After a semifinal finish at Worlds 2019, Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok is back at the LoL World Championship. Weibo Gaming secured a strong start with a victory over NRG, but they faced a comeback loss against G2 Esports in their second match, bringing their record to 1-1. In an interview with Inven Global following the defeat, TheShy expressed his regrets about making too many mistakes in the game and reflected on the match.

You suffered a tough loss at the end of a hard-fought game. How was today's match for you?

It's quite disappointing to lose due to mistakes when we had the upper hand. One positive takeaway is that the areas to improve are clear. Fixing those issues should lead to more decisive victories for us. We made errors when we were advantageous, and personally, I made too many mistakes. There were many instances that didn't go as I anticipated, and I was able to take away valuable lessons from the game.

You're back at the Worlds after quite some time. How does it feel?

As it's a global tournament, I think there's fierce competition among teams, high fan engagement, and a strong power dynamic. Each match is highly competitive in such an environment.

When you won the championship in 2018, it was in Korea, and now it's in Korea again. Does this hold any special meaning for you?

I think I got pretty lucky, to be honest. But today's loss was quite disheartening. Since it's held in Korea, I believe that if I calm down and work hard, things will work out.

How would you compare TheShy of 2018 to TheShy today?

First and foremost, I've aged. [Laughs] Over the years, I’ve matured more. After Daeny joined as the new head coach, I think I improved even more.

As you mentioned, Daeny joined Weibo Gaming. How has it changed since?

We got more feedback about moving around well as a team, and thanks to him, the team was able to grow significantly.

Adam has been the center of attention at this Worlds. It kind of reminds me of Nuguri’s Kleptomancy 2019. What are your thoughts on Adam?

Honestly, I don't have any particular thoughts.

Then specifically, MAD Lions banned Garen, Darius, and Olaf in their match against Adam. How should GODS be dealt with?

We can choose to ban or not to ban them. Obviously, Adam plays those champions well. When you face someone who you know what they’re going to play, it’s your choice whether to ban them or not. If you ban them, fine, if you don’t, you should have a measure to deal with them.

Adam urged users around the world in an interview to play the champions they like without worrying about the meta. What do you think? I remember you playing Ashe, Aphelios, and Kalista in the top lane.

Actually, you can play anything in solo queue. You just have to beat the opponent top laner.  However, as a professional player, I believe it's necessary to use strong champions according to the meta in a competitive setting. Using such champions can be helpful in securing victories, so I think professional players should stick to strong meta champions. For Adam, it seems to be the right choice. He creates strong pressure in the top lane and contributes to the team. Every player has their own style.

Today, you faced Yone with K’Sante. How was the matchup?

Yone has an advantage in the laning phase, but in the late game, it depends on the team composition. K’Sante can do more with the team.

You faced G2 today. Many players expressed G2 to be a dark horse this Worlds. How was it facing them?

G2 is definitely a strong team. They have the ability to lure opponents to make mistakes and capitalize on them. But if we play them again, I believe we can win.

Many top laners answered that you’re the player they’d like to face the most at this Worlds. Are there any players that you'd like to face?

[Laughs] I'm not sure who I want to face. That could be something that non-LPL players could say since I play in the LPL.

Any last comments?

It's a pity to have lost today, but we'll work hard to polish our performance and show our best gameplay.