Some hours ago Zax the owner of Word Elite, has responded to the interiew MYM (click here for more info) did with SoJu. MYM]Ryan was so kind to translate it.

Response to SoJu's interview:

For this interview, I feel really angry, as I didn't think that SoJu could speak such words. I really dislike being trapped in these endless disputes, and I'll make all the details clear once and for all. It doesn't matter if SoJu replies again, I'll never respond to his comments anymore in the future.

In June 2005, After we set up a Korean squad, Showtime suggested to recruit ReMinD and SoJu, and at that time they two were still only good players in battle.net, and I didn't know much about them, while Showtime said their skill level was worth 300 US dollars more or less, because at that time they didn't have any good results in the international scene, nor in Korea. During 2005, it's Showtime who was in charge of all the Korean players salary issues, and he made a policy that the salary promotion would go with player's results, so there is indeed the proceed 300-600-1000-600-700 that SoJu mentioned. This policy was agreed by all Korean players, however Showtime didn't think that one day it would be whined by SoJu.

April 2006, Showtime had to serve the Korean army and I took over all of the Korean issues. I didn't use Showtime's policy, but gave the Korean players fixed salaries, only in return if they could get good results, I would give them bonus, and if they could get good results in the international tournaments, I would promote their salary, so the salaries of ReMinD and SoJu were fixed at 800 us dollars per month. When we renewed their contracts at the same year, I added 100 more dollars to their salaries, and then their salaries in the coming contracts were 900 dollars per month. They were all satisfied with their contracts. Of course during this period, they didn't get any top-3 results in any international tournaments.

In January 2007, Remind won Blizzard season 4 championship, and I promoted his salary to 1300 dollars, and alse gave him 200 dollars as bonus. After winning ESWC Korea qualifier, I also gave SoJu 200 dollars as bonus.

In march 2007, MYM released a news that they renewed their Korean players with high-salary contracts, and then all of our Korean players came to ask for higher salaries. At that time it was really an earthquake, and of course I understood them, as they are also Korean, why couldn't they get salaries as high as their Korean fellowmen. At that time I really disliked MYM, because the former peaceful balance had been broken, and the seed of disputes had been buried. I had forebode all of the incidents which happened these days at that time. To appease their emotions, I tried to persuade them, and promoted ReMinD's salary to 1300 officially. At that time Lyn and SoJu didn’t get any good enough results, so I didn't promote theirs.

In April 2007, NGL offline finals started, but at the same time our main sponsor IGE was in some troubles, and couldn't to afford our travelling expenses to Germany which were 100,000 RMB or 10,000 euros. I felt very disappointed, because we tried our best to fight for the whole season, but could not attend the last offline finals. However, we didn't have any other choices but to be absent from the NGL. I noticed that all of the Korean players felt angry about this, and couldn't really accept it. SoJu expressed his wish to depart from the team at that time. It's sure that this incident was the responsibility of the team, because we forgot to add NGL into our 2007's budget, and thought our sponsor would make it as a matter of course, and I felt very guilty of it. At this moment, the Korean manager Reis suggested we could borrow some money from IGE, and if we won the champion, our players could also get some bonus besides travelling expenses. Reis was so active to fulfill his idea and contacted IGE's boss by himself, and made an agreement with all the players. This is the reason why the deal came out SoJu mentioned. In my opinion, there were a lot of hidden troubles in this deal, and if I knew what would happen as today, we really should have not gone to the finals, or don't attend NGL at the beginning. However, until now we have not received the prize money from NGL, and owe the travelling expenses to IGE.

May - June We kept negotiating with Korean players on the issues of new contracts, and no results.

In the end of June, we went together to Germany for WC3L offline finals, and our travel was ok. All the prize money were given to players, while our team didn't get a coin, however, SoJu didn't even say a word about it.

At the same time we hoped we could have a good talk about the contracts in Germany. At that time the atmosphere around the team was great, and the tournament made our relationship closer, and removed many gulfs. I explained the situation our team now stood in, and hoped they could give us more time. The result of this talk was very satisfying, and all of the Korean players agreed to stay in the following 3 months after the contracts expired, which was on the 7th July. And on 27th June we made a new agreement. The salary in the new contracts were that ReMinD would get 1500 dollars, and both SoJu and lyn 1200 dollars.

In July, Soju won ESWC, and my feeling were very complex. On one hand I was very happy about it, and on the other hand I knew that something bad wouldl happen. BET released in their official news that they would be giving their players high salary at that time. As I expected, SoJu came to me to ask for higher salary, about 2000-2500. The money had been determined before, so I refused his request, however he got ESWC champion, I gave him bonus of course as well. Soju and Lyn's salaries in July were 1500 and 1400, and they weren't really satisfied with it, meanwhile they had many other offers, so I thought they would leave WE soon.

On WC3L playday one, Soju told me it's the last match for WE, and I gave no replies to him. But I wanted to retain Remind and Lyn, and after the last attempt, they two didn't accept my terms. Iin the following day, it happened as you saw.

Concerning their departure, I didn't blame them, because it's essentially a strange scene, as different countries have different prices and consumer levels, but the salary standard is used worldwide, for Chinese, Europeans as well as Koreans it's unfair. It's normal that everyone goes for higher benefits. The development of the worldwide scene is so fast, and WE's finance level may not catch up with others' paces, and maybe changing a place is a good way for both parties.

Concerning SoJu's words, I really feel very angry. At first, I insisted on my standpoint that I never hid even a coin of our players salaries, and our team never made money from player's prizemoney. Second, for the NGL issues, it's right that it's the fault of the team, and it was a sudden incident, but if SoJu didn't want to agree the deal, he could've said no at that time, but doing so now, make it as a tool to decry the team. At that time, I've decided not to go to NGL, but Reis insisted on it and announced all the Korean players to agree with this deal. In the aspect of SoJu, this issue could give him more reasons for his leaving the team, and I understand him.

However, everything has passed, any words can not change the facts. I can announce without shame that I never treated them unfairly in the past years, and always tried my best to make a good atmosphere for their development in the aspects of media and tournaments, even watched their matches through Waaagh TV in hunger, cheered loudly for their great performances, and tried my best to give them more chances to attend Chineese tournaments. Two years have passed, and they are like my own boys. It fills me with both joy and pride to see how they have grown up.

I think I should bless them because they can pretend to better teams, but not blame them due to some words from ReMinD. After all, everyone has some troubles, and if they have had a lot of pressure due only to some words, I think it's unfair for them. They are still very young and have a long way to go.

Good luck, ReMinD and Lyn!

Authorised by Zax and Replays.Net.