Hello. This is Lee Yoon Ji of Daily eSports. Today’s hero is Chan-yong 'Ambition' Kang, the famous the first-generation professional League of Legends player. I have always thought that Kang's career path embodies valuable lessons, since he went through a series of success, failure, challenges, stability and dreams. Stories of one's life has a lot to tell, and I believe you will be able to discover significant stories from Kang's stories.

Chan-yong 'Ambition'Kang was an ordinary yet smart boy who loved games. He went beyond enjoying games and discovered his future in LoL. Believing that he was "certain that LoL will be the next greatest game after Starcraft," Kang began his career as a professional gamer at MiG Blaze in 2011.

Kang was talented. Performing well in the early stages of his career as a mid laner, he was known for his strong laning phase and teamfights based on farming. He won the first League of Legends Champions in 2012 and was selected asLCK All Star in 2013. He was literally the world’s best midliner.

But his position did not last long. Talented players including SK Telecom T1’s Faker emerged, threateningAmbition's position. However, the hardship faced by Ambition ironically became the foundation of his heroic story.

◆Ambition'sFirst Path, Challenge
"There were so many talented mid laners, and I was infatuated with thoughts. I should've trusted my teammates and received help from them, but I just couldn’t depend on them. The thought of having to be independent became a burden, and I couldn’t overcome disadvantageous games. It kept getting me. The vicious cycle ate up my body and soul. I had psychological burdens and I didn’t have the power to overcome this vicious cycle by practicing. I was intimidated because I thought I didn't have what it takes."

The efforts he put in to overcome his slump turned him into a monster which could not tolerate the tiniest mistakes, eating himself up. In the end, he pressed the reset button. He turned into a rookie jungler from a skilled mid laner at the end of 2014.

"I changed my position, because I wanted to start again regardless of what I’ve achieved. I put a lot of thought into whether I would be successful in mid lane after several years, but I wasn’t too sure. But I was confident as a jungler. I thought that I would be a nice fit to the position, since it requires extensive thinking. I thought that position change would benefit me in a longer term."

Ambition, who spent his 2015 season as a jungler,markedthe 3rd place in LoL Champions Korea 2015 Spring and Summer Splits. It was decent, yet not satisfying. "The team was in good mood, but we kept losing faith in each other", commented Ambition, "and the limitations of the team game affected the individual players, continuing the vicious cycle". At the end of 2015, he signed Samsung Galaxy to again seek a new change.

"It was a decision for my future. I thought that CJ Entus wasn’t a good fit with me, and I thought that I needed a change, too. I had been in the professional scene for a long time, only asa player for CJ. I thought that I needed to break out of my world. So I decided to transfer, and didn’t worry afterwards. I thought that worrying would make me change my mind."

Samsung and Ambition were a good fit for each other. Samsung needed Ambition's experience and skills, while he was encouraged by the passion and efforts of new players. Samsung developd tremendously during the 2 years with Ambition. He wouldbe the anchor of the team, leading everyone through the path of victory.

"I think that our advantage is that we support each other, and that we know that we are skilled. Even if a player falls into a slump, we say that ‘it's not the skills, but the confidence that matters’. We have faith in our skills, and we help each other. That's also how I was encouraged."

◆Ambition's Second Path, Marriage and Stability
Ambition confessed that he thinks very self-defensively, because he has been burdened by stress and worries. It seemed that psychological stability was very important for Ambition, and this explains his second path.

Ambition married Sol-ji Maeng, the former ‘1stBuff Girl’ last April,becoming the only married LoL player in the scene. Smiling every time her name comes up, Ambition says that he became stable after getting married.

"I became psychologically stable after marriage. I have a person by my side who will understand that I have tried, and will always support me even if I am criticized and left out in my industry. Also, having a girlfriend and having a wife is totally different. She’s my family now. It’s hard to describe, but I became really stable. Also, thinking about the things that I could buy her by winning motivates me further."

It’s not easy for a professional gamer to openly date and get married. While these things are personal Issues, it is often used as the point of criticism when the player begins to underperform. On this, Ambition made his point clear.

"It’s weird. It’s my life. I think It’s nonsense to criticizeabout those things. But It didhelp me play better because I didn’t want to be criticized. I want people to say good things about me. I want people to congratulate and envy me. I tried toput more effort into it because I wanted our marriage to be blessed."

On the contrary, Ambition’s had greater achievement after his marriage. Hefulfilled his dream of winning the Worlds. This was possible thanks tohis own efforts both as a LoL player and a husband, not to mention his wife, Maeng Sol Ji’s understanding.

"She’s very understanding. She knows that we cannot live an ordinary life. For that, I am always sorry and thankful. That's why I try to be even nicer to her."

"24 hours is just not enough. In an environment where it is impossible to play well without tremendous amount of practicing, you have to work hard and love hard. They both need a lot of time. So I practice as if I need to earn double of the results of what other players would achieve In 5 hours. During practice I focus hard, and think about how I could play better and win. I spend more time, even If It means having less sleeping hours."

Marriage certainly had positive effects,but he wanted people to view his marriage and work separately. On stage, Ambition is only 'Ambition'.

◆Ambition’s Third Path, the Worlds and Beyond
In a previous interview with Daily eSports, Ambition mentioned theWorlds as ‘a flaw’ In his career. Even though heplayed high and low, he couldn't achieve the title ofWorlds. However, he was finally able to kiss the trophy in 2017, an image that he only dreamed of. When the opponent's Nexus was destroyed during thethird set, Ambition was full of emotions.

"The moment we won, the moment we destroyed the Nexus, I realized what being emotionally overwhelmed meant. I felt electrocuted. I wasn't even sure if we really won the game. But I was also feeling empty after it was over because it felt like everything ended in a flash. The next day, we were living the same life again. Of course, being In second place would have brought sadness and dissatisfaction. I am happy that I don't have to feel those emotions."

"Because I couldn’t make it to the Worlds for a long time, I doubted whether would I everbe able to make it before my career was over. It almost felt like I was not destined to go there. But my wife gave me courage, by saying not to worry and that I can make it. And we did last year. I didn’t think that we’d be able to make it that time.I thought that 90% of our goals have been met just by being there. But this year we actually won… I finally feel like a veteran. I have no moreregrets, and I feel more comfortable."

Ambition achieved his former goal by winning theWorld's. We had to hearwhat his newest goal would be. We asked himhow he wants to be remembered in League of Legends.

"I want to keep the status quo. If I maintain my advantages and skills, I might be able to win the Worlds once more. I feel more confident. I learned more about the game during the Worlds. We want to keep our fame, so we have to get good results."

"I think I’m pretty happy right now. I’m satisfied that my fans remember me. Naturally I will retire one day with my own style. I think I would be happy if my fans will remember me as I am right now."

Ambitionalso laughed at the mention of ‘Am Batter’, his somewhat notorious nickname among Korean fans. He was amused of the fact that the nickname lasted for sucha long time. He said that he is satisfied with the humorous tone of the nickname, and he thankedhis fans for it.

The interview followingAmbition's path had come to an end. The last question was a typical one asking if he had anything else to say. Hehad eagerly answered this question, and we were able to grasp what had driven him up to this point.

"I want to tell my wife that I love her. Our team became more mature overall. Of course, things will be difficult for the upcoming year, but we think that we can play well. We trust each other, sowe will be able to overcome whatever comes in our way. I think our team is way better than I am. So I am thankful of the fact that the 5 of us will face the 2018season together. Most of all, I want to thank my fans that always support us, through good times and the bad."

Translated by ROXCrew.

*This translation was provided through a partnership with the ROXGAMING.

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