I will ensure that the game stays popular as long as I have the strength to hold a microphone.

uhjoo: Yes! I’ll consider that a promise. ^^

Next_(R): Ok ^^

uhjoo: It will be the topic of eternal debate, but can you say something about racial balance?

Next_(R): It’s a myth. It might seem like 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 would be the best balance, but not only is it impossible, but it’s also not beautiful.

A situation of P > T > Z > P where there is a slight advantage/disadvantage to one race or another, this is the most fun type of balance.

uhjoo: For each of the three races, is there a specific skill that is more important for each race? For instance, macro for zerg, micro for terran, etc.?

Next_(R): Mmm… while there are basic fundamentals, there are players that completely overturn those standards. For example, Terran is all about micro. Because mixing troops is essential to survival, it’s important to use many different types of units at once—which is micro control. However, there is Lee Yun-yeol (NaDa) and Choi Yun-sung (iloveoov) who completely disprove this theory so there is no such thing as absolutes.

Zerg is all about execution. If only due to the fact that one drone can become a building, the entire order of gameplay can be changed by the addition of a hatchery later on in the game. So with this in mind it’s all execution ;;; But suddenly a player like Park Sung-jun (Julyzerg) who is a micro-intensive gamer shows up… so again there is no absolutes.

And for protoss troop production is the basic fundamental. However, there are guys like Nal_rA ;;;

uhjoo: What advice to you give to players who are very skilled but don’t quite achieve the results? Is it purely because of nervousness?

Next_(R): No. Mmm… even if in the short term it might be disadvantageous, I would say take a month, at least a week vacation. I think taking a broader perspective on yourself is the best way to find the answer to your own problems.

uhjoo: Why are Koreans the best Starcraft players in the world?

Next_(R): Do I even have to answer this? -_-;; It’s obvious. They’re professionals ;;

uhjoo: ^^ I have a similar question then—why are there no other countries that have channels dedicated to e-sports and have a matured e-sports industry?

Next_(R): It’s because Korea is the first. If the gaming culture is truly a strong and fun culture, I believe that in not too far off in the future it will spread to other countries. No one knows how long it will take, but gaming is something everyone in the entire world can enjoy, so even if it is a long, gradual process, there’s no doubt it will spread. If that doesn’t happen, Korea’s gaming channels will all fail ^^

uhjoo: Why are there no foreign players in any proteams other than Hexatron?

Next_(R): Can I be brutally honest?

uhjoo: Of course!!

Next_(R): Results.

They haven’t performed well enough. Their market appeal is not enough. Their value is only realized when you gather mercenaries and market Hexatron as a “mercenary team.” This is what I think. Peter, Brian, etc. If there is a truly exceptional foreign player, KTF and SK will run to them with open checkbooks.

uhjoo: Is the cultural difference within a team a factor?

Next_(R): In most cases foreign players who have adjusted to Korea have good personalities and get along with Korean progamers so I don’t think cultural differences are particularly important. It’s about performance. To be honest they’re pros, so if there’s another team that promises them a lot of benefits, there’s no reason they can’t switch teams.

But the fact is this type of exceptional foreign gamer is not currently evident, so the current foreigners must prove themselves with “results.” To be honest, people in the broadcasting industry secretly have great hopes that foreign players will do well.

uhjoo: If you were to judge the strengths and weaknesses of current foreign progamers?

Next_(R): Mmm… how can I put this. I don’t know them that well ;; But as a commentator, I want to praise their efforts and dedication. But the fact they lack a “distinguishing style” is disappointing.

The two foreigners who are the examples of success in Korean progaming, Guillaume Patry (Grrr…) and Bertrand Grospellier (Elky) had very clear distinguishing styles. Of course, in the end, it’s all about results.

uhjoo: Many people say that foreigners have a different style than Koreans. Do you agree with this?

Next_(R): Among foreign players there aren’t many who focus on the early game ^^ Pros or amateurs. Bertrand’s early bunkering was an exception, but Bertrand is in the end a mid-late game specialist. I think foreigners enjoy the game a little differently. Because Starcraft is a strategy game, making this and that and using a strategy to win is fun. But for Koreans, “winning is fun.”

Not that this is an absolute truth, but I’m just speaking of tendencies.

uhjoo: Have you thought of commentating for other games such as Warcraft 3 or even Starcraft 2 if it is released?

Next_(R): I even prepared for Warcraft 3, but I’m focusing on Starcraft. I’m always thinking about possibilities however. When a new strategy game comes out, I’m usually interested and try it out. Right now, I’m wondering how to broadcast World of Warcraft in a new way ;; I’m in the midst of thinking about this issue ^^

uhjoo: It seems like it would be very difficult T.T

Next_(R): Yes it’s really hard. It has to be completely different. I’m talking a lot with the producer in charge, and the producer is thinking in a completely different direction from me ;; It won’t be easy. If it can be established it will be a great broadcast, but the available resources on a systematic level aren’t quite there ;;

uhjoo: Finally, will you say a word to your fans?

Next_(R): Gee… what can I say… I’m always thankful and…

Mmm… instead of this kind of “set answer,” I wish I could say something “cool.” ^^

uhjoo: keke~~ Our favorite “cool” saying is map = dog.

Next_(R): Hahaha~

Ok, then, my parting words are: Always have fun playing! And if it’s not fun anymore don’t watch Ongamenet~

^^

uhjoo: ^^ I wish I could force you to talk for another 3 hours but for today I’ll be satisfied. Thank you so much for your honest and clear answers^^

Next_(R): Thank you and happy Lunar New Year!
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