T1 Faker | "Goal is to grind and deliver at the Worlds Championship"

Translation of the interview uploaded on Sep-14 by fomos esports | 2024 LCK Regional Qualifier Finals - 4th Seed Decider against KT Rolster

Q: Tell us how you're feeling after the match.

kkOma: For today at least, I feel incredibly delighted. I can’t even think about anything else because I’m just so happy right now. I am so happy. Also, since we had so many matches (recently), I know it must have been really tough for the players having to play to full 5 sets, but I’m really grateful that they stayed focused until the very end. 

Faker: Our performance wasn’t great during the Summer season, and there were a lot of tough matches. But now that we've qualified for Worlds, I feel like we’ve gotten an amazing opportunity, and I’m really grateful. We also have some time to prepare for the matches and manage our form, so we’re thinking about how to make the most of it.

Q: To elaborate on today's series?

kkOma: Today, I had already thought the match might go to five games. Whether it’s one game or five, you still need to win three to claim victory, so we kept emphasizing the importance of staying emotionally steady and camly focusing on each set like the first. 

Faker: I think we gained an advantage through some key fights, which allowed us to snowball. I believe we stayed concentrated during these skirmishes, and I also think we got a bit lucky in those moments.

Q: How did you prepare after the loss to DK?

kkOma: Even though it was a short time, when you look at the matches, there are moments when we could win or lose the fights. Sometimes, after losing one fight, it felt like everything collapsed together. But because I believe in our players’ skills, I kept reminding them to stay aware and play calmly. 

Q: In the 5th set, the opponent blatantly targeted Zeus.

Faker: In today’s meta, you often see one side focusing on absorbing pressure while the other side scales. Zeus did an excellent job of holding his own in those situations. We were able to benefit from that throughout the match.

Q: What did you think about Corki in this patch?

kkOma: When it comes to Corki, I think the pick can still be quite situational. Early on, the control over the map and objectives depends a lot on the opposing team’s composition, and that affects how Corki is perceived. Despite some varying opinions, I still think he’s a decent pick. 

Q: What areas do you want to revise on for the Worlds Championship?

kkOma: Right now, I hadn't thought that far ahead, but I believe the players need some rest after such a grueling schedule. After they’re refreshed, we’ll think about the patch notes and what direction to take.

Q: What can you say about Worlds meta analysis and scaling within the tournament? 

kkOma: In this current mood, if the players continue to stay focused and prepare as they are now, I believe we can achieve great results at Worlds. Although they must be exhausted, they’ve performed incredibly well. We still have room to improve, but maintaining this momentum will be key. 

Faker: Unlike last year, this year has seen major patches that have significantly changed the pace of the game, especially at upcoming Worlds. This year's game is another game altogether compared to last year. I think adapting well to these changes and creating our own unique colors will be crucial.

Q: What's the goal for this Worlds Championship?

kkOma: Naturally, our goal is to win and for another two consecutive titles with our team. 

Faker: Personally, I’ve been trying different approaches since the Summer split and that didn't turn out too well. At Worlds, producing actual results is what really matters. I’ll do my best to prepare thoroughly and apply everything we’ve worked on. 

Q: How did you find the in-game performance in the game?

kkOma: In today’s match, I was impressed by the players' performance unlike previous games. I could tell from their calls etc that they’ve improved a lot. KT also played really well today but I’m happy with our performance. 

Q: You will be facing TES in the first round of Swiss Stage.

kkOma: I think they’re a strong team. Moving forward, our main objective is the championship, but instead of rushing, we’ll take the time to understand the meta and find our identity as a team. I do think TES is a formidable opponent.

Q: Any teams that you would like to face?

Faker: We lost to BLG at MSI. Even though we won against them in the Saudi Cup (EWC), BLG and TES are still very strong teams. I know fans would be excited to see another showdown between such formidable teams and with an international rivalry aspect too.

Q: How will you prepare for the Worlds Championship?

kkOma: The early stages of tournaments often showcase a variety of strategies and interpretations of the meta. But as the tournament progresses, we’ll start seeing a more defined tier list of champions. Whether our preparation aligns with the meta will depend on how well we adapt, so we need to stay flexible and plan accordingly. We will continuously check upon our analysis.

Faker: As we had to play in the qualifiers our time to prepare for the next patch was more limited. Sinc we had EWC scheduled in between, we need to time off too. Compared to the previous years, we won't have as much to prepare. At this Worlds, there were some significant patches that will change the meta so will have to follow it after referring to other teams as well.

Q: How will you spend Chuseok (Autumn harvest festival period)?

kkOma: Finally, I want to spend time with my family during the Chuseok holiday. 

Faker: I was preparing for the matches so I didn’t even realize until yesterday that Chuseok holidays was today. Now that it feels like I've suddenly got an holiday, I will work hard - actually I mean not work hard -  but will have some time off with my family.

Q: Anything you would like to say as we wrap up the interview?

kkOma: I want to take this moment to thank the players and coaching staff for not giving up and working so hard until the very end. It’s easy to say, but it’s incredibly difficult to act on it, so I’m truly grateful. I also want to thank the frontline support staff for always backing us without complaint. 

Throughout this year, I have been expressing my apologies to the fans a lot, but despite that the fans have been rooting for us so much till the end. I want to sincerely thank our supporters.

Faker: I’m extremely grateful to be given this chance (at Worlds) after today's victory. I hope we can make the most of this opportunity and I hope the fans will keep supporting us. We will be entering the competition as 4th seed which will allows us to learn and level up. Please keep supporting us for this journey.

Source: fomos esports, https://youtu.be/mt7J0HwiUC8?si=ZwCmD_FhU8YzKi3o