On the 26th, at the Seoul LoL Park, Day 16 of the 2019 LCK Summer Split took place. On the second series of the day, Griffin defeated Jin Air Green Wings with a dominating score of 2-0. Griffin was able to cleanly counter all of JAG's attacks throughout the series. 

The following is an interview with GRF Chovy.

Congratulations on your victory. Today, I want to talk about your past a little bit. You became a professional gamer at a very young age. You're also one of the strongest mid laners here in the LCK. Do you remember how you became a pro? In addition, do you have any advice for those who are aspiring to become professionals?

I was playing League during school break, and I received a random friend request. The person who added me explained about Griffin and told me I should try out for the team if I'm interested. We then frequently spoke over the phone until I moved to Griffin's team house to become a trainee. I played since last summer, and luckily, I've been doing well for myself.


Who did you speak with before joining Griffin?

I talked with GRF's head coach on the phone.


How did you feel at the time? I imagine you might've felt a bit uncomfortable, suddenly receiving an offer like that.

My first impression of our coach... it was winter, either January or February. He came to see me wearing shorts...


The situation didn't scare you at all?

He wasn't scary. He was very passionate when he was explaining everything to me. I felt that he was a trustworthy person.


It's common in the pro scene for teams to contact players through the LoL client, right?

I think so. I've only received offers through the client.

You've grown really quickly in the pro scene. What's your thought?

I never really thought about it. All I did was practice at the team house and look for the most optimal way to play. I think that's how I became to what I am today. I was also quite lucky.


To become the starting mid laner for Griffin, what kind of troubles did you go through?

I always played solo queue whenever I had free time. I wanted to become better.


Did you play a lot of solo queue per day?

I continued to play even when everyone else was taking breaks.


There are many people who look up to players such as Faker and you, yourself. Do you have any advice that you'd give to those who are aspiring to go pro?

It's a hard subject to give tips on. Even I struggle sometimes. I play a lot of solo queue, but I don't just play it mindlessly. While I play, I think about how I can make a bad situation better, and when I lose, I don't blame anyone but myself and find ways to improve. Always wonder if you played perfectly - that should help you.


That won't be easy. It's not guaranteed to meet good teammates in solo queue, even if you play well. Do you have anything to say for amateur players who are considering quitting?

Those who are planning to play as a professional probably can play at least 1,000 games in a year. If you can't raise your rank within that timeframe, it's not too late to just give up. If it doesn't work out... You shouldn't be discouraged or frustrated even if you can't go pro. Even playing just 500 games will put you in a reasonable tier. If you think you can continue to climb, keep trying. If you think you'll be stuck in that tier, you should quickly give up and not waste time.
 

Did you have any player that you looked up to?

I watched Rather play during scrims. I was lacking as a mid laner, so I watched the way he played the game and took note of how he made shot calls.


Lastly, can you recommend three solo queue mid lane champions that beginners could play?

It's better for beginners to not play mid lane... but if I'm to recommend three champions, it'd be Talon, Taliyah, and Aatrox. Talon and Taliyah can snowball by wave clearing and roaming. As for Aatrox, it's very unlikely for him to completely lose out during the laning phase. It'll help increase your skill level if you're a beginner.