LZ Khan Interview: Worlds 2017 Day 2

Hey there everyone, welcome to our Worlds 2017 Interview Series. As you may know, we have partnered with Travis Gafford and supported his trip to China to cover the games and get insights from the players. We will be sharing the interviews here along with their transcriptions. Enjoy!

Travis: It’s the second day of my Worlds coverage presented by Mobalytics, I’m joined right now by Khan as well has Hommen who’s going to help translate. Khan, yesterday we saw gigabyte Marines do some crazy stuff and today it seems like they kind of tried it again. Were you expecting it? Did you have a plan if they did something weird?

Khan: We were aware that Gigabyte Marines are a team with brilliant ideas for their early games, so we prepared to minimize those variables. I think this game’s strategy, they were within our imagination’s range so it was rather predictable for us.

Travis: Is it fun for you to have a team that is so unconventional in your group or is it more annoying? Like you just don’t know what they’re going to do?

Khan: We’re a bit concerned playing against them but I think it’s more of an enjoyable experience because you get to learn more play styles and about how foreign teams play around the meta.

Travis: I have to say that with Gigabyte Marines, they don’t play like other foreigners, they’re kind of their own thing. But speaking of the other teams, what do you think of the Western teams this year? The first week of Groups, all the Western fans always want to know if their teams have a chance. I’m curious if you think there’s any chance for Western teams.

Khan: I think [with] G2 and TSM, it can be really different for them this tournament. I was watching TSM play earlier this day and I was impressed by a lot of their plays and their late game management so I think this could be the year for those two teams.

Travis: I have to ask you again about TSM because I feel like all the Western fans are watching the game and they’re like, “this is crazy and weird”, but you were impressed by it. What about them impressed you?

Khan: I was most impressed by their team fights. I think due to their communication, since they have all five English speaking players in their national NA LCS league, and during practice, I was really impressed by their team fight. I think as the tournament goes on, they will also improve their team management, game management, and their overall gameplay.

Travis: Enough about TSM I want to ask about you. You were previously playing in China, I’m curious what it is like for you to be back in China. Do you like it? Do you not? Why?

Khan: Actually when I was in China before, I didn’t get to play many games [or] participate in many scrims – but of course I think the fault was on me. But as time passed I think I improved, and now it feels much better to be in China as a Korean player in a Korean team rather than a Korean playing on a Chinese team so I am really glad that I’m here to represent the LCK league.

Travis: Finally, I feel as though you are not a big fan of tanks in top line and yet, the meta is very much about tanks and top lane. How do you feel about this meta, and how are you managing it?

Khan: Since the current patch for this World Championship is before the Ardent Censer was nerfed, [there’s] definitely more focus on the bottom lane. I think top lane’s meta is regardless of that because as long as you can play well in your lane and if you play tank or [damage] dealer it doesn’t really matter. It’s just that I am more of an aggressive player so I prefer to play a dealer champion. But I also practiced tank champions a lot and I think I’m prepared well. So rather than worrying about if I can play tank champions, I hope my fans will look forward to when I first play my tank champions this tournament.

Travis: I’m looking forward to it indeed. Is there anything that you would like to say to any of the fans out there?

Khan: I hope I can show the play that my fans are hoping to watch. We’re trying really hard as a team to achieve that final victory in this Worlds so please keep cheering for us.

Thanks for reading/watching! For more Worlds coverage, you can see more interviews here, or at Travis’s Youtube channel.