It’s summer – and with every step taken, beads of sweat start to form. And the fresh sound of cicadas ring through the air, accompanying the walk through the winding paths lined by numerous apartment buildings. A school lot, resting on a slight incline, comes into focus. Staring at the front gates of the school, it suddenly becomes very clear where we are. It’s the right place. There, upon those gates, is a huge banner. It congratulates a pro gamer who has won “An authoritative global computer game competition.”

Is this the Alma Mater of Ben ‘The Jungle God’ Gi?

Slightly excited, we walk up the slight hill through the gates of the school. Welcoming us was a landscape of familiarity, a scene you’d see at many regular high schools – students playing soccer outside in the field, others enjoying themselves at the basketball courts, and plenty of others sitting around and just enjoying their free time. While this writer was taken back to the memories of moments spent in school the star of this interview, Bae “Bengi” Sung-woong, appeared suddenly, clad in his SKT T1 uniform. He greeted us cheerfully, although his facial expression hinted at some slight awkwardness.

Bengi the jungle god, returning to school – “I was really thankful to the friends who hung the banner for me”

A memorable photo taken with the Principal

Bengi is being shy!

“I didn’t know it was vacation time. I thought there would be a lot more students, thankfully there aren’t that many!” It was cute seeing how nervous Bengi was, considering that he hadn’t conducted an interview for quite some time. Since we’re at his old school, it’s only fitting that we say our hellos! Along with SKT T1′s head coach, Choi Byung-hoon, Bengi exchanged greetings with the Principal and Vice Principal. Then, we started to conduct the interview in the very classroom that Bengi had attended, just a few years prior.

“I don’t really like doing interviews. It’s a bit embarrassing, actually coming out and doing separate interviews like this.” He starts to explain, apologetically, about all the previous interview requests. Though it had been a long time that he had participated in an individual meeting with the media, he made quite the genuine effort, answering everything to the best of his ability. There were quite a few amusing episodes that occurred during this visit to his high school. One of those instances? He had greeted his 3rd year homeroom teacher, but the homeroom teacher didn’t remember him.



Your teacher didn’t remember you?

“I was a quiet student when I attended school. And I did put on weight, if you compare me then and now. I still thought he’d remember me, though…I’m slightly disappointed.” (laugh)

Do you still keep in touch with the students that hung the banner for you?

“After I won the 2013 Season 3 World Championship, my friends told me that they’d hang a banner for me. I thought they were joking and said, ‘Hang it if you dare~’, but there really was a banner that was hung on the school gates. I was really surprised.”

While discussing the many hot internet stories that had popped up regarding this banner, Bengi could not contain his laughter.



“I still keep in touch with those friends. There are a few friends who are doing their military service, and there are a few that have already completed it. They say that when they get a chance, they’ll come to the studio in their military uniforms. I’m kinda scared, since I’m not sure if they’ll be carrying something else this time…”

His face seemed quite peaceful speaking of these friends. When you think about it, it’s understandable why Bengi had avoided interviews for the longest time – he’s one of the players that have been plagued with negative comments.

“I feel it with my entire being that my image has become better. The frequency of people cursing at me has decreased, and even if I don’t perform the same I’m not criticized as heavily as I was before. I even get nicknames now.”

He’s known as the jungle itself, as manifested in the nickname Ben ‘The Jungle’ Gi; ‘Dark Flame Master’ [in reference to anime Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!] and a slew of many other nicknames that describe him. What does Bengi think of all these nicknames?

Bengi, who is shy about all of the nicknames he’s been given

“When I got the nicknames, my teammates teased me A LOT. Whenever they’d say hi to me they’d always use their left arm, and never their right arm. They’d call me sleeping Dark Flame Master, whatever. It was such a trend [to tease me] within our team for some time. I think it’s a good thing to have nicknames. But, I feel that ‘Dark Flame Master’…is really childish! Even in Solo Queue I get people asking, ‘Please release the Dark Flame Master!’ and I don’t really know what to say.” (laughs)

When discussing the nicknames, Bengi was very embarrassed. This interview was actually conducted after SKT T1′s first loss in the 2015 Summer Season. It could have been a sore spot, but it was really refreshing to see Bengi discuss these things with ease.

“It’s very disappointing, sure. I believe that it’ll become a good experience, though. Riding on that undefeated streak, there was a chance to get too relaxed. I think with this loss it’s helped us get our team atmosphere together. We need to practice hard and put up great results at Worlds. We need to get our revenge on EDG. At that moment, I felt really vexed. When we are able to play against them again, I want to be able to win them alongside my teammates.”

When speaking of the happenings at MSI, Bengi’s right hand shook slightly. It felt as like something had sealed itself upon his hand, and had awakened in anger when he had begun talking about EDG. Pretending not to have noticed the cold sweat that had suddenly formed, we threw out the last questions. What kind of message would he want to relay the most, to those around him?

Bengi’s sealing away the Dark Flame Master.

“I would really like to thank the friends that hung the banner for me. At first I thought that they were teasing me, but as it got to be well-known…it became a source of strength for me. They’re very close friends and I wasn’t able to tell them at the appropriate time, or even in an appropriate manner, but I was truly grateful. I think I’ll have to keep doing well, if only for my friends.”

And just like that, as if they had waited an eternity for the moment, students swarmed around as soon as the individual interview concluded. The students of Dongbuk High had heard that Bengi would be visiting and had come out of their way to see him. The meeting with a famous alumnus left the current students unable to contain their excitement. After calming the students, and with the homeroom teacher at the helm, the question and answer session with the students began.

Ask Bengi Anything – A Q/A session with the Students

Q. (from Teacher) I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to recognize you in the beginning. After looking at your graduation pictures, you had changed a lot. The students were very happy to hear that you’d be visiting. Have you really become a big deal? From what I hear, you’re on par with Rooney, or Son Heung-min?

Bengi: (surprised) It’s not to that degree.

Students: We really wanted to interview Bengi sunbae [term for someone who is ahead of you, in terms of school or career] and we had contacted the team, but we got rejected as there was an important match and they said it would affect his schedule..

Bengi’s photo in his graduation yearbook

Q. (from Student) You’re famous as a pro gamer now. Do people recognize you in the streets?

Bengi: After I’ve become a pro gamer, some people do recognize me on the street. It doesn’t happen all the time, since it’s not like I walk around wearing my uniform.

Q. (from Student) I heard that the Jungler is at the core of League of Legends game control. What do I do to become a good Jungler?

Bengi: Jungling is a sad position. You become an example of game politics [get blamed for everything!!] and you especially have to be careful of Top, or when you gank less than the opposing jungler. When you play jungle you have to play like you’ve taken on the role of ‘dad’. If the game gets even a little bit difficult, it’s so easy to blame the jungler.

Q. (from Student) Are you satisfied with your team results this season?

Bengi: Right now we’re pretty much locked into qualifying for Worlds, so our goal is to end the season in 1st Place.

Q. (from Student) I have a lot of friends wanting to become pro gamers. Is there any advice that you can give to them?

Bengi: I don’t really want to recommend being a pro gamer as a career option. But if you’re exceptionally talented, it’d be good to go for it?

Q. (from Student) You’ve played a lot of games now. How do you relieve some of your nerves?

Bengi: Something that Sang-hyuk (Faker) taught me at MSI is to press on your temples. I tried it and it was pretty effective. Gwang-jin (Piglet) has a habit of clapping his hands, and like the past trend, I used to clap the backs of my hands together. Lately I don’t get to that level of nervousness. I just do some deep breathing.

Q. (from Student) Who’s the prettiest – announcer Cho Eun-jung or Cho Eunnarae?



Bengi: They’re both pretty! Personally, I think Cho Eun-jung is pretty.

Q. (from Student) If a teammate has the chance for a Pentakill, are you the type to let them have it, or the type to steal it?

Bengi: I think this question is targeted at that one time I took the Pentakill away from Piglet at Season 3 Worlds…but I usually let them have it. It was the Finals match then and we were playing in excitement. After that whenever he would bring it up, I would apologize. Even now when the story comes up, I say sorry (laughs).

Q. (from Student) Piglet at one time was surrounded by some talk because of some flaming that he had supposedly done. What’s his real personality like?

Bengi: Piglet’s like that only because he really wants to win, he’s a very kind person. Jae-hyun (Tom) is like that too. If you meet them in person and start talking to them, they’re really nice.

Q. (from Student) What kind of laner ‘type’ do you try to avoid?

Bengi: Top lane, there’s a lot of people like that in top lane. This is the most I’ll say.

Q. (from Student) Do you have a girlfriend?

Bengi: (shakes his head)

Q. (from Student) Do you have a friend of the opposite gender with whom you’re getting along well…?

Bengi: (shakes his head again)

Laughing at the Jungle god’s sense of humor

Q. (from Student) What were your school days like? Were you good at studying?

Bengi: Around..Rank 4? [Top 40%]



Q. (from Student) Who were the junglers that you found most difficult to play against?

Bengi: Lee “Chaser” Sang-hyun and Yoon “Peanut” Wang-ho were both junglers that were difficult to play against.

Q. (from Student) Do you duo with any friends?

Bengi: No, never. I do play normals with them sometimes..

Q. (from Student) Who is the shotcaller on SKT T1?

Bengi: Everyone contributes, but usually Sang-hyuk (Faker) or Gyeong-hwan hyung (MaRin) make the most calls.

Q. (from Student) Who are some other pro players that you are close with?

Bengi: I was close to Cho “Mata” Se-hyeong but lately we haven’t been able to keep in touch, so we haven’t really talked much. There aren’t really any other players on other teams that I’m particularly close to.

Q. (from Student) Which teacher do you remember the most from your high school days?

Bengi: I remember teacher Ahn Se-jin, the homeroom teacher in Year 2 that didn’t recognize me.

Q. (from Student) How many hours do pro gamers usually practice in a day?

Bengi: We usually get up at 12 PM, practice until 4 PM, and then eat and get some free time. We start practice again 7 to 11 PM and so the minimum amount of practice we get is 8 hours? After that, 11 PM to around 2-3 AM is our personal practice time.

Q. (from Student) Do you have any plans after retirement?

Bengi: I haven’t really thought that deeply about it. I should go complete my military duties first, right?

Q. (from Student) Please recommend a jungle champion that is easy for beginners to play.

Bengi: Gragas and Rek’Sai are currently meta champions, and they’re relatively easy to play. He doesn’t really get much playtime right now but Amumu, Warwick is also a good easy champion that beginners could play.



Q. (from Student) They usually say not to go to a lane that’s lost, but how do you judge what a “lost” lane is?

Bengi: If they get solo killed, it’s a lost lane. Pretty easy, right? If you try to gank a lost lane and you get counter ganked, there’s a high possibility of the game being lost. That’s why it’s not good to go gank a lost lane.

Q. (from Student) How did you feel when your team’s results were slumping?

Bengi: I felt really miserable. However, I did believe that it would improve eventually and so I kept practicing quietly.

Q. (from Student) What do you do when you come across a troll?

Bengi: You get -20 LP for a loss, -3 LP for a dodge. Avoiding them is a wise decision.

Q. (from Student) From all of the teams that you’ve had to face so far, which one do you think was the best?

Bengi: Samsung White. They were a very strong team. It was the same during scrims.

Q. (from Student) Lately a lot of laners take jungle camps. What are your thoughts on this?

Bengi: Recently both top and mid laners have been taking Smite so they take a lot of jungle camps. Whenever I go back to base and come back to an empty jungle, I honestly don’t feel like playing sometimes. But, since the team’s gold goes up the faster the jungle is cleared, I just put up with it.

Q. (from Student) Weren’t your parents opposed to you becoming a pro gamer when you told them that you wanted to become one?

Bengi: Of course, they were very opposed to it. But I told them that I would be joining SKT, and it would be like me entering a big corporation…so they were slightly placated.

Q. (from Student) Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to your juniors?

Bengi: I’d like to say that when you’re attending high school, don’t play games too much. In Solo Queue, there would be someone that would always say hello to me, saying that they were also from Dongbuk High. If that person really does attend Dongbuk, I think it’d be nice to see them after they become a pro gamer. I’m really thankful to everyone who came out despite it being vacation time. Thank you!

Showering Bengi with a round of applause after the Q/A session

After the question and answer session with Bengi concluded, students applauded and expressed their thanks. Bengi responded to all the requests of signatures and pictures, expressing his gratitude that they had come out to support him even though it had been during a break. It was a warm scene to take in as a bystander.

“Hero” is far too much a great word to describe a pro gamer who is good at what he does. And Bengi himself is aware of this fact, so much so that he felt a lot of pressure during this visit to his old high school. The looks in the students’ eyes when meeting him were filled with awe and envy.



Bengi now has another great challenge ahead of him. It’s the dream stage for all League pro players – the World Championship. Trying to reclaim the title of ‘World’s Best’ is “Ben ‘The Jungle God’ Gi” Bae Sung-woong. Cheering behind him will be friends, classmates, juniors, and teachers, who all support him in the quest to become ‘World’s Best Jungler.’

Fighting, Bae Sung-woong, Dongbuk High’s pride and joy~!

Original Korean article here: http://news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=e_sports&ctg=news&mod=read&oid=442&aid=0000020694&redirect=true&spi_ref=m_sports_twitter

Photos courtesy of Inven.co.kr!

