'The Iron Wall' Kim Min-chul defeated Yoo Young-jin 4-3 in the finals of Google Play ASL Season 22, held at the Lotte World Ice Rink in Jamsil, Seoul, reclaiming the championship after three seasons and achieving the historic milestone of becoming the first player in ASL history to win five individual titles. Furthermore, Kim Min-chul's victory extends Zerg's streak to seven consecutive championship titles.
Below is the full text of the post-match interview with Kim Min-chul following his victory in Google Play ASL Season 22.
Q. How do you feel after defeating Yoo Young-jin 4-3 to claim your fifth championship title?
I'm extremely happy to win the championship on an outdoor stage.
Q. You've consistently won in finals and now have a 15-match winning streak in best-of series. What makes you so strong in big matches?
Even when I lose a set in an offline match, it doesn't affect me mentally at all. Because of that, I can focus right away on the next match without getting shaken.
Q. When were you confident of victory today?
When I won Set 5 on Aiolos, I felt like I was going to win the championship, but after losing the next set, I thought, "You never know."
Q. In what aspects do you feel you grew this season?
Hearing that the finals stage would be an ice rink gave me motivation. What I was most worried about were the Ro24 and Ro16. As long as I reached the best-of series, I was confident.
Q. With what mindset did you prepare for the finals?
Since I usually go to sleep late, I focused on managing my physical condition.
Q. In truth, the pool of competing players hasn't changed much. Have you ever felt it was uninteresting or grown tired of competing against the same pool of players?
I've never felt tired of competing against similar players. My motivation dropped a bit when I won four consecutive titles, but now it's back up.
Q. Who is the player you are most wary of for next season?
It's Park "Jjapjae" Sang-hyeon. As long as both of us keep our passion for StarCraft, I think the two of us will continue taking home a few more championships.
Q. What is the secret to your longevity in the ASL?
Things started going well once I let go of pressure a bit. It feels great to win after a while, and I will continue to show good performances in the future.
