uhjoo of TeamLiquid.net has made an interview with Um Jae-kyung, also known as Next_(R). Still doesn't ring a bell? He is a very experienced and well known person in the Korean progaming scene, and probably the most famous game commentator on Korean television.
uhjoo, Korean progaming specialist and writer at TeamLiquid.net, calls Next_(R) an Overlord for his knowledge of the game and for everything that he's made making the Korean progaming scene as it is today. He is a man that has existed in the Korean StarCraft scene since the beginning - back in the GameQ and Tooniverse days. Now he is a well known OGN commentator, announcer, map designer and organizer. In this interview you really get to know him and how the commentating and progaming scene evolved to what it is today. "Progaming has become more institutionalized and professionalized in all its various respects so all I have to do now is commentate." he says about how it looks like today.Former progamers as commentators is common
To make it as a Korean game commentator is really tough, since the job openings are very rare and it requires a lot. Next_(R) says that the pool is too small, and that it's not a stable profession, unless you have a regularized number of games to commentate on, as he himself has. "I can certainly live on my salary" he says, but says that it's because he's got the most experience and commentates so often.
"The producers would likely look to former progamers if a new commentator had to be hired." he says, and that they would pick someone with a nice style, a nice voice and a handsome face.
No foreign players in any proteams except Hexatron
One of the questions that a lot of people have asked themselves is brought up in this interview - Why are there no foreign players in any proteams other than Hexatron? To that, Next_(R) pardoned for being brutally honest, and then said - results. He says that the market appeal is not enough for a professional team to simply recruit them like that. He calls Hexatron DreamTeam a "mercenary team" and means that adding foreigners just for market appeal might suit a team like that. However, he would really like to see a foreigner succeed. "People in the broadcasting industry secretly have great hopes that foreign players will do well." he reveals.Read the entire interview by clicking on the link below. It is very in-depth and long, it is highly recommended.
Links
TeamLiquid.net - Interview with Um Jae-kyung