July 16, 2013 – I entered the 50th Division’s boot camp in South Korea.
It was a blur of sweat, dust, and endless drills—classic trainee life.
And during one of those chaotic lunch hours, something unexpected happened.
A name tag caught my eye while someone was scooping rice.
“Lee Yoon-Yeol.”
Wait… could it be?
NaDa? The Genius Terran from the StarCraft golden era?
At first, I thought it was just someone with the same name.
But no—it was actually him. The real NaDa.
I’ve never been that interested in celebrities,
but that moment? My heart was racing.
There I was, a tired recruit with nothing to hold on to,
and standing right in front of me—one of my childhood heroes.
My military diary, nicknamed “Sonagi” (meaning ‘sudden rain shower’)
I kept a little diary back then.
I mustered up the courage to ask for an autograph—
and NaDa, Lee Yoon-Yeol himself, graciously signed it.
NaDa’s signature – still one of my most treasured items
Word got around, and people began crowding our barrack.
It got a little noisy, but honestly?
It was worth it for that tiny spark of joy during basic training.
I think after the boot camp period,
he switched over to a reservist role (“sang-geun” service).
Years have passed since then,
but that moment, that signature—
it remains one of the brightest memories of my military life.
If you ever read this, Lee Yoon-Yeol—
thank you again, sincerely.
🎮 Who Is NaDa?
Lee Yoon-Yeol, aka NaDa, is a legendary pro-gamer from South Korea.
Dominating the early 2000s StarCraft scene,
he earned titles like “Genius Terran” and “Emperor of Games.”
- WCG 2002 Champion
- Starleague victories
- Over $200,000 in total prize earnings
- At one point ranked #1 globally in esports earnings
Together with BoxeR (Lim Yo-Hwan) and iloveoov (Choi Yeon-Sung),
he was part of the iconic “Terran Trinity.”
After retiring from pro play,
he served his mandatory military duty—
where our paths crossed in the most unexpected way.
Even now, thinking about it makes me smile.
🖼️ (Planning to take a photo of it when I visit my parents’ house and proudly share it here 😄)
If this story made you smile—or brought back a little nostalgia—
you can support me with a cup of coffee! ☕🙂
It helps fuel more posts like this one.
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