On September 19, South Korea's 'Myeonap' Kim Woo-jin claimed victory at the 'Hyundai N x Racing Master Cup' held at the Game Esports Seoul (GES) event in Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul. In the grand final, he faced Taiwan's 'SongChic', emerging victorious 7-6 after a grueling battle that went all 13 rounds to claim the championship title.
Below is the full interview with 'Myeonap' Kim Woo-jin.
Q. It was a tough match. How do you feel about winning the championship?
Out of the eight players who qualified from each region, I was the only one playing on mobile. So I thought I would take a high placement easily, but everyone else played really well.
Q. How did you prepare for the tournament?
Rather than doing special preparation, I just played as I usually do.
Q. After securing your spot in the finals, the 3rd/4th place match was delayed quite a bit. What were you thinking while waiting?
I was so hungry that I bought and ate a sandwich first [laughs]. That gave me energy.
Q. Last year, you couldn't participate in international tournaments because you were a minor.
My skills have improved a lot this year compared to last year, and regardless of that, it was a bit disappointing because the prize pool last year was really big.
Q. What are the key characteristics of the Avante N?
When exiting corners, it has a feeling of bursting ahead differently from other cars, but the foreign players didn't seem to know that well. The car has been out for quite a while on the Korean server, so I was used to it.
Q. It was an incredible match that went all the way to round 13, wasn't it?
It was really exhausting. I didn't expect it to go to 13 rounds. And as I got chased down and overtaken, I thought, "I'm ruined." Still, as I got my rhythm back, I was able to refocus.
Q. At 6-6, weren't you nervous in the final round?
Since the final car was the Avante N, I wasn't nervous. It was a vehicle I was more familiar with, so I stayed calm.
Q. What was your biggest regret and your best play in this tournament?
I regret picking the wrong car during the Quarterfinals ranking match, and my best moment was when I regained momentum in the finals.
Q. Any final words?
I'm truly thankful to everyone who watched, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to Hyundai N and NetEase Games for hosting the tournament.
