Interview by: VPGame.com. Photo by: Riot Games

Against all odds, JD Gaming and their carry Gu “Imp” Seung-bin have made the LPL grand final. JDG entered the playoffs as the #8 seed, only to upset all of Team WE, Royal Never Give Up and FunPlus Phoenix.

In an interview for VPGame and VPEsports, Imp spoke about the series, current form why they played so smoothly against FPX.

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Hi Imp, congratulations on your win! You guys played flawlessly in the playoffs, advancing into the grand finals after winning 3 straight matches. What do you think is the most important factor in your victories?

I feel that we were more focused than our opponents and we improved more them, hence we were able to win.

During the playoffs, you won three straight matches in the LGD arena. Do you have anything you wish to say to LGD?

I hope LGD can achieve some better results next season.

Your bot lane partner LvMao said that if your team won the championship, he will dye his hair green. As his partner, do you want to have a challenge of your own?

Actually, I also want to dye my hair. However, I don’t really have that much hair to begin with and I’m afraid all my hair will fall off. I guess I won’t be making any challenge.

In the second game, Olaf came to the bot lane to gank but you and LvMao actually turned it around and won the fight 2v3. What was the communication like and why did you guys think you could take that fight?

At that point, I knew I would hit level 6 when a minion died and Kalista used her Flash aggressively to initiate on me. I knew that I could turn it around when I hit level 6. Once Kalista was taken out, we felt that we had no problems fighting a level 5 Olaf.

In the second game, you guys took down FPX’s inhibitor before the 20-minute mark. Did you expect the game to go so smoothly?

I feel that this was still within expectations. Although I wasn’t as confident on Ashe, I was still able to execute her properly when we faced other strong teams during practice. I was also able to improve my gameplay through those practice games. It felt as though FPX didn’t pressure us as much when compared to the other stronger teams that we faced. That’s why we were able to play as smoothly as we did.

Many fans mentioned online that you are regaining your form from Season 4. Do you think you are stronger now or back during S4?

I don’t think I’m anywhere near my Season 4 form. After all, I am ranked 18th in terms of damage output among all the ADC. [laughs]

What do you think was the most critical factor in the comeback in game 4 against FPX?

In Game 4, one of Kog’Maw’s greatest weakness was getting poked and lucky for us, our line-up had some really strong champions for poking. I felt that this was the most critical factor for the comeback.

After the comeback, did it have any effect on your team’s morale?

Personally, I felt calmer after the match.

How was the team atmosphere heading into the deciding Game 5? Were you able to sense if any of your teammates were nervous?

Flawless was the most nervous as he wasn’t feeling very well today. However, he was still able to perform well despite not being in his best condition and this helped us achieve the victory.

In the deciding Game 5, you guys lost two fights in the early game that almost costed you the match. How were you able to recover from that and take the victory in the end?

Although we didn’t execute those two fights well, interestingly enough, Flawless still had the higher level. Also, we had better last hits in the bottom and top lane. These factors gave us the confidence to turn the tides around.

Who do you think had the best execution in your team?

Zoom did.

Many people are calling your team the “8th seed legends”. What are your thoughts on that?

I came across similar scenarios during my time at LGD so I’m fine with it.