Gen.G will be returning to 2018 World Championship to defend their title. Gen.G came out victorious in the 2018 LCK Regional Qualifier by defeating SK Telecom T1, Griffin and Kingzone DragonX over the course of 5 days. Gen.G is awarded the third and final seed for LCK and joins KT Rolster and Afreeca Freecs at worlds.

After the 3-2 victory against Kingzone DragonX that secured Gen.G a Worlds spot, Ashley Kang interviewed CoreJJ who talked about how this Worlds felt different from 2016 and 2017, his relationship with his bot lane partner Ruler and how he wants revenge against China and RNG at the international stage.

CoreJJ: Hello, I am CoreJJ, the support for Gen.G Esports. We’ve qualified for World through the most difficult route, through the Regional Qualifier. As we’ve had had such a difficult time getting into Worlds, hopefully, we’ll have a bit of an easier time at the Worlds itself.

For Round 1 and Round 2 of the Regional Qualifier, you had a tough best-of-5 that went all the way to game 5. In today’s match, however, you’ve managed to sweep Kingzone in a clean 3-0 match score.

CoreJJ: Even though the duration of the Regional Qualifier hasn’t been long, we’ve grown stronger as a team through the experience. I think (we’ve shown a good performance today) because we’ve become more solid as a team during the Regional Qualifier.

So in a way, going through the Regional Qualifier – As difficult and tolling it was – might result in Gen.G having a better performance at Worlds.

CoreJJ: We can speak from experience (Laughs) We’ve done this before, go through the Regional Qualifier then yield good results in World Championship. So I think we walk into Worlds with confidence this time too.

There are praises, especially, for forms of you and Ruler. Can you tell us what you think about you and Ruler’s performance at the moment? Do you have an

CoreJJ: We actually had a difficult time after the Asian Games. We were haunted by a thought that maybe Korea has lost the Asian Games because of our mistakes. That doubt was difficult to process, so Ruler and I had a lot of conversation together. To go back to where we have always been, to do well again and get some revenge. We’ve talked it through, and even now we are continuing to research and practise hard together. I think good performance has followed (these conversations), and I’m satisfied with the outcome. I hope we continue to do well together until the end of the year.

Today was the final match of 2018 LCK. It has been a long and eventful year. CoreJJ, when you look back, do you have any memorable moments for 2018?

CoreJJ: When I look back at this year…Nothing immediately comes to my mind. Perhaps it’s a sign that I had such a regretful year. I feel like I’ve had a bad performance this year, and it’s difficult to draw up a memory of myself filled with joy. When someone asks me this question again at the end of this year, I would hopefully be able to draw up happy memories of myself at Worlds.

A visual image of you holding up the World Championships cup, perhaps.

CoreJJ: Yes. I want to show the best of myself at the coming Worlds.

This has been asked in the SPOTV interview, too; people notice that Gen.G step up during the Regional Qualifiers. They call it “The Autumn Gen.G”. Everyone wants to know why this is the case.

CoreJJ: I hope that the audience also agrees with this, but it’s not like Gen.G don’t do well outside the Regional Qualifier. Perhaps we have a passive trait where we find power when we are pushed to the edge of the cliff. I’d personally say that we perform well when a single patch is extended across several matches. (Note: all Regional Qualifier matches were played in Patch 8.15)

Again, congratulations on qualifying for the World Championship. Now you can prepare for Worlds with a bit of ease in your mind. How do you plan to spend the coming days; do you have a vacation planned, perhaps?

CoreJJ: To be honest, I think I am extremely weary at the moment. We’ve played 13 games in the course of 5 days, and the fatigue has built up. I’d like to blow all of this away (in a break), reset myself a little, then come back fresh for Worlds.

In Worlds, you will once again face off various international teams around the world.

CoreJJ: There can but be so. Coming into this year, my biggest thought has been to go against RNG again. I’ve been pondering on why I don’t feel happy even when I win matches, and…I think that’s because I haven’t beaten RNG yet.

So rather than avoid RNG in Worlds, you’d like to face them.

CoreJJ: Yes. And if I can, I rather face RNG in one of the elimination rounds. Not Group Stages, but preferably Quarterfinals, Semifinals or Finals. I want to meet RNG at the edge of the cliff, where one must eliminate the other.

You’d like to eliminate RNG with your own hands?

CoreJJ: Yes, there is a bit of that too.

CoreJJ of @Gen_G_LOL would like to meet RNG at #2018Worlds "I've been pondering on why I don't feel happy even when I win matches. I think that's because I haven't defeated RNG yet"@RNGRoyal, do you have any response to this?#LCK #GENGWIN #WeAreGenG pic.twitter.com/TR2mlEwZAL — Ashley Kang #LCK (@AshleyKang) September 16, 2018

While we are on the subject of Worlds and RNG – The bot-lane of LPL are especially know. We’ve just mentioned RNG, and iG and EDG also come to mind. What are your thoughts at the prospect of facing LPL bot lanes?

CoreJJ: I’m confident. I’m confident, and…I just can’t wait to face the Chinese teams again.

Thank you for the interview. Any last words?

CoreJJ: Gen.G has qualified to Worlds once again as the third seed for LCK. It feels different this time, however. This is my third Worlds, and every time it comes as a different experience. This time, I feel that I have a bit more of a weight on my shoulders to not lose as a representative LCK. I’ll do my best at Worlds.