The Google Play ASL Season 22 finals will take place on October 17 at 3:00 PM at the Jamsil Lotte World Ice Rink.
The players who advanced to the finals are Terran player Yoo Young-jin and Zerg player Kim Min-chul. While Yoo was relatively unknown during his days as an active KeSPA pro gamer, his performance blossomed after joining the ASL, bringing him to two finals appearances. However, he finished as runner-up on both occasions and has now returned to the finals after eight seasons to chase his first career championship.
Standing against him is the formidable Kim Min-chul. Kim opened the era of Zerg dominance, winning four consecutive championships before Park Sang-hyun claimed two titles. Although he temporarily yielded the throne to Park, Kim has reached the finals once again in Season 22.
Yoo Young-jin had a slightly rougher path to the finals. In the Round of 24, Yoo suffered a surprise loss to Kim Yoon-joong before defeating Kim Taek-yong in the elimination match to reach the Round of 16. In the Round of 16, he lost his opening match to Do Jae-wook but secured a spot in the quarterfinals through the final match. The quarterfinals were no easy task either: after going down 0-2 against aggressive strategist Lee Young-han, he pulled off a 3-2 reverse sweep, and then defeated Lee Jae-ho 4-2 in the semifinals to reach the finals. On the other hand, Kim Min-chul dropped only a single set to Cho Il-jang in the Round of 16, swept Shin Sang-moon 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and defeated Park Sang-hyun 4-2 in the semifinals to advance.
While Kim Min-chul is favored due to his vastly superior big-stage experience, Yoo Young-jin is not without a chance. For starters, the Set 1 map, Knockout, is favorable for Terran, and Yoo's recent online form has been exceptionally strong. In particular, his execution of pure Bionic play is outstanding. Having solid Bionic fundamentals against Zerg is naturally a massive advantage. If he can prepare well-structured strategies and tactics for the big stage, and gain the upper hand in mind games regarding when and how to deploy extreme builds like No-Barracks Double or Center BBS in a best-of-seven series, winning his first career championship is well within reach.
However, Kim Min-chul—a four-time consecutive ASL champion—is a battle-tested veteran in these high-stakes matches. The main reason Kim Min-chul and Park Sang-hyun have maintained Zerg's dominance for so long is not merely their macro play, but their ability to seize the right moments in a multi-game series with well-timed 4-Pools or unique all-in plays. Taking place at the Jamsil Lotte World Ice Rink on October 17, this final promises to be a fierce and thrilling match capable of melting the venue's icy cold.
