In a post-match interview,
Kang "BeYN" Ha-bin shares his reaction after the victory at
VALORANT Champions Paris against MIBR, we discuss about the lessons learned from beating Liquid and G2 Esports, explains why the “nothing to lose” mentality works, provides insights on the double-duelist composition and on-the-fly calling with
Kim "Mako" Myeong-gwa, and more topics.
How do you feel about your own and the team's overall performance after the match against MIBR?
Kang "BeYN" Ha-bin: "Needless to say, I’m over the moon about today’s win. I felt some of my teammates weren’t quite at their usual level, so I told myself, “I have to show up for the team,” and it worked out. It was also special to play against a legend, and I’m really happy we came away with the victory.
In the group stage, what do you think were DRX’s biggest strengths?
BeYN: We went in with a fourth-seed mindset; we have nothing to lose. We just did our thing and tried to leave no regrets on the server.
Looking ahead to facing Paper Rex, what do you think will be the biggest challenge for DRX?
BeYN: Everyone knows Paper Rex is extremely aggressive. They’re also a familiar opponent; we play each other a lot in the Pacific, so we can be flexible in how we counter their approaches. It should be a spectacular fight.
What was the team’s reaction after beating Liquid and G2? Did those wins boost your confidence, and what was the mindset going into MIBR?
BeYN: Of course each win felt good, but our mindset stayed the same: focus on the next game. The “nothing to lose” mentality carried us today and throughout this run. We kept saying it. We stuck with that again and again.
Photo by Tristan Toussaint/Tittooux
Strategically, what was DRX doing especially well, particularly on maps two and three?
BeYN: Without going too deep, our comp is double-Duelist, so we lack some of the information a double-initiator comp would provide. If we don’t have the info, we play proactively take space and get it ourselves. The “nothing to lose” mentality helps here, too.
Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan is the in-game leader. How do you work with him mid-match to adapt strategy on the fly?
BeYN: All five of us contribute to calls. Any information we spot, we keep the comms healthy. I’m the secondary shot-caller, so when MaKo has a lot on his plate, he’s human after all. I try to pull my weight and be a strong support system. I’m glad it worked out today.
What would it mean to you personally if DRX made a deep run or even pulled off an upset victory at Champions?
BeYN: When we started, we were ranked 14th out of 18. The fact that we’ve made it this far and taken wins off some of the strongest teams in the world gives me a real sense of accomplishment. It means a lot.
Do you have any message for Paper Rex or for any of their players?
BeYN: I won't say we're going to win, I don't want to jinx it, but we're definitely going to have fun! It's going to be a cinema! That’s all I’ll say. We’ll do our best in the next match."
Header Credit Photo: Champions Paris/Riot Games
