This is Lee “Crown” Min-ho, who was active with the nickname, Crown.

I’m writing this so that I can greet all of you and the fans for the last time under the nickname: Crown.

First, to those who cheer for me and praised me, I’m really thankful that you gave me the attention and love that I don’t deserve.

I first started to enjoy gaming back in 2009, when Starcraft: Brood War was suddenly popular in school. I played against school friends based on the memory of playing the game with cousins and friends when I was younger, but I lost to some of my friends.

Maybe it was from then -- maybe I got competitive, so I started looking up builds, strategies, and control. I analyzed and practiced to beat the friends I hadn’t been able to beat one by one. I think that’s when I really started to get interested in gaming.

I was got into Starcraft and started watching the Starcraft League on OGN. I don’t know when, but I found myself waiting in front of the TV to watch the game on days Lee Jae-dong was playing.

One day, by chance, or by fate, I saw Lee Jae-dong play in the finals of the OGN Starcraft League. Watching him win the championship, enjoying the victory, getting recognized, and his voice, expression while being interviewed -- from everything in that moment, I thought I want to be like him. From that point, I didn’t know what it really was, but I thought that I want to get the “Golden Mouse”, and worked hard so that I can become a pro gamer.

(I actually didn’t think I worked hard back then, and I didn’t think I worked hard when I was active, but now, I’m just rationalizing and being generous to myself… I didn’t do my best, but I did work hard.)

I practiced night and day, played games, and joined STX Soul as a trainee in 2010 summer. I tried really hard to beat the starters from the bottom, but according to the players’ and experts’ evaluations, I wasn’t able to play like S grade, A+ grade, A, B grade players. There were social issues and several things happened -- official matches of Starcraft: Brood War disappeared, which I liked.

I was just living my daily life after giving up my dream, but my friends who were born in ‘94, ‘95, ‘96, and my Starcraft clan friends started to be deep into a new game called LoL, so I started to play League of Legends.

Like that, I did this and that… Starting from about the end of LoL season 2, there were so many things. Good things, hard things, sad things… I felt emotions that I don’t think I’ll ever feel again -- the competitiveness, joy, sadness, anger, anxiety, depression, lethargy, good, bad…

From a certain point, rather than being fun, interesting, and competitive, all my thoughts were filled with negative thoughts and started getting stressful. I was dreaming things that I can’t realistically reach and said “this one more time, next one more time”, and endured pathetically up to now. I think it’s finally time to let go.

This was a long message, right? I was just writing. I don’t even know the grammar.

Now, for real. If I just say this for the last time, something I wanted to tell myself, or my mom, or if I just wanted attention, or if I wanted to follow someone -- I don’t even remember since it’s been so long. I wanted to say this from the beginning to now, but I wasn’t able to, now I can’t. If I say this, I think I could leave without regret. Even if it’s weird, just let it go.

With this championship as a start, I, Lee Min-ho will be a pro gamer that continues to grow, getting the second championship and third championship. Thank you.

I’m grateful and thankful for so many acquaintances, all the moments, coincidences, and luck. Thank you.