Why I Play: Hojin "HoJin" Yun
January 21, 2024
By Cody Machan
After living in two different countries before moving to the United States to attend Ohio State, Hojin Yun was no stranger to change. Now, being a Buckeye in esports years later, his motivation is still driven by the same game series he kept returning to throughout his life.
The 2nd year Computer Science major, originally from Seoul, South Korea, is in the midst of his second season in Team Scarlet as a support player for the Overwatch 2 premier team.
Hojin got an early introduction to gaming and the First-Person Shooter Genre growing up, with his earliest gaming memory coming from the overseas-exclusive title Bubble Fighter in third grade.
“It wasn’t relatively as hard as Overwatch or games that are out now, but it got me interested in the genre,” Hojin said.
When Overwatch was released in 2016, Hojin was instantly hooked because of the increased difficulty and fast-paced gameplay.
“You need to be active, always, in order to win,” Hojin said. “I like that really quick type of tempo. Nothing else can entertain me as much.”
Throughout the early stages of Overwatch, Hojin found himself competing in teams while in South Korea but drifted away from the game as the teams disbanded due to the country’s mandatory military service law and his move to Canada later in life.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Hojin found a renewed spark for the game, using it to pass the time and keep spirits high when much of everyday life shut down.
“I started to grind back again since I had nothing else to do,” Hojin said. “Overwatch is something I always kept coming back to. It got me through a lot of areas in life.”
When it came time to choose a college, Hojin knew he wanted to pursue a career in Computer Science. He contemplated options in Canada, such as the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo.
Ultimately, he decided to venture to the United States and join the Scarlet and Gray, citing its opportunities and his interest in potentially trying out for another sport on campus.
“I wanted the full college experience,” Hojin said. “Ohio State seemed like it fit me, and I also love playing golf. Ohio State’s golf team is pretty solid and has good practice facilities.”
After graduation, Hojin dreams of working at NASA and someday starting his own business, which he looks forward to expanding into the esports industry.