Jinhyuk ‘Miro’ Gong. The whisper started like a wildfire throughout the arena. The fans start get up and run towards the exit of the Burbank stage even though an interview was going on with a member of the winning team of the previous match. Miro is in the Overwatch League Shop. The floor emptied not caring about the games instead to catch a glimpse or meet the legendary Winston player. The first Seoul Dynasty ‘team of the day’ of Season 2 and Miro was back in Burbank. Everyone on stood up as PH-1’s 82 came on and the players started to walk out. Miro walked out with the team as if he had never left, never retired at the end of Season 1. The nostalgia of wanting to see the Legendary Winston on stage hit all of the Tiger Nation, though they didn’t know Miro’s path to redemption would start at the end of Season 2 of the Overwatch League.
History
Pre-Overwatch League
Miro before Overwatch played Cypers, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm, and Hearthstone. At one point in Hearthstone he was 4th best, Legend. He then found his way into Overwatch.
Miro joined the Overwatch League team Lunatic Hai as their Main Tank. They became a fan favorite team off of performances in Korean and Chinese Overwatch Tournaments. The world got to see Miro in the 2016 Overwatch World Cup when he was voted onto the South Korean National Team. His performance in the 2016 OWWC helped the South Korean team win without dropping a match as well as gaining the MVP title.
In APEX Season 2, there was a transition and plays where Joonhyeok ‘Zunba’ Kim became his Tank partner in crime. The synergy between the two of them, as well with the team, skyrocketed them to the APEX Season 2 and Season 3 finals. Lunatic Hai won back to back championships with Miro as their only Main Tank. His knowledge of Winston’s capabilities allowed him to make legendary plays.
(*Clip courtesy of OGN/Twitch)
Overwatch League
The strength of Lunatic Hai had always been the Tanks and Supports. Going into the pre-season many analysts, content creators and fans expected that the Seoul Dynasty would be a top tier team. As the season went on it showed that the tank line for Seoul was struggling. Along with Miro, the Seoul Dynasty had signed Daekuki ‘Kuki’ Kim who was previously Main Tank for MVP Space. It got to a point that mid-season Jehong ‘Ryuejhong’ Ryu stepped in to play Main Tank for the Dynasty. Many people said that it was the older Winston play style, which was Miro’s signature, that made him easy to read. So many Main Tank players had studied Miro’s play and then adapted and adjusted to their own style that Miro’s had not evolved like the others in the league.
At the end of Season 1 Miro announced on stream that he would going to retired. He mentioned how hard it had been for him and that he wasn’t to pat himself on the back for all of what he had accomplished. No one would have imagined a season later he would begin his path to redemption to try and regain the title of the best Winston.
Gen G.
When Miro announced that he was going to become a streamer but it was not under Gen G. It was a little while later he rejoined the organization that owns the Seoul Dynasty as a streamer. He has been an active part of their social media as well as busy as almost daily streams.
Under Gen G. he has been close to his fellow players. It must have been hard to watch his friends struggle and succeed without him. Miro popped up multiple times while as a streamer in LA to cheer on the Seoul Dynasty. It may be perception, but the Lunatic Hai of Tobi, Ryujehong, and Zunba always seemed especially happy when Miro was around.
Miro has had nothing but positive things to say about Gen G. He has ventured into hosting, casting, desk analysis, variety/studying/gaming twitch stream and while not with professionals but coaching people in Overwatch. He is such a positive streamer with a good attitude, but there was a linger of regret still in his mind about his professional Overwatch career.
Legacy
Miro defined a character and how it is played. He inspired many players, such as Muma, to play Overwatch and or Winston. In November of 2019 Blizzard Entertainment published an article “Player Survey: Pro Inspiration.” Miro, even though he was retired for a whole season, was mentioned as an inspiration to many Tank players.
He has admitted that some of his more seemingly random ults were just that, a fat fingered press Q moment. But what defined Miro was that he was able to turn a mistake into an opportunity.
Path to Redemption
When Miro announced his plans to return to Overwatch professionally it was met with mixed reactions. Some fans were excited to see him back in the Overwatch scene as a professional. Others were a bit skeptical. At the end of his professional career in Season 1 many were saying that he was not a top tier Main Tank any more. That is what other fans brought up, they were skeptical that Miro would find a team with so many good Main Tanks available.
Miro is such a positive light in a dark and toxic community. His hard work, dedication to the community, knowledge and experience make him a valuable asset. Tiger Nation would love nothing more to see the legendary Tiger back on stage smiling. Let his path to redemption begin.
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