It is 2026, a time when everything changes and fades quickly. Yet a classic game released 28 years ago still stands as a cornerstone of domestic esports. There is good reason it is called a national pastime rather than just a simple game.

The teenagers who used to toss aside their backpacks after school and rush to PC bangs have now become respectable office workers in their 30s and 40s. A match of '3v3 Hunters Mania' or '3v3 Is Your Allowance Too Small?' enjoyed after work over a glass of beer with old friends remains a romantic comfort and peerless joy for middle-aged men weary of life. Although the days of monopolizing the bright spotlights of global or major markets may have passed, no one can deny the tenacious vitality and staying power of this national pastime in South Korea.

With its 30th anniversary looming on the horizon, how is the balance of this great classic game, StarCraft—which hasn't seen a patch in ages—being maintained today? We met with Yoo Young-jin, Lee Jae-dong, and Jang Yoon-chul, who reached the Round of 16 in 2026 ASL Season 22, to ask about the honest state of game balance in its 28th year.

Q. First, please introduce yourselves.

Yoo Young-jin: I'm Terran player Yoo Young-jin, formerly of CJ Entus.

Lee Jae-dong: I'm former Zerg pro gamer Lee Jae-dong.

Jang Yoon-chul: I'm Protoss player Jang Yoon-chul, currently streaming on SOOP.

Q. Let's start by talking about Terran. What are your thoughts on Terran?

Yoo Young-jin: Since the old days, whenever Terran plays well, it always gets labeled as 'Terran OP.' With the fastest unit, the Vulture, and the powerful Siege Tank, its overall unit performance is excellent, making it a race with a high baseline average.

Jang Yoon-chul: It's really overwhelming to beat Terran these days. Terran players have high skill, but the race also has both a high ceiling and a high floor with low risk. They have so many units that can capitalize if played without mistakes, making them extremely tough to deal with.

Lee Jae-dong: It gives an impression of solid stability that doesn't collapse easily. Having played StarCraft for decades, I've transcended getting annoyed, but even now, the efficiency of the Vulture and the potential of Spider Mines are incredible.

Q. What about Zerg then?

Lee Jae-dong: Compared to the past, huge advancements have been made in terms of gameplay patterns and optimization. Rather than driving its own changes, Zerg is more about adapting to the changes of opposing races. With many Zerg players winning titles or displaying outstanding skill recently, I think other races must feel Zerg is quite tricky to face.

Yoo Young-jin: Playing against Zerg is harder than against Protoss. You can't win against Zerg with simple patterns alone. You have to exploit the opponent's blind spots from the early game or confuse them with diverse build orders to deal with Zerg.

Q. What are your thoughts on Protoss?

Jang Yoon-chul: In the past, even if I lost, I was confident I could win in a rematch, but these days I wonder, 'Can I really win if we play again?' Personally, while other races evolved, Protoss feels somewhat stagnant.

Lately, there are times when I doubt whether I could win even if a rematch were played. While other races experience active meta shifts, Protoss feels stagnant.

Lee Jae-dong: There's definitely a feeling that the proportion of Protoss players performing at the top level is gradually shrinking.

Yoo Young-jin: To share a hot take, I think one of the reasons is that Protoss lacks proactive players who lead the meta (laughs).

Q. Maps are one of the most critical elements in StarCraft 1 balance. What are your thoughts on this?

Lee Jae-dong: Historically, balance has been adjusted through maps, and that is a natural course of action.

Jang Yoon-chul: Slight advantages or disadvantages per race are natural, but it's important not to lean too heavily toward a specific race. Since win rates vary by map style, it's best to maintain a proper balance. For example, ASL uses 7 maps; 4-player maps favor Terran, while 2-player maps favor Protoss. It's good to balance the proportions within the 7-map pool, and fresh attempts like this season's official map 'Odyssey' (which features main base minerals in a fast infinite format) are always welcome.

Yoo Young-jin: Each map offers different advantages per race, so I think overall balance is well maintained. New map formats can be tricky to adapt to initially, but once you play them, they are manageable enough.

Q. Let me ask more specifically about TvZ.

Lee Jae-dong: It has definitely gotten tougher than in the past. The key is how smoothly you can transition from early defense to securing Mutalisks. Terran's early-game builds have become really diverse. However, Zerg is a race of adaptation, so by now, most of them can be dealt with to some extent. Ultimately, what matters is how well you survive the early game and start on good footing for the macro game.

Yoo Young-jin: In the past, Bionic into Late Mech was almost standard, but things are very different today. Terran players actively use Speed Vultures from the early game and mix in Valkyries, resulting in diverse build options for countering Mutalisks or transitioning into macro. Sticking strictly to a single playstyle—like being a Bio specialist or SK Terran specialist like in the old days—is a recipe for failure.

Q. How have the match dynamics changed in TvP?

Jang Yoon-chul: Compared to the past, the game tempo has become very fast. Previously, 'Up-Terran' was popular, but nowadays, Terran pushes hard at timing spikes like 1/1 upgrades, putting silent pressure on Protoss so they can't greedily expand. As a result, Protoss ends up being the one defending against Terran attacks.

Yoo Young-jin: The reason Up-Terran faded away is simple. It's hard to stop Protoss from taking rampant expansions, and as Speed Shuttle play evolved, dealing with Protoss Reaver or High Templar harassment while playing Up-Terran became extremely difficult. So to prevent giving Protoss that time, the trend shifted toward speeding up the tempo to pressure Protoss.

Q. One of the biggest changes in TvP revolves around the Reaver. Watching Jang Yoon-chul's Reaver control makes one wonder, 'Was this unit originally designed to work like this?'

Jang Yoon-chul: I appreciate the compliment. Betting everything on Reaver control was a matter of survival. Protoss is originally known as the race of mass armies, right? But I had a weakness in macro production. To overcome that, I began mastering the Reaver. Every player has strengths and weaknesses, and I consider Reaver control to be my biggest asset.

Yoo Young-jin: Facing Jang Yoon-chul's Reaver is insanely difficult. Personally, I think Terran has the advantage in micro battles between a Reaver-utilizing Protoss and Terran, but because Jang Yoon-chul is overwhelmingly good at it, great highlights keep coming out. Off the top of my head, I can't readily think of any other Protoss player who uses the Reaver at that level.

Also, one reason Protoss players are underperforming is that they all try to play the exact same way. When Zerg or Terran lose, they constantly adapt, but Protoss players seem to stick to the same playstyle even after losing. Everyone plays TvP around Speed Shuttles, but players have different playstyles and tendencies that suit them. If the current trend doesn't fit you, going back to an Arbiter-focused macro style like in the old days might actually be a better alternative.

Q. Finally, what are your thoughts on PvZ?

Jang Yoon-chul: While there are times you lose helplessly to a surprise Hydralisk bust, the overall balance is tight. Recently, Zerg's 'Mutalisk-Scourge' composition has been strong, making it harder for Protoss to maintain air control and ramping up the difficulty. The reason Protoss players have poor results against Zerg in tournaments seems to be tournament pressure: players build 3 to 4 Cannons instead of holding on with 1 to 2, incurring economic losses, or conversely, build too few and lose helplessly.

Lee Jae-dong: Establishing early momentum and ensuring Protoss doesn't get rattled by Zerg's surprise moves are key. Depending on condition, playing as Protoss doesn't feel anywhere near as comfortable as it used to.

Q. If you could go back 20 years in time, would you choose the same race?

Lee Jae-dong: (Without hesitation) I would definitely pick Zerg. The race requires flexible adaptability and patience, which fits me best.

Yoo Young-jin: When I was young, I was drawn to how cool the Terran units looked. Also, since my skill with other races is terrible, I probably wouldn't have become a pro gamer if not for Terran.

Jang Yoon-chul: As long as a unit as charming as the Reaver exists, I'd choose Protoss even if I were reborn.

Q. Lastly, please share your resolution for the ASL Season 22 Round of 16.

Yoo Young-jin: I had somewhat disappointing results over the last two seasons. Since I fought hard to reach the Round of 16, I will climb even higher this time.

Lee Jae-dong: I've repeatedly stumbled at the doorstep of the Quarterfinals, but I'll prepare thoroughly in the remaining time to make sure I secure a Semifinal seed this season.

Jang Yoon-chul: My primary goal is to reach the Semifinals to earn a seed, and from there I will challenge for an even higher goal.