PUBG MOBILE Esports Players Interview Series
We now have the winner of “PUBG MOBILE PRO SERIES (PMPS) 2023” Season 1. It is DUKSAN ESPORTS that has come out on top with the championship title. The palm-sweating match, which was too close to call until the very last day, ended with the perseverant DUKSAN ESPORTS clinching the thrilling come-from-behind victory. The KRAFTON blog team met with ZIPYAN, a royal roader, and Hoxy, the MVP of the game, to hear about their excitement and determination.
Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself to the KRAFTON blog readers.
ZIPYAN: Nice to meet you all. I am ZIPYAN, or Hyunmin Tae, from DUKSAN ESPORTS.
Hoxy: Nice to meet you. I am Hoxy, or Sunghan Kim, from DUKSAN ESPORTS.
First, congratulations on winning PMPS 2023 Season 1. You must be thrilled about this come-from-behind win. Please share your excitement with us.
ZIPYAN: I didn’t expect it at all. It was just mind-blowing.
Hoxy: I just wanted to give everything no matter the outcome. I couldn’t be happier when we actually won.
Hoxy, congratulations on winning the MVP of the final match. You scored the most overwhelming amount of kills. Did you see it coming? And how did you feel when you found out?
Hoxy: It was completely unexpected. I was absolutely clueless. I never thought I would win the match and the MVP title at the same time. I am so grateful and happy. I don’t know how else to put it.
What’s your secret to scoring so many kills?
Hoxy: PUBG Training Mode. The harder you practice, the more accurate you get.
How do you see yourself in Season 2 after the championship this season?
ZIPYAN: Now that we won, I am sure we will perform better in the next season with better anxiety management.
Do you have any particular way to manage anxiety?
ZIPYAN: I shoot poorly when nervous, so I try to fool around with my teammates to loosen up.
Hoxy: Well, anxiety helps me to focus. I try to use my anxiousness to my benefit.
Do you have any superstitions?
ZIPYAN: I think I perform better when I eat a thigh burger from Mom’s Touch before the competition. (Laughs)
Hoxy: My lucky food is spicy tofu soup. (Laughs)
ZIPYAN, you made a debut in this competition. As a royal roader, winning the championship must feel very special to you. Please tell us how you feel.
ZIPYAN: I have learned that the never-say-die spirit is bound to produce good outcomes. I think the team lacked endurance in Phases 1 and 2. But we never gave up. We kept on pushing until the last day, and I think that’s why we won.
I heard that you both have a TikTok channel. Do you actually manage your own channel?
Hoxy: Yes, I am running my own TikTok channel. (Laughs) Please come find me on TikTok.
ZIPYAN: I manage my own channel as well. Please come visit my channel, too. (Laughs)
Playing at an offline venue must have been a new experience. Did you experience any difficulties playing?
ZIPYAN: I did have some difficulties, personally. I felt more nervous in a large crowd, and the chair differed from my usual one, which bugged me a bit.
Hoxy: I was fine, actually. The chant from the audience helped me focus better. I think I perform better in a real game than in practice. (Laughs)
The performance was rather disappointing on the first day of “PUBG MOBILE SHOWDOWN 2023: KOREA VS JAPAN”, but you finished the second day with flying colors. The first day must have been a big letdown for you. What was the reason, do you think?
Hoxy: We played so poorly throughout the first three rounds in Miramar on the first day. A streak of defeats followed in the landmark battles as well. That hit hard.
ZIPYAN: We trained a lot for landmark battles, but parachute jumps were not seamless due to a lack of practice, which left us to fight without a gun. I think that’s why we lost. It still hurts.
How did you join the team?
Hoxy: I got a direct offer from the CEO of DUKSAN ESPORTS. I liked the team squad, so I decided to join.
ZIPYAN: I joined mainly because of my teammate BINI, who asked me to join the team. That’s how it happened. I have been playing with BINI for about three years. We are pretty close.
What do your parents and family members think about being a pro gamer?
ZIPYAN: They were initially against it, but now they are my biggest supporters. They drove me to the venue for this interview, which took three hours. (Laughs)
Hoxy: My parents are supportive, too. Back then, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. When I told them I would like to give gaming a try, they encouraged me to pursue it.
What are the upsides and downsides of being a pro gamer at a young age?
Hoxy: Well, one good thing is that I can play the game while making money. (Laughs) The downside is that I don’t have much time for school or friends due to practice and training for competitions.
ZIPYAN: But it is good to have work and social experiences from a young age. I agree with Hoxy about the downside. Juggling studying and training for competitions is quite hard.
What’s your opinion on being a “pro”?
Hoxy: I would say a pro should work hard and keep trying to improve.
ZIPYAN: A pro is a good player who never becomes complacent.
Do you have any advice for young gamers who want to be a pro-gamer?
ZIPYAN: This profession requires determination to see it through to the end and show results. I hope they remember this when they try to become a pro.
Hoxy: I agree. Being a pro comes with significant responsibility. So I would advise them to think hard about it before jumping into it.
Do you have a role model?
Hoxy: I look up to SayDen from Dplus KIA.
What do you usually do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies other than games?
ZIPYAN: Nothing that I am seriously committed to. I like watching YouTube and listening to music, though. My favorite song these days is Mistiness of You. Oh, wait. Come to think of it, I do love sleeping.
Hoxy: Same here. I usually chill while listening to music or watching YouTube.
What do you consider the most important in practice or training?
ZIPYAN: I think the most important thing is to treat every practice session like a real game. Practice like you play, and play like you practice.
How many fingers do you use when playing the game? I’m curious about your views on four fingers and five fingers.
ZIPYAN: I use five fingers. I believe using four fingers would never be as good in movement and technique as using five fingers. Using five fingers is the best way. (Laughs)
Hoxy: Well, I play with four fingers. I believe using four fingers can make you just as capable of all the movements and techniques as using five fingers!
What makes you happy other than playing games?
ZIPYAN: I would say sleeping. Because I can never get enough sleep with all the practice sessions until late hours and school in the morning.
Hoxy: Same here. I feel happiest when I sleep. (Laughs)
What are your strongest points as a pro gamer?
ZIPYAN: I keep my confidence even when the odds are against me. I think that is my strength.
Hoxy: I would say concentration. I always stay focused during the game.
How do you keep your head on straight during the game?
ZIPYAN: I think it is important for the teammates to help each other keep a cool head. If one breaks, the others follow suit like a domino effect. So, we try to lift each other’s spirits.
Hoxy: Three of my teammates are my age, which makes it easier to help each other keep cool.
I assume that sometimes it all comes down to experience since it is a team game. There are a lot of young players in DUKSAN ESPORTS. Do you have any worries about inexperience?
ZIPYAN: We were surely nervous because two players on the team had never been in a tournament before. But we were counting on the good results we had in scrims, and we were right. And I believe that eventually, good shooting skills, rather than experience, lead to a great performance.
Do you have any personal goals for this year?
ZIPYAN: It would be to compete in an international tournament.
Hoxy: I would say the same. Playing in a global competition.
Have you met any fans while working as a pro?
ZIPYAN: Yes. I have met a lot of them in the PMPS finals. I didn’t know there were so many of them. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many fans. I was so grateful. Some fans I remember really well. There was one who came all the way from Daejeon to support us. We took pictures together.
Any noticeable progress you have made so far compared to when you started out as a pro?
ZIPYAN: When I joined the team, I was good at shooting but bad at strategy. And it is a shame that I failed to do myself justice, even though I tried to play logically. I think I am now ready to show my strengths in both the mechanical and logical aspects.
Hoxy: Well, I don’t see much of a difference. I probably have improved a bit. (Laughs)
Please share with us your determination for PMPS Season 2.
ZIPYAN: Don’t get too comfortable because we are coming for another championship this season.
Hoxy: I will teach a lesson to Wings, who has transferred to NS RedForce. (Laughs)
Do you have any last comments for your fans?
ZIPYAN: Thank you so much for your unwavering support. We will definitely perform better in the upcoming competition.
Hoxy: We will go all out to bring home the best results. You won’t regret being our fan. We will keep pushing!