I've published an interview with Guillaume " Grrrr..." Patry, the only non-Korean to ever win a BW OSL.
Some of the topics we discussed:
-The BW scene before Grrrr...'s move to Korea.
-His transition to life in South Korea.
-The excessive partying and drinking which inhibited his professional career and results.
-The rise of players like  YellOw, Kingdom,  BoxeR and NaDa during Grrrr...'s era.
-Thoughts on Korean culture and BW/esports' peak over there.
-Thoughts on MOBA and SC2.
On whether Grrrr... was the best foreigner before going to Korea:
I can't say that I was the best foreigner, but back then some of the best players in practice did poorly in tournaments. It was the opposite for me, I played better under pressure. In 1999, the best players were not Korean. Around mid-2000, that's when Koreans started dominating Starcraft.
Grrrr...'s advantage over other players:
Being able to play a difference race certainly helped. Since two out of the five maps favored Protoss over Zerg, I had a significant advantage going into the finals. I am not a perfectionist, nor do I practice enough, but I have the ability to learn a new game faster than anybody I know. Eventually the other guys caught up and surpassed me, but I was given more opportunities than any other professional. I would often get seeded where other players had to qualify online.
His drinking and partying problem:
When I arrived in Korea, I had a six-pack from casually working out with my high school buddies. I ate healthily and I didn't drink. But you wouldn't believe how fast alcohol can turn a six-pack into fat. I was living an unhealthy lifestyle. I gained a lot of weight, but then I decided to sign-up at a gym (and actually go). Sometimes I fell asleep on the bench, tired from a night of drinking, but I was still going, and consequently I ended up drinking a lot less and started practicing a lot more. I didn't do interviews anymore, and there were no more tournaments other than the televised ones. I had a lot more time.
Describing esports in Korea:
Esports would have been mainstream in Korea if it wasn't a completly new thing. By that I mean that, despite its popularity, it took corporate sponsors several years to start investing in it. Tournament organizers had no experience, managers didn't have a clue what they were doing. It takes years to build an infrastructure that established sports have had for decades. I believe that when a new game comes out, a game as popular as BW was, the true potential of esport will be reached. Then eSports will be mainstream,and maybe not just in korea but internationally.
The entire interview can be read at Team Acer. | 
Glurkenspurk United States. November 10 2012 05:23. Posts 1843
TheEmulator Canada. November 10 2012 06:44. Posts 4941
