After the opening ceremonies and before their games, several players accepted brief interviews.

Kong Jie 9p
Q: You are coming more often to South Korea for matches; does this make your travel schedule too intense?
Kong Jie: I am not too strained. I have won the LG Cup before...
Q: Who do you believe will be the most menacing player in five years?
Kong Jie: This is a tough question, perhaps Piao Wenyao 5p.

Gu Li 9p
Q: Recently your results have been less than fantastic. When will you recover?
Gu Li: At the beginning of the year my results were not good. My condition was not good as I lost to An Choyeong 9p in the BC Card Cup. I will treat this year's LG Cup as an opportunity to stage a comeback.
Q: Right now you are preparing for your ten-game match against Lee Sedol, and the two of you cross paths in the coming round. How will you prepare for tomorrow's match?
Gu Li: We are still organizing the match. Personally, I have not done much to prepare for it. I will work hard to bring my strength to bear.

Yoda Norimoto 9p
Q: You have many fans in South Korea. Please say something to your fans.
Yoda Norimoto: The support was probably for my previous matches, but I will try my best to play well in my matches so as not to disappoint the fans.
Q: How will the Japanese Go world change in the next ten years?
Yoda Norimoto: That is far in the future; I do not have any particular feelings on the matter.
Q: You often play your moves with a powerful slap of your stone on the board. Is there any special reason for this?
Yoda Norimoto: Really... I am not conscious of it. I just try to play with boldness and soul.

Iyama Yuta 9p
Q: Your results in international matches have not been ideal...
Iyama Yuta: That is because my strength is inferior. There are so many young, talented Chinese and Korean players.
Q: If you were invited to play in a Chinese or Korean team league would you participate?
Iyama Yuta: If I had the opportunity I would love to participate. But my domestic tournament schedule is packed, so it would not be easy. More important than a Chinese or Korean league is improving my results in international play.

Lee Changho 9p
Q: You have won this tournament four times...
Lee Changho: My results were very good when I was younger, but not very good recently.
Q: How has your condition been recently? In the past you have had health problems such as fevers.
Lee Changho: I used to have health problems, but I am normal now. Thanks to everyone's help I do not now have any of those symptoms. I will do my best in the coming tournament.
Q: What matchup do you find the most interesting?
Lee Changho: The game between Gu Li and Lee Sedol, of course.

Choi Cheolhan 9p
Q: Your best result here is the quarterfinal, yet you have won the Ing Cup...
Choi Cheolhan: Only in the LG Cup have my results been so poor; it is as though I bear a heavy burden. This time I will play with ordinary spirit. I will try not to disappoint.
Q: Have you previously played against your opponent, Jiang Weijie 5p?
Choi Cheolhan: I have met Jiang Weijie in the Chinese A League. The Chinese field has considerable depth, so I cannot drop my guard against any player.

Mok Jinseok 9p
Q: I hear that you have established a study group?
Mok Jinseok: We plan to do some research. Players such as Baek Hungsu and An Choyeong will participate.
Q: Is this to train the next generation of players?
Mok Jinseok: Not right now, but our future plans are still not decided.
Q: What is your goal for this tournament?
Mok Jinseok: My best result so far in the LG Cup is 2nd place. This time I would like to go one step further.

An Choyeong 9p
Q: Your recent results have been very good.
An Choyeong: I do not think they have been very good, but everyone else thinks so.
Q: What is your goal?
An Choyeong: This is my first time facing Peng Quan 7p, so I will try my hardest.

Kim Jiseok 7p
Q: What is your best result in the LG Cup?
Kim Jiseok: Last year, I entered the round of 32.
Q: What is your plan?
Kim Jiseok: This is my first time meeting Zhou Ruiyang 5p. I have reviewed many of his games. I will try hard to play a good game.

Park Junghwan
Park Junghwan: I feel that the LG Cup is the hardest tournament, though I do not have any particular reason. So far my best result has been the round of 16, so this year I would like to make it to the round of 8.

Baek Daehyun 7p
Q: You have performed very well in the LG Cup tournament.
Baek Daehyun: It seems that way, but there is no particular reason for it.
Q: What is your goal?
Baek Daehyun: Previously I made it to the round of 16, this year I would like to make it to the round of 8.

Lee Heesung 8p
Q: How many times have you participated in the LG Cup main tournament?
Lee Heesung: This is my second time. Three years ago I participated, but I lost to Xie He 7p and was eliminated.
Q: What is your goal this year?
Lee Heesung: All professionals dream of taking the title. If you strive hard game after game it is possible.
Q: How is your condition these days?
Lee Heesung: This year in the preliminary tournament finals I defeated Xie He 7p and got my revenge. I am feeling very good.

Chen Yaoye
Q: You have played well against Korean opponents. What is your trick?
Chen Yaoye: I am not too sure. Korean players have outstanding judgment and solid endgame. I feel that Park Junghwan, Kang Dongyun, and I share similar styles.
Q: Who are your most difficult opponents?
Chen Yaoye: If I had to play Lee Sedol or Lee Changho I reckon that I could not win. Among Chinese players, Kong Jie.
Q: Is Kong Jie more difficult than Gu Li?
Chen Yaoye: I believe so.
Q: In the first round you will play Park Junghwan. What impressions do you have of him?
Chen Yaoye: Park Junghwan is extremely strong, as all Chinese players know. He is three years younger than me. I feel that after some time he will grow into an even stronger player.
Q: What do you think of the strength of players such as Zhou Ruiyang 5p, Shi Yue 4p, and Tuo Jiaxi 3p?
Chen Yaoye: They are all very young and strong players. Their level is all very similar, and it is hard to determine who is the strongest.

Xiao Zhenghao 7p: I am extremely honored to be a part of the tournament. I will put forth my greatest effort.

===============
After the first round
===============
Kim Seungjoon 9p: Korea's first round result (five players advanced) was alright, but losing Park Yeonghun and Lee Sedol was painful. It is also a pity that the entire Japanese delegation was eliminated.

Hua Xueming 7p: Everyone's level is very close, so I expected about seven or eight Chinese players to advance. China getting eleven wins was unexpected, and I am very pleased with the result. The next round will have three games played between Chinese players. Chen Yaoye and Chang Hao have been performing very well recently. Initially I expected four Chinese players to advance to the third round, but with the surprisingly good results, I expect that five of the eight players to advance will be Chinese.

Gu Li
Q: Following the BC Card Cup you again play An Choyeong 9p. What do you think of your opponent?
Gu Li: I feel he is rather difficult to handle. He is extremely strong in the latter half of the game.
Q: Were you always leading in your game against Lee Sedol?
Gu Li: I never really thought I had the advantage. It was a long, continuous win-or-lose fight. In the later part of the game I seized an opportunity.
Q: Does this result have an impact on the ten-game match planned with Lee Sedol?
Gu Li: Lee Sedol is in great condition, including yesterday's game. The result changes nothing.
Q: Have you recently tried to change your playing style?
Gu Li: Actually, recently I have been in a bit of a slump, not trying to change my style. I have merely been trying to analyze the source of my poor results.
Q: China's results have recently been extremely good.
Gu Li: Many Chinese players fought their way into the main tournament, so we had many players reach the second round.

Kong Jie
Q: Your second round opponent will be Mok Jinseok 9p. How will you prepare?
Kong Jie: I have already reviewed his games. I do not any detailed information about him, so it is hard to say. I do believe that he is very strong.
Q: How is your condition?
Kong Jie: Not bad. I rested very well. Now I will probably go online or read some management books.
Q: The Japanese delegation was eliminated in the first round. They do not play well in international tournaments. What do you think is the reason?
Kong Jie: Their performance has been rather poor, but I am not sure why. I am sure that they themselves know the cause.
Q: How much time do you normally spend studying Go?
Kong Jie: Every day I spend several hours, but not as much when I am playing matches. Recently I have been very busy, so I have not done much research.

Chang Hao
Q: As a sports celebrity, do you frequently participate in television programs?
Chang Hao: I have been on CCTV, Shanghai television, and in many newspapers. When I take a title I give many interviews and get invited to comment on my games on television.
Q: Like Lee Changho, you are in your thirties but remain at the top of the Go world. You must be very industrious?
Chang Hao: I do not study terribly much. When many players do collective research I will participate.
Q: China's international results have been very good.
Chang Hao: This must be the result of collective research.
Q: Why have Japanese results been so weak?
Chang Hao: It could be a weakness in the endgame. The Japanese representatives have been rather old. Iyama Yuta is young and strong, and is a worthy prospect.
Q: Who do you think are the hardest players to handle?
Chang Hao: Gu Li. Among the Koreans, Lee Changho. His winning percentage against me used to be quite high, but now we are getting closer to even. Lee Sedol is the most difficult opponent.

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I am Tartuffe from GoDiscussions.com

If I could like this post 5x I would, this is great stuff and much appreciated .

+1

its good stuff and everything...but can't you speak and read Korean?

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"The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown"
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson

Yes but it's not fully fluent; I speak to my family and close friends in Korean for instance, but I can't read books that are too complicated. I could read the interview but it's a bit of a struggle, kind of like a 1st grader trying to read Robinson Crusoe , so I prefer it in English.

Lets stack up the 'likes'

After Yoda is out I hope Lee Changho is able to make it!