“To be able to win 2-0 and perform decently as well makes me very happy. However, things we need to fix became blatantly obvious, and learning about them made the day very fulfilling.”
On day 30, match 1 of the 2022 LCK Spring split, Gen.G defeated DRX 2-0. When Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk joined Inven for a post-match interview, he seemed very calm. After their loss against T1 in round 1 due to fielding emergency subs because of COVID, they came back strong to go on a four-match win streak. Gen.G’s rematch against T1 is scheduled for Mar 3.
“[In our last match against T1], the team atmosphere wasn’t as bad. Personally, I was both worried and excited to see how we’ll play against them with the subs. It was a huge opportunity for the CL players, and I wanted to see them shine. I felt that my lane partner at the time, ‘Lospa’, would not be able to play well if I gave him orders, so I chose to match his plays.”
“Due to such a situation, it was natural for us to fall short, but I feel we’ve done well with the cards we’ve been dealt. This time, we’re not going to get rolled by T1. I’m not fuelled by getting revenge or anything like that. T1’s a very strong team right now, so I’m not fully confident that we’ll beat them. However, I like ending other teams’ undefeated streaks, so I want to knock T1 down.”
Ruler joined Gen.G in 2016 and is a veteran player with seven years of experience under his belt. He’s won Worlds once and finished runner-up in his career, but oddly enough, he’s yet to become an LCK champion so far. As Gen.G’s roster is considered to be the strongest in the history of the organization, Ruler shared his goals with Inven.
“No matter who my teammates were, I had multiple opportunities to win the LCK title, but in the end, I failed to capitalize. My teammates all changed once again this year, and with it, I once again have a real opportunity. Will I be able to capitalize on it? No one knows for sure yet. My job is to give it my best right now.”
“I’m definitely hungry to win the championship, but I’m not over my head to convince myself that I’ll definitely win. I performed at my peak when I had the mindset of, ‘Let’s give it my all right now. I’m going to push myself to my limit’. That’s why I don’t have a particular goal in mind right now, and letting fate decide my future. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll get lazy with practice or get mentally shaken.”
After providing a mature answer, he lastly thanked the fans. His words reflected his heartfelt gratitude for his fans, as he collectively found the right words for his answer.
“We’re now on a win streak again with the full roster back in action, so we’ll work hard to continue on that win streak next week. Also, thank you to all the fans for their support. Although I’ve shown moments of immaturity both as a pro and as a human being… I’m truly grateful to everyone that kept supporting me throughout all these years. I’ll work even harder to become a better version of myself.”
