CFO Driver: "When I was sitting backstage, I felt even more nervous. I was honestly praying to God that we would win"

The heroes of the Pacific region have been stopped in their tracks. Exclusive interview with CFO's toplaner after his lost to AL.

Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua, toplaner of CTBC Flying Oyster at MSI 2025.

"I’ve done so many dances, I’m starting to run out of ideas [...] I feel terrible when fans critique my singing. I'll do my best to improve, and hopefully soon, you'll hear me sing"

Though their run at the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational has come to an end, CTBC Flying Oyster continue to live on in the hearts of fans. After making history in Vancouver, the representatives of the Pacific region now return home with their heads held high, despite their loss to Anyone's Legend. In an exclusive interview, Sheep Esports sat down with one of the team’s toplaners, Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua, to reflect on his final match at the event, his taste in anime and dancing, and his hopes for Worlds 2025.

How are you feeling after today’s loss to Anyone’s Legend? Was it hard for you to watch the last two games from backstage?

Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua: "We're all feeling a little bit disappointed. Honestly, our team tried very hard in today’s series—we saw that every single game was winnable. When we go into VOD reviews, we can point out the mistakes, like how a teamfight should’ve been played differently. We can pinpoint exactly where we could’ve done better.

When I was sitting backstage, not being able to play myself, I felt even more nervous because I wasn’t in control of the game. I was honestly praying to God that we could take this win. Everyone just gave it their all at this MSI.

Do you think CFO’s run at MSI 2025 was a positive story overall? Have you taken away any valuable lessons from this event?

Driver: I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend both First Stand and MSI. As for myself, I’d say I’ve just been playing to an acceptable level by the standards I hold for myself. When I’m reviewing VODs, I see so many more things I could focus on and improve. Ideally, we’ll make it to even more international events, and I can prove myself and really fix those mistakes.

You had a lot of fun on stage and gained a lot of fans, especially with your dances. Still, I saw that you said you don’t really like dancing that much. How do you feel about it? And did you practice the JoJo dance?

Driver: I wouldn’t necessarily say that I don’t like dancing—it’s just that I’ve done so many dances, I’m starting to run out of ideas for what to do for our CFO win celebrations.

As for the JoJo reference, I love JoJo as an anime. I’ve probably watched it two or three times. And luckily, on the other side that day was Jojopyun (Joseph Joon Pyun), so I thought it was the perfect chance to try out that dance—and I did it!

I saw you were trying to get Chiu "Doggo" Tzu-Chuan to watch Steins;Gate, so I’m guessing you’re a big fan. Which character do you relate to the most? Maybe Okabe?

Driver: I have so many favorite characters when it comes to the Science Adventure series, so it's really hard to choose just one. But if I had to, it would be the main character, Okabe—because the way he goes HOUOUIN KYOUMA! is just so fun. From the start of the show, he’s very silly, then in the middle, he feels really desperate and lost, and by the end, he goes through this whole character development. I can really relate to that and put myself in his shoes. He’s just such a layered character in this anime.

Do you think you would’ve won today if the match was decided by arm wrestling instead of League of Legends?

Driver: Against Flandre (Li Xuan-Jun), it’s looking pretty good for me. However, I’m left-handed and he’s right-handed, so I feel like I’m at a disadvantage in some way.

Your six-man roster has been talked about a lot, but recently, some voiced criticism towards it. Is there anything you’d like to say to those who doubt the value of this setup?

Driver: To all the fans critiquing the six-man roster, I’d say the amount of valuable insight we gain from having two different champion pools in the top lane is absolutely incredible. It gives us a lot more perspective on what’s possible when we share ideas and styles. Especially on the international stage, this kind of flexibility is irreplaceable. We definitely want to continue with the six-man roster.

You’ve competed in two international events this year—First Stand and MSI, where you made history. What can we expect from CFO at Worlds this year if you qualify?

Driver: There’s a lot to expect from us, especially going into Worlds, because I want to break the curse that the LCP region has never made top eight at Worlds. We learn the most on the international stage, and we have a lot of room to grow until then. When we play in the LCP, I don’t always recognize my mistakes or what I can work on, but facing these players on the international stage, I can clearly pinpoint where I need to improve. I will definitely try my best to show you all a new me at the upcoming Worlds.

You mentioned you’ve been practicing singing, but your chat said it was a bad idea and told you not to sing. Will you prove them wrong by singing at Worlds instead of dancing next time?

Driver: I feel terrible when I hear fans give me that kind of critique about my singing. But it’s just my hobby, and I would love to improve. Even my brother said my singing was really bad, so I felt terrible after that too. Still, I’ll definitely try my best to improve, and hopefully, you’ll get to hear it soon.

Is there anything you want to say to your Western fans so they remember you until the next time you’re on the international stage?

Driver: What do I even say here? [Pauses] I feel like we will slowly improve. Even in failure, we will find success. We’ll improve step by step going into the next international event. Be ready for us, because we’ll bring you surprises at Worlds."

Header Photo Credit: Liu YiCun/Riot Games