Geguri
Kim in 2018
Personal information
Name김세연
(Kim Se-yeon)
BornJune 26, 1999 (1999-06-26) (age 24)
NationalityKorean
Career information
GamesOverwatch
Playing career2016–present
RoleTank
Number96
Team history
2016EHOME Spear
2017ROX Orcas
2018–2020Shanghai Dragons
Career highlights and awards

Kim Se-yeon (Korean: 김세연; Hanja: 金世娟, born June 26, 1999), better known as Geguri (게구리), is a South Korean professional Overwatch player who most recently played for the Shanghai Dragons of the Overwatch League.

Kim received international attention for the precision of her computer mouse movements; following an incident in 2016 in which other professional players accused her of using aim assist software, she proved her ability in a monitored studio and was signed to EHOME Spear, a professional team that ultimately disbanded without participation in the first-division APEX tournament. After a short stint with ROX Orcas, she signed with the Dragons in 2018 to become the first female player of the Overwatch League and was later named one of Time's 2019 "Next Generation Leaders."

Early years

Kim first became interested in Overwatch, a first-person shooter video game, after watching cinematic trailers for the game before its release date.[1] She developed a reputation in South Korea as a player in Overwatch based on her plays with the Overwatch character Zarya, specifically due to her aim and win ratio. A few weeks after she started playing Overwatch, Kim became a member of UW Artisan, an amateur Overwatch team, by invitation.[2] Sometime during this period, Kim was ranked on Overwatch as one of the top Zarya players[3] and developed a reputation for her shooting and win ratio.[2]

In June 2016, Kim became embroiled in a cheating controversy over her performance in an official tournament.[4] Based on a match in the Nexus Cup Korean qualifiers that took place on June 18[1] Kim was accused by two other professional players, "ELTA" and "Strobe" from team Dizzyness of using an aimbot based on suspicion that her performance was 'too good' and that her mouse precision was not "humanly possible."[4] The controversy began with a post on a forum which suggested that Kim might be cheating based on footage of her play.[3] After the post was made, members who were from the team Kim had defeated during the match accused Kim of using an aimbot.[2] The accusations escalated, and two of her professional opponents said that they would quit Overwatch if Kim were to be exonerated. Kim livestreamed proof of her ability from a Korean eSports website's monitored studio, and both players quit, although one of them returned to the competitive scene under a new username. The Korean branch of Blizzard Entertainment, the game's developer, also confirmed that she had not used aim assist software. The incident brought Kim international fame and anticipation for her professional career.[5][4]

Professional career

EHOME Spear

Kim's professional career began in 2016, when she joined EHOME and played with its EHOME Spear team.[6] The team failed to qualify for OGN APEX tournaments and ultimately disbanded in June 2017.

ROX Orcas

In August 2017, Kim signed with ROX Orcas. Though the team was not a strong performer in prior series, ESPN wrote that its new lineup was an improvement, and Kim's signing was a new height for her career, as she was expected to become Overwatch's first female professional player. Her primary Overwatch character, Zarya, had returned to popular rotation in the professional circuit.[4]

Shanghai Dragons

In February 2018, Kim became the first female player in the Overwatch League when she joined the Shanghai Dragons.[7][8] She was chosen among the League's top players to represent the Pacific Division in the League's 2018 All-Star Game.[9] Following the first season, Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer said that Kim "[has] already inspired millions of girls around the world".[10] Kim did not renew her contract with the Dragons following the 2020 season.[11][12]

Awards and honors

Time named Kim one of its 2019 "Next Generation Leaders" for being one of the first successful female esports players.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 "[카드뉴스] '오버워치' 게구리 김세연 인터뷰…'게구리가 쓴 핵은 사실 겁나잘핵'" [[Card News] 'Overwatch' Geguri Kim Se-yeon Interview... 'The aimbot used by Geguri was just her being extremely good']. 스포츠경향 (Sport Kyunghyang). Kyunghyang Shinmun. June 28, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Kimes, Mina (September 15, 2017). "Game: Interrupted". ESPN The Magazine MLB Playoffs issue. ESPN. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Ashcraft, Brian (June 21, 2016). "Korean Woman Kicks Ass At Overwatch, Gets Accused Of Cheating [Update]". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jeon, Young Jae (August 7, 2017). "Geguri to become first female competitor in Overwatch APEX". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  5. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian. "Korean Woman Kicks Ass At Overwatch, Gets Accused Of Cheating [Update]". Kotaku. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  6. ↑ 최희욱 기자 (August 5, 2016). "중국프로게임단 EHOME, UW Artisan 인수… 오버워치 팀 창단" [Chinese pro-gaming group EHOME acquires UW Artisan, Established Overwatch team]. Gamechosun (in Korean). Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  7. ↑ Webster, Andrew (February 14, 2018). "The Overwatch League signs its first female player". The Verge. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  8. ↑ Shanghai Dragons (February 14, 2018). "We're excited to welcome He "Sky" Junjian, Kim "Geguri" Seyeon, Lee "Fearless" Euiseok and Chon "Ado" Gihyeon to our #OverwatchLeague roster". Twitter.
  9. ↑ Chalk, Andy (June 21, 2018). "Overwatch League All-Star Game starting lineups revealed". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  10. ↑ Carpenter, Nicole (August 2, 2018). "OWL commissioner Nate Nanzer: Geguri has inspired "millions of girls" around the world". Dot Esports. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  11. ↑ O'Dwyer, Samuel (October 26, 2020). "Shanghai Dragons parts ways with 5 players, including Geguri and Diem". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  12. ↑ Marshall, Cass (October 26, 2020). "Overwatch pro player Geguri leaves the Shanghai Dragons". Polygon. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  13. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Alex (May 16, 2019). "Meet the Female Gamer Taking the Male-Dominated World of eSports by Storm". Time. Retrieved May 16, 2019.

Further reading

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