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I recently visited the U.S. for a team event in New York. I went to New York to attend a pop-up store that sells team merchandise. I had a great time with my fans who came to buy the team products and played a show match. It was similar to the event before the Overwatch League finals. Our fans kept lining up for the store. Since it was held in New York, we should have made it to the finals but it was a shame that we couldn't. I thought I'd make it to the finals next time.-New York Excelsior had a good record with 34 wins and 6 losses during the regular season but unfortunately finished the season in the playoff. What do you think of last season?Every member was highly skilled, and we were in good harmony. Jjonak's Zenyatta was the best, and our tanks, Mano and Janus, made good coordination with my Tracer. Other members' ability to deal with Genji, Diva, and Lucio were on the top level of the league. We did well with the rush composition during the regular season. I had thought any meta would do well, but that wasn't the case. Head Coach Yoo also worked out strategies by understanding the characteristics of the DPS players. I felt sorry for the playoffs. But I think it was a good experience. I'm not making excuse here: everyone really felt that way. We didn't want to feel what we felt after losing ever again. Teammates now tasted the bitter defeat once, and it motivated us to work harder.-Then, you must have set your goals for next year. I think I'm asking the obvious questions, but what is your goal for next season?My goal is to win, of course. We have five DPS on our team, so we have a lot to work on. Now, I think our team is also good at a three tanks-three support strategy. The DPS are in a situation where they have to play various roles. I think five of us will be able to compete with each other and prepare for the season, and we will be able to do better next year. Next year, as more teams join the league, they have to deal with a wider variety of composition, and with fewer games, every game is more important than this season. But I still like it. The Overwatch League and the distance of Korea are still far away so I didn't realize it here, but there are many people who recognize me on the streets. Now I can speak English, it was even better to communicate with fans.-It wasn't the season you wished for, but yet there were some memorable events. How did you feel when you threw the first pitch for New York Mets, the franchise owned by Sterling Equities, the company that supports NYXL ownership group Sterling.VC?It was originally scheduled for spring, but the game was canceled the day I decided to pitch because the weather was bad. So I got to do it in the summer, and I was really nervous. I was more nervous than I was playing for OWL. It was the first time that many people watching me. I did it with some other people, and I hope I can do it alone next time. One of my goals as a pro player is to have many fans. I think my life has become more colorful with my job as a professional gamer. I used to live as a part-timer, but now I love being a pro player and looked at by fans.-I heard you didn't have an easy life until you joined the New York Excelsior, and I wonder how you felt before you joined the Overwatch League. Also, what has changed for you after your joined OWL?I just liked playing games. So I lived for over a year and a half without pay, thinking that I would make some challenge. I was happy to do what I wanted to do. It's my life goal to do so. I bet everything I could do, thinking I could do something else if I failed. I wanted to follow my passion rather than money. Now that I've decided to play in OWL, I thought the real part had just begun. I also start saving money right after getting my first salary from New York Excelsior. My parents divorced a long time ago, and my father told me to do what I wanted to do. My mom was the opposite. So I lived alone as soon as I became an adult, and sometimes I get in touch with my father. My father was really proud of me.I got married in 2017. I met my wife in 2017 and got married last November. I really loved her, and I still do. We argue sometimes, but we get along better as we understand each other. The team got an apartment for me and her and helped my wife to get her visa. Thanks to this support, I could do well in the league. It motivated me to win Stage 3 and call myself the best Tracer player. Since I've become responsible for someone, it made try harder than before. Thanks to that, I think I did better.-You won the Overwatch World Cup in 2017, and you were on the preliminary entry for this year's regional qualifier. How is OWC different from OWL? And why did you make the choice to be excluded from the final roster?When I first became the Korean representative for the Overwatch World Cup, I was both happy and burdened. Korea won its first championship without a single loss, which put pressure on me. But thanks to the World Cup stage, I could go to the league and meet many interesting players. Among the overseas players, it was amazing that 'XQC' continued to stream everywhere, and I was looking forward to a showdown with Sinatra since he was a good Tracer player as well. He did well. I don't know what had gone wrong for him during the OWC, but it seemed he couldn't play at his best. The Korean players who worked together were perfect. Playing with other team players was fun, and I became close with 'ryujehong' and 'Tobi.'I had a good memory last year, and I was very ambitious so I was glad to hear that I was selected for the national team this year. I wanted to win the trophy twice in a row, but it didn't go as well as I expected. I thought I needed more personal practice. Besides me, 'Fleta' was good so I gave up my greed right away and made the necessary decision for the national team and me. That's why everything went well. Except for the match against Finland, I don't think there were any major crises. But I don't think the Korean team is as overwhelming as it used to be.-When I visited the OWC for the first time, we didn't know each other. I was pretty much a complete stranger to you, but yet you looked at the camera and made some poses.Before I became a professional gamer, I had a lot of fun. I'll be shown to fans anyway, so I do that except during games. Before and after grasping the mouse I become a different person, so my fans call me 'Saebyeolbe' when I'm doing good and sometimes 'Jong-Ryul' if I'm not doing well. I think it fits me well so I like it. Before I became a pro player, I worked as a barista at a cafe. I had to give the guests a polite and tidy image, so I wiped out the pranks. But when I hung out with friends, I became this 'Jong-Ryul.' It's the same for me even now. Until you catch the mouse, it's Jong-ryul. If you hold it, it's Saebyeolbe.-You said your goal for next season is to win the trophy, but the current meta doesn't seem to fit for Tracer. I think there is a lot for you to say to Blizzard.I don't feel sad just because the current meta doesn't fit me. Meta will circulate, and I can do well when the right meta comes. And I'm not lazy in practicing to fit myself in. I'm practicing hard for Sombra and Zarya, and I keep on playing Ashe. Ashe's ult is a bit minus, but she's a hero who can be a sniper with explosive players with dynamite. Thus she can be played if the meta has an advantage for her. Tracer has not changed much except for the pulse bomb, but Brigitte is too hard to deal with. As soon as Brigitte uses the ult, there is nothing Tracer can do. The damage won't go in.But I didn't feel sorry for Blizzard. It's hard to make a patch for hero balance adjustment or combination. And if they make the patch on OWL level, it will cause problems at the gamers' level. I just have to work hard. As my fans remember me as the best Tracer player, I want to be on the top with another hero. It's a secret which hero it will be.-What player do you want to be remembered to your fans, just like you're known as the best Tracer player?I'm already on the right track on being what I want to be: a happy, playful player with a lot of fans. And a good husband for his wife? Actually, I had an argument before today's interview. I'll probably make up when I get home, but there's something I want to tell her via this interview: "I'm sorry for the argument. Let's not do it again. I'm sorry." It's my wife whom I'd do everything to make her happy, and I have to try harder. We haven't even had a wedding ceremony yet, and I think it will be held if there won't be any overlap in my team schedule. I hope many fans will come and congratulate me. My wife understood my situation, and she also understood that the wedding was going to be delayed. She knows my job, and I'm thankful that she understands and supports me.-It's a long way from now on for you to retire, but I remember you being a commentator in the final of the APEX. What do you think of your previous caster experience?I want to continue working in e-sports after my career: team management or a commentator. Are you reading this, Yongbongtang(Korean Overwatch commentator)? I like you a lot.-You are going to go to the U.S. soon to prepare for next season. Please say your last words to fans in Korea and New York.I like the fans I see often in the league and the Korean fans. But since I'm working abroad, I miss the atmosphere of Korean fans from APEX. They took good care of me. Since I cannot meet them often, I try to tell you the news through Instagram or Twitter. I love the feedback and reactions from foreign fans, but the comments that Korean fans leave in Korean make me feel somewhat different. I hope you leave comments a lot. I read them all. Thank you very much to the Korean fans for cheering me on until I'm here. And as my hometown is in Korea, my hometown in the U.S. is New York. I will remain as the best Tracer player for my hometown fans and win the title next year. Thank you.Written by Park 'Vallen' Sang Jin / vallen@fomos.co.krTranslate by Lee 'Mond' Hahnbit / mond@fomos.co.kr포모스와 함께 즐기는 e스포츠, 게임 그 이상을 향해!Copyrights ⓒ FOMOS(http://www.fomos.kr) 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지