Back in January this year, Byun
Hyun-woo was awarded the 2016 Player of the Year
by ESPN E-sports. As a “moderate” fan of the StarCraft
2 (SC2) scene (although moderate is relative to each person), this recently
caught my attention, not just as a follower of the game but also the story
behind it.
Byun Hyun-woo, better known by
his in-game ID ‘ByuN’ has been a long time professional gamer since the early
days of SC2. While unquestioningly a very skilled player, his name was not
among the list of giants such as MC, Life or INnoVation. ByuN was a person
people would give a nod to, but not someone you would expect to make it to the
pinnacle. Simply put, he was good but never the best.
ByuN is a bit unique among the
SC2 pro scene, yet probably more relatable to a typical nerdy avid gamer or
otaku. Not only does he look the part, his history as a player also reflects
this. While noted to play very well in online ladder (ranked) matches, he is
prone to nervousness and occasionally fumbles during offline tournaments in
front of crowds. His agitation is quite visibly noted especially when a
situation does not play out well for him.
ByuN disappeared from the
radar in 2014 and did not appear in major tournaments until late 2016. At the
time when SC2 scene was suffering due to scandals, the economic slowdown, and a
gradual decline in interest, ByuN re-emerged in the year’s second season of the
Global StarCraft League (GSL), the top premier tournament in South Korea. Teamless
and alone, all odds were against him, and most did not expect him to advance
far into the tournament. Yet ByuN defied all expectations and went on to be the
first teamless player to win this prestigious tournament. Later in the year, he
would proceed to win the 2016 global World Championship Series (WCS), this time
sponsored by Team Expert.
This man literally got his
fairy tale, from being some person on the street to a shining ray in the turbulent
SC2 scene. Had he failed then, ByuN would have quietly dropped off the SC2
scene, unremembered among the hundreds of players who had potential but never
manage hit their break.
Sometimes we fall short of the
goals we set upon ourselves. Perhaps we did not put in enough effort, we do not
have the opportunity, or there is just simply someone more talented/passionate
than us. Whatever the case, we have yet to hit the gold behind the wall of rock.
It is okay to fail. It is okay
to cry, to feel depressed when we do. But never give up, never let it drag you down
even when the world seem to be against you. No prize is worth winning unless we
work hard for it. No real satisfaction is felt unless we put in effort to make
it happen. ByuN made it to the peak alone in a room in front of his PC, but we have
the backing of the greatest team comprising of angels, saints and God Himself.
“If God is for us, who is against us?”
(Romans 8:31)
RFG always.
Reference
Erzberger, T. (2017). Why Byun is the 2016 ESPN Esports Player of
the Year. Retrieved from ESPN: http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/18445829/byun