ShowMaker: I have this fantasy of being loyal to a team, so I signed a long-term contract

DK mid laner ShowMaker recently had an interview with a Korean media outlet, discussing why he renewed his contract with DK and reminiscing about the past year’s matches.

Q: Recently, I saw an old interview with ShowMaker wearing a green uniform in 2019, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and saying, "I think I can do well here," sitting a bit shyly, back when you had a mushroom hairstyle? Your eyes seemed bright and lively.

ShowMaker: I've aged now.

Q: Is it because of the passage of time?

ShowMaker: Yes, I don't even remember that time.

Q: The first time you came to LoL Park wearing a DWG uniform, how was this period?

ShowMaker: I rested well during the offseason and prepared for the upcoming year, that's about it.

Q: During your break, what do you usually do? Professional players are usually busy during the season, but during the off-season, there is a lot of free time, so people are curious about how players spend it, like how it’s different from office workers' rhythms.

ShowMaker: Although each professional player is different, personally, I try to stay at home, get more sleep, play other games, watch shows on Netflix, hang out with friends, eat good food. Nothing unusual, I didn't travel, just rested in a very ordinary way.

Q: That sounds like what people dream of: staying home for days, watching Netflix under a blanket, and if you get tired of Netflix, playing games, and when friends suggest meeting up, you might think, "Ah, it's too much trouble," but then when you step outside, you have a great time?

ShowMaker: Yes, that's how it goes. When it's close to the appointed time, I might say, "Ah, I don't want to go out, it would be nice if the appointment got canceled," but once I'm out, I have a great time.

Q: Anything interesting recently? Maybe you find Netflix interesting or a particular game?

ShowMaker: I’ve been enjoying watching documentaries on Netflix lately. Since I like soccer, I’ve watched many documentaries related to it.

Q: What did you watch? I like soccer too, and recently there have been many comparisons between soccer and esports, so I’m curious about this.

ShowMaker: I watched documentaries about Beckham because it was interesting, and then I thought I should look for others. Later, I discovered many documentaries about soccer, so I watched interesting ones about Luis Figo and a documentary called "Sunderland 'Til I Die."

Q: What parts made you feel emotional?

ShowMaker: First, learning historical facts that I didn't know before was interesting. The documentaries were edited really well and felt very engaging. The stories had both crisis moments and happy moments, all featuring real people being interviewed. Seeing the videos from that time felt great because they were all people I knew.

Q: It's about overcoming difficulties, those moments, because everyone in the documentary is real. I heard you also went to watch the World Championship finals. How was that experience?

ShowMaker: I watched the DRX vs. EDG match last year in the USA. It was my second time watching a match live since then. The memories from the first time were very interesting, so I wanted to go again, also because of NewJeans, the fans would attend, and it was in Korea, so I hadn't missed a final yet, so I went to see the opening ceremony.

Q: The big screen was impressive.

ShowMaker: Ah, it was really interesting, I didn’t have many experiences like that, so the live feeling was really good.

Q: NewJeans' appearance was indeed short.

ShowMaker: Ah, I couldn't see clearly from my seat...

Q: You spent the offseason like this and did many live streams. The LCK Spring Split is starting soon, and you've probably played many scrims. Many people are curious about ShowMaker's plans, and you've extended your contract with DK for three more years. I think many people would be curious. How did you reach such a decision?

ShowMaker: Compared to other teams, we were eliminated from the World Championship a bit earlier. So, I thought about my future with the team, thought about taking a break, maybe trying overseas, and also thought, "Should I stay?" I've been pondering and finally felt that staying was the best choice for me, so I stayed with the team.

Q: This is the first time I've heard this content. Hearing that you considered taking a break, trying overseas, and ultimately choosing to renew your contract for three years, what were your worries? People listening would be curious about what happened. Could you share the reasons?

ShowMaker: Last year's matches were under a lot of pressure, and I wasn't feeling particularly happy, so I had been struggling for a long time, thinking about whether there should be a change for me. I pondered about retiring but felt it was too early considering the fans and felt I could still play for a while. Going abroad felt tiring, and adjusting would be challenging. Moreover, if I went to another team in Korea after being with DK for so long, it didn’t feel right, so I decided that staying was the best choice. Thinking that I’d be here for a while longer and having that romantic notion of loyalty to a team, I signed a long-term contract.