Full Count (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 10 - To Victory - full transcript
SSG Landers and Kiwoom Heroes fight for the throne in the Korean Series.
(loud thud)
(bat clacks)
CASTER 1: What we just saw there
were nine perfectly-pitched innings!
A SHUTOUT PITCH BY FONT
HE CRUSHES THE OPENING GAME
CASTER 2: The SSG Landers are
on a ten-game winning streak
since the opening game!
TEN-GAME WINNING STREAK FOR SSG LANDERS
ONE WIN AWAY FROM BREAKING THE RECORD
CASTER 3: With the SSG Landers
winning today's game,
they record their 51st win of the season.
A MIRACULOUS VICTORY OF THE SSG LANDERS
LOSING ISN'T IN THEIR DNA
CASTER 4: They get
the first 80th victory of this season.
THE SSG LANDERS SECURE THEIR 80TH WIN
WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN RATE 94.1%
REPORTER: For the first time
in the 40-year history of the KBO League,
the SSG Landers advance
to the Korean Series,
having maintained first place
from the beginning to the end
of the regular season.
With a successful performance
and the fans' love,
they became the best team in the league
in just two years since their founding.
After three weeks of rebuilding,
they will face the winner of the playoffs
in the Korean Series for the trophy.
EP. 10
TO VICTORY
(indistinct muttering)
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
15 DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
-Okay!
-PLAYER 1: That's good.
-Hey!
-PLAYER 2: Come on!
(exclaims, groans)
-Over here!
-(man yelling)
PLAYER 3: Nice, Kyungeun.
COACH: Accuracy over speed.
PLAYER 4: Nice.
-(mitt thuds)
-(all exclaiming, cheering)
(clacks)
JIHWAN: As you know,
a small error can shift the momentum
in the Korean Series.
So let's concentrate
while playing catch as well.
(shouts)
(indistinct chatter)
You can save two days
if you don't do batting practice today.
So why are you training today?
-Because I'm resting tomorrow.
-Huh?
-I'm resting tomorrow.
-Okay. Make sure you do.
-I rested a lot.
-That's okay.
You can start with the next part.
The Korean Series favors
the regular season winner.
After the regular season,
the winners get a three-week rest.
SEYOUNG: The SSG Landers wanted
to secure their three-week rest,
so they did everything they could
to stay at the top.
The SSG Landers used
their vacation quite wisely.
They were devoted
to recharging the players.
COACH: Two.
Good. Three.
KANGMIN: I think
I'm stiff because of this.
COACH (chuckles): That should be enough.
How is it now?
KIM KANGMIN
SSG LANDERS OUTFIELDER
Kangmin was initially
in the starting lineup.
But because of his age,
and also because Jihoon improved so much...
TAEGON: Anyway, he used
to be our key player.
SUNKYU: I think in baseball,
there are unseen factors that are in play.
The phrase "generational shift"
holds significance.
And when the shift happens,
I believe the veteran player
has a role to play.
And our team's veterans
are playing that role very well.
KANGMIN: When Jihoon earned
that nickname when he was a rookie,
he said it was an honor.
He thanked me for it.
But in ten years,
I think I'll be the one thanking him.
Jihoon is going to rise higher
than where he is now.
He's that kind of player.
There's no specific date I have in mind.
But when they ask me to retire,
then I'm ready to retire, even now.
KANGMIN: You play baseball
because the team needs you.
For the past few years,
I've been saying if I was asked to retire,
I'd happily retire as a baseball player.
KIM KANGMIN
(loud clack)
COACH: Nice.
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
TEN DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
REPORTER 1:
In Game 5 of the semi-playoffs,
the Kiwoom Heroes
maintained their lead over the KT Wiz
with An Woojin's great pitching
and Song Sungmun's homer.
I was about 70% sure
that the LG Twins was going to advance.
KWANGHYUN: They were nipping at our heels
until the final games of the season.
REPORTER 2: In the playoffs,
the Kiwoom Heroes
won three games in a row
after losing Game 1 to the LG Twins,
advancing to the Korean Series.
Puig led the victory
with two RBIs including a home run.
(crowd roaring)
JUNGHOO: I believe that the postseason
is very different from the regular season.
I want to go against a strong team
and play a good game of baseball.
They are a very young team,
so when they have the momentum,
it's terrifying for the other team.
Honestly, we don't know what they'll do.
They're absolutely unpredictable.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
FIVE DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
Kiwoom advanced?
(sighs)
Don't say that.
(laughter)
I wasn't trying to imply anything.
If LG had advanced,
it would've been similar
to our home games.
Against Kiwoom,
we play offense in the bottom inning.
JEONGJUN:
This is a great advantage for us.
We're going to play until Game 7.
But out of those seven games,
we have the final offense five times.
Keep that in mind and be bold.
-(mitt thuds)
-(groans)
WONKI: I'd like to emphasize this again.
The bigger the game is,
the more rational and calm
you have to be to perform well.
Do not let the result
of the game get to you.
Don't pay attention to it.
Just do what you can.
If you can't do something,
focus on supporting
the other players who can.
We've all worked hard
for a year to get here.
Our youngest players like
Chanhyeok and Myeongjong,
and our on-site staff members.
We all worked hard for this.
Think of this as our last chance.
Let's play the game without any regrets.
-Okay?
-PLAYERS: Yes, sir.
(clapping)
Our final goal?
Well, winning the Series.
Because...
(breathes deeply)
...as a person who has watched
other teams play
at Gocheok Sky Dome through the screen
for the past three years since 2019,
that reality was just ironic.
It was painful to watch
two other teams play at our home stadium.
-I don't take this lightly.
-REPORTER: I see.
There are so many veteran players,
and they talk.
So we must be cautious,
but at the same time, strong.
We were always confident and proud.
If we were to decide the winner
with a single game,
then I think we could lose.
But you have to win four games
to win the Series.
It's four games out of seven.
He's of course a very senior player.
But when we are in uniform
at the stadium, we're all just players.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KBO KOREAN SERIES MEDIA DAY
KOREAN SERIES MEDIA DAY
(indistinct muttering)
You guys are here together.
(gasps)
Hey.
WONHYONG (in English): Nice batting.
(in Korean) Why is it so awkward?
Jeong, is this your 100th media day?
It's my third time.
Junghoo, you worked really hard.
This is my second time.
-What about you, Manager?
-It's my first.
When I was still a player...
Jaewoong is really good.
Was he always so good at defense?
It's amazing watching him defend.
-WONHYONG: He's really good.
-Yes.
CASTER 1: It's another bunt.
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
PLAYOFFS GAME 3
It pops up a bit. He dives for the catch!
And to second base!
It's a double play!
(crowd cheering)
He made the dive
and got up immediately to throw the ball.
He had the ball like this.
I saw him too. He caught the ball
and changed his grip
while throwing the ball.
He's a natural.
It's the best play of the season.
(clears throat)
PUIG
(camera shutters clicking)
WONHYONG: Before we begin,
I'd like to express
my deepest condolences to the victims
and the bereaved who lost their loved ones
due to the accident in Itaewon.
Something that shouldn't
have happened ended up happening.
(breathes deeply)
I believe that words cannot console
the hearts of the bereaved
who lost their family or friends
in the Itaewon crowd crush.
THE KBO EXPRESSED THEIR CONDOLENCES
TO THE VICTIMS OF THE ITAEWON CROWD CRUSH
AND ANNOUNCED TO MINIMIZE CHEERING
TO MOURN THE VICTIMS
We'll now move on to an interview
with Manager Hong Wonki of Kiwoom.
Please tell us how you feel
about advancing to the Korean Series.
All the players on our team
are very exhausted
due to the many games
we played to be here.
However, as we have endured
throughout the year,
we want this time to be meaningful.
We will try our best to win
the Korean Series
with all our fans' support
and our players' great energy,
so that we can continue
this meaningful challenge.
Continuing our good flow
from the regular season,
we will win the Korean Series
to satisfy our fans.
On our team, we have players
with a lot of experience
who have been on big stages.
I think our players can
keep themselves composed even in a jam.
Because our roster is so young,
we can make fearless plays to adjust
ourselves to different situations.
I'll prove how important experience is.
I'd like to make the Series
as long as possible,
so I want to play until Game 7.
HOST: I see. He mentioned Game 7.
Though brief, I thought,
"We can't take this to Game 7."
HOST: SSG Landers' Manager Kim Wonhyong,
please announce
your starting pitcher for Game 1.
As everyone expects, Kim Kwanghyun
will be the starter for Game 1 tomorrow.
In the regular season,
I only made one hit in over 20 appearances
against Kim Kwanghyun.
He's on another level.
Our starter for Game 1 is An Woojin.
I think he's one of the pitchers
that represents our country.
When you're in the box,
he's a difficult pitcher to face.
REPORTER: The SSG Landers, who are aiming
to complete their wire-to-wire win,
and the Kiwoom Heroes,
who are striving for their first victory,
will meet tomorrow,
November 1st, 6:30 p.m.,
at Incheon SSG Landers Field
for Game 1 of the Korean Series.
THE DAY OF THE KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
Game 1 is crucial.
Teams that won the first game
won the Series 70% of the time.
The SSG Landers will be victorious,
so don't try to take away their spot.
They say Choi Jeong is quite the hitter,
so he'll score about two runs.
So my guess is Kiwoom will win,
nine to two.
Once a winner, you're always a winner.
I think the SSG Landers will stay on top.
So watch out, Kiwoom.
I'm proud of all of you.
Good luck, Kiwoom!
-Good luck, Landers!
-Good luck, Landers!
KIM HYERIN, KIM HYESEUL
SSG LANDERS FANS
CASTER 1: The media had their eyes
on whether the two players
-would go against each other.
-CASTER 2: That's right.
CASTER 1: The best right-handed pitcher
and the best southpaw are meeting today.
CASTER 2: That's right.
Game 1 of the Korean Series will be a game
that'll decide which pitcher
is the best in the KBO this season.
CASTER 1: Today's game might be
the most important game of the Series.
KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
TOP OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(crowd chanting, rhythmic clapping)
-(whistles blowing)
-(clonks)
CASTER 1: Kim Junwan,
the leadoff hitter, advances to first.
Kim Kwanghyun lets him walk to first.
CASTER 2: The MVP of the playoffs.
CASTER 1: He has a good track record
against Kim Kwanghyun as well.
The second pitch breaks.
The left fielder tracks the ball.
And he makes the catch.
Whenever I face Kim Kwanghyun,
I think I have to improve as a hitter.
What Kim Kwanghyun had was experience.
Of course, he was overwhelming
in terms of his power.
SUNWOO: But more importantly,
he used different types of pitches,
like he showed
during the latter part of the season.
With that, he took away
the hitters' timing.
That all came from experience.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(clonks)
SUNWOO: When he
was throwing in the first inning,
he made the hitters feel
what it's like to be overwhelmed.
Even I could feel it.
He was the perfect pitcher
for the Korean Series
which every baseball fan
had been waiting for.
An Woojin's pitches
were absolute perfection.
CASTER 1: SSG Landers' Kim Kwanghyun
and Kiwoom Heroes' An Woojin.
Both started the first inning smoothly
without allowing any hits.
Actually, when I heard
that An Woojin had blisters
in the playoffs,
I thought he wouldn't be able to pitch.
SUNWOO: He had scraped
the tip of his finger.
A pitcher can't possibly
grip balls with that injury.
That's why I assumed
he'd have trouble pitching.
(crowd chanting)
(clonks)
CASTER 1: The breaking ball
is out of the zone.
Han Yooseom advances with a walk.
An Woojin is disappointed.
What kind of a pitch will An Woojin throw?
He pitches a breaking ball.
Choi Joohwan advances
with a walk once again.
Runners on first and second, two outs.
SEYOUNG: He kept using breaking balls
against the hitters that followed.
He allowed a walk with a poor slider,
and he chose to pitch breaking balls.
He threw 31 pitches in the second inning
and out of those pitches,
only ten were fastballs.
A crisis happened,
and he pitched into an RBI.
We were so confused. In the first inning,
he had pitched insanely good fastballs.
But he suddenly started pitching
breaking balls in the second.
Everyone began to focus on that fact.
"What is going on?"
(confused exhale)
CASTER 2: Why is he
throwing so many curves?
CASTER 1: Is it because
his hands are in pain?
(pensive hum)
I looked at my hand in the second,
and it was bleeding.
WOOJIN: Although you could barely see it,
it was about to burst with blood.
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 1 SSG
(crowd cheering, whistling)
CASTER 1: Choi Jeong
enters the box at two outs.
(clacks)
It's a foul.
The third pitch is a curve.
Choi Jeong doesn't get baited.
CASTER 2: During the postseason,
-An Woojin had trouble with his fingers.
-CASTER 1: Right.
CASTER 2: Ever since then,
he had begun to pitch more breaking balls.
WOOJIN: I took the mound
and held the ball,
but it was so slippery,
so my stance was unstable.
Think about the pitch clock.
You have 12 seconds.
WOOJIN: It was my first time getting
a warning for exceeding 12 seconds.
12-SECOND RULE: IF A PITCH ISN'T THROWN
WITHIN 12 SECONDS, A WARNING IS GIVEN
CASTER 1: He must throw within 12 seconds.
An Woojin just received a warning.
(crowd chanting)
The sixth pitch is a fastball!
It flies to the right! It's a home run!
Choi Jeong!
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 2 SSG
WOOJIN: I kept wiping
my hands on my pants,
gripped it properly, and threw it again.
I gave that a try
so that it wouldn't be slippery.
(phone clanks, rings)
KIWOOM HEROES BULLPEN
COACH: Hello?
Okay.
Let's warm up.
PLAYER: Me? Already?
COACH: You have to play today.
Hurry up and get ready.
CASTER 1: No wonder.
No wonder he was throwing
so many curves instead of fastballs.
I had no idea.
This is quite heartbreaking.
CASTER 2: In the first inning,
he threw such strong pitches.
He even threw
a 157km/h pitch in the first.
But from the second inning,
he began to pitch more curves.
CASTER 1: If you look at his pants,
you can see bloodstains.
Sir, we have enough time,
so someone can come here
and start warming up.
(phone clanks)
CASTER 1: An Woojin knows
the importance of the Korean Series.
And because SSG's pitcher
was Kim Kwanghyun,
he held the pain in
for as long as he could.
-CASTER 2: He must feel terrible.
-CASTER 1: Eventually, he has no choice
but to leave the mound.
WONKI: Every game, he carried the game
until the sixth or the seventh.
So we had pitchers
prepared for after the sixth.
But because he came down so quickly,
we had to come up with a new plan.
We didn't have a pitcher selected
for an emergency case like this.
I was quite flustered.
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun
allowed no hits and no runs so far.
CASTER 2: That's right.
When I faced them in the postseason,
our games were really back and forth.
We've even lost three games
in a row against them.
KWANGHYUN: I was nervous.
And because their team is so young,
I thought it was important
to prevent them from gaining momentum.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: Two balls in a row.
He hits the third pitch to the right!
It's a hit!
Kim Wheejip advances to third!
Song Sungmun advances to second!
(caster exclaims)
Kim Wheejip goes for home base!
And he's safe!
Song Sungmun advances to third!
TOP OF THE FIFTH
KIWOOM 1 : 2 SSG
Song Sungmun lives up to his reputation
as the man of the autumn here!
They were fully recovered,
they had enough practice,
and they were full of confidence.
But in the first two games,
the players' senses had become dull.
CASTER 1: One and two.
He drops the catch!
The third baserunner comes home!
CASTER 2: When the stage
is big and important,
what determines the winner
and the loser are errors.
Things like walks, home runs,
and how nervous they are.
If you look, these are all ordinary plays.
(crowd cheering)
But they seem so impatient
against such easy hits.
CASTER 1: One and two.
(bat clacks)
He pushes it out.
It lands in front of the center fielder!
The second baserunner comes around
and goes for home.
Kiwoom takes the game back!
KIM KWANGHYUN
In the end, Kim Kwanghyun
comes down from the mound.
Kim Kwanghyun comes down
after throwing 99 pitches.
CHOI JIHOON
WONHYONG: Jihoon. Jihoon. Jihoon.
-Jihoon.
-JIHHON: Yes?
WONHYONG: Don't keep it in.
Forget about it. It's okay.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers had maintained
their lead throughout the game.
But in the top of the sixth,
the Kiwoom Heroes takes the lead.
They must chase to take the lead back now.
(crowd cheering)
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
CASTER 1: It skips off the bat!
The tying run comes home!
The game is even again!
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 4 : 4 SSG
(cheering and clapping)
Kim Sunghyun hits an RBI
that evens out the game!
(crowd chanting)
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
KIWOOM 4 : 4 SSG
The fourth pitch.
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
He hits it toward third! Lagares!
He stops on first.
(crowd chanting)
It goes between first and second!
Lagares goes for third base!
And he slides into third!
He's safe!
(applause)
Oh Taegon is in the box.
(crowd roars)
The first pitch! It goes to the center!
The center fielder catches it.
Lagares makes the run.
He goes for home.
And he comes home.
The SSG Landers takes back the game!
(all cheering)
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 5 SSG
CASTER 1: When you win Game 1,
you have a 76.3% chance
of winning the Korean Series.
The SSG Landers only have three outs left
until they win Game 1.
Jeon Byeongwoo enters the box
as a pinch hitter for Kim Wheejip.
(crowd chanting)
Noh Kyungeun is on the mound.
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
He hits the first pitch to the left!
It goes over the wall!
Jeon Byeongwoo!
(cheering)
A two-run homer takes the game back!
Kiwoom's spirit won't be broken!
(crowd roaring)
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes really knows
how to make people speechless.
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
CASTER 1: They are writing history!
NO. 0, KIM KANGMIN
SSG LANDERS OUTFIELDER
Kyungeun allowed a home run,
which turned the game around.
In my judgment, I thought
if Kyungeun pitched more that day,
he would've definitely allowed
Kiwoom to score more runs.
KANGMIN: It was the perfect timing
to play as a pinch hitter.
I thought that I would prove myself
with the one chance that I got.
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
(crowd chanting)
When I think about Game 1,
it was the kind of game that people
would talk about for years to come.
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
CASTER 1: The fourth pitch.
In the box is Kim Kangmin.
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
Left field!
It goes over the wall!
Kim Kangmin!
(all cheering)
The SSG Landers evens out the game!
KANGMIN: The hitter that was up next
had to hit one to end the game.
Even as I was running home,
that's the only thing I thought about.
I was praying to myself for another run.
Yes, I hate him.
NO. 56, LEE JIYOUNG
KIWOOM HEROES CATCHER
All jokes aside, I love him.
But I hated him in that situation.
I think of Game 1
as the most important game.
I believe that we poured
our everything into that game.
WONHYONG: We had to win the game,
so I even played Morimando.
(crowd whistling, cheering)
-(clacks)
-(crowd roars)
CASTER 1: The ball penetrates
the 5-6 hole! Puig passes third base!
He comes home!
Kiwoom adds another run to the score!
They take back the game!
BOTTOM OF THE TENTH
KIWOOM 7 : 6 SSG
He swings the bat against a breaking ball.
(clonks)
It's inside! He strikes him out looking!
(crowd cheering)
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
It skips off the bat.
He passes it to first.
The game is over.
KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM 7 : 6 SSG
KOREAN SERIES WINS
KIWOOM 1 : 0 SSG
After a long fight over ten innings,
the Kiwoom Heroes takes Game 1
of the Korean Series!
Despite playing after three weeks,
none of our players performed badly.
All our players did well,
as I saw and felt.
Overall, I think pitching too many balls
in the later part of the game was critical
and ultimately led to losing the game.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
FONT (in Spanish): I've been
a professional player for 16 years,
but I've never won a championship.
It'd be the first time in my 16 years.
I don't think words would be able
to describe how I would feel if we won.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: It's a breaking ball.
He strikes him out looking!
JUNGHOO: Our hitters
were weak against Font.
As expected,
he threw great pitches that day.
That's why we missed our swings.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He hits the curveball.
It goes to the left
and the left fielder tracks it!
But it goes over the wall!
The score for the Korean Series
is now one to one.
Now, we will be moving the game
to Gocheok Sky Dome.
WONSEOK: I was told
I may be the starter for Game 3.
He told me to get ready just in case.
So I got ready.
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
A low pitch. Swings and strikes out.
At two strikes.
It's a strikeout!
Puig tracks the ball,
and he jumps and makes the catch!
CASTER 2: The ball was hard to catch.
But he still made it.
He's showing great defense today.
CASTER 1: That's right.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He pops it up!
And it's gone!
With SSG winning Game 3,
they now have an 87.5% chance
to win the Korean Series!
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
KOREAN SERIES GAME 4
CASTER 1: It goes between first
and second! Jeon Byeongwoo!
He goes for third,
and now he's going for home!
And the ball is thrown to home base!
But he's safe!
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes
are terrifying.
SSG
KIWOOM
This game isn't going as planned
for the SSG Landers.
CASTER 1: He swings, but it's a strikeout!
The Kiwoom Heroes even out the score
of the Korean Series once again!
Now, it is hard to tell
who will win the Series!
REPORTER: Please remind us
of the starting pitcher for Game 5,
and the reasoning behind it.
The starting pitcher for Game 5
will be Kim Kwanghyun.
He had a good five-day rest.
So I'm sure he'll be able to play
at his full capacity.
REPORTER: Now that Game 4 is over,
I'm sure the fans are waiting
for news about An Woojin's recovery
and whether you'll be playing him or not.
Any comments?
Although his fingers are recovering,
we will have to watch
the situation for now.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KOREAN SERIES GAME 5
SUNWOO: Going into Game 5
in a level situation?
It's a serious matter.
I'm sure everyone thinks
that the winner of Game 5
will win the Series.
In the end, the Kiwoom Heroes won Game 4,
though it was a difficult game.
So I think they would have the confidence
that they'll win no matter what.
YONGKYU: Hey, Jaehyun,
what game is today's game?
-PLAYER 1: Today?
-PLAYER 2: It's Game 5.
-YONGKYU: Hey, what game is it today?
-Game 5.
-YONGKYU: Junghoo, what's the game today?
-JUNGHOO: Game 5.
You're all wrong. Today is Game 7.
Okay? Play as if you are playing Game 7.
It's Game 7 today.
-We're almost there guys.
-We've come so far.
The game began,
and we only have two innings left.
If we win this,
we will finally achieve our goal.
And naturally, everyone started
asking the question to Kiwoom.
"Who will be playing
as the starter in Game 5?"
No one could've predicted it.
(clonks)
SEYOUNG: Kiwoom played An Woojin.
SSG played Kim Kwanghyun.
Everyone expected him
to come back in Game 6 or 7.
But Hong Wonki chose to play An Woojin,
and it resulted in
a very interesting matchup.
SUNWOO: When Kim Kwanghyun lost Game 1,
no one could dare fathom
how disappointed he was.
That's why Kim Kwanghyun,
who had to pitch Game 5,
probably wanted to give his everything
and play the game of his life
to achieve the goal he had set
when he returned to Korea.
(crowd cheering, whistling)
(clonks)
UMPIRE: Strike!
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun
opens up the game with a strike.
KWANGHYUN: The first thing
I had in mind was winning the Series.
I heard that they needed me
in order for them to win the Series.
I paid the most attention to that aspect.
SEYOUNG: Because he was so disappointed
with his performance in Game 1,
Kim Kwanghyun really
sharpened his sword before the game.
CASTER 1: His fifth pitch.
Was that a swing?
The umpire declares a swing.
(crowd cheering)
(clonks)
Jeon Byeongwoo gets a walk.
But I think
his well-preparedness backfired.
CASTER 2: Lee Junghoo has been hitting
at least one hit a game in this Series.
CASTER 1: That's right.
CASTER 1: He pulls and hits it!
It goes over the right fielder!
He doesn't make the catch!
(crowd erupts)
Lee Junghoo explodes with a hit
in his first appearance!
Runners on second and third!
(inaudible shouting)
The second pitch rolls beside the pitcher!
The ball rolls to the outfield!
The third baserunner comes home!
Lee Junghoo, the second baserunner,
comes home as well!
SUNWOO: Kiwoom's job today
was to get the first run of the game
to bring back the momentum to their side.
Their confidence was sky-high.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 2 : 0 SSG
CASTER 1: Starting pitcher,
An Woojin, takes the mound.
While pitching during Game 1,
his blister burst.
He threw 58 pitches that game.
(crowd chanting, whistling)
The fourth pitch. Swings and strikes out!
CASTER 2: The velocity is 156 km/h!
An Woojin with a very strong pitch.
KANGMIN: They were saying it was
really hard to hit the ball that day.
All the hitters were saying that.
So I thought they would
keep having trouble.
(crowd yelling)
CASTER 1: The fastball hunter.
He swings! Strikeout!
An Woojin sends back the fastball hunter
with a strikeout and a 156km/h fastball.
TOP OF THE FOURTH
KIWOOM 3 : 0 SSG
A curveball.
He strikes him out on his third.
(clonks)
Swing and a strikeout!
(crowd roaring)
We were all wondering
if he could play the game.
But he comes back today
to conquer the mound.
(crowd chanting)
-(bat clacks)
-The fifth pitch goes to the shortstop!
Out on second!
And he's out on first!
It's a double play!
An Woojin forces a double play
and escapes the jam.
(all cheering)
SUNWOO: Not only that,
but An Woojin was pitching so well
that it was affecting
the opponent pitcher,
shaking him up a lot.
It was shocking.
An Woojin forced Kim Kwanghyun
to come down from the mound first.
It was absolutely shocking.
-(crowd chanting)
-(bat clacks)
KIM KWANGHYUN
WONKI: Hey.
Can you check his fingers for me?
UMPIRE: Okay, I'll do it.
Woojin, let me look at your fingers.
Goodness. It must've been rough.
-Okay.
-CASTER 2: He has blisters.
Since he's throwing fastballs
with such high velocity,
Manager Hong Wonki asked the umpire
to check the condition
of An Woojin's hand.
The umpire is now checking
An Woojin's index finger and thumb.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 4 : 0 SSG
CASTER 1: He pops up the curveball.
It flies really high,
but it doesn't go deep.
Shortstop Sin Junwoo makes the catch
to finish the inning.
An Woojin threw exactly 100 pitches.
(crowd cheering)
Three runners left on bases.
The SSG Landers fail to overcome
An Woojin even in the sixth.
CASTER 3: Kim Kwanghyun
must be very disappointed
about the early innings today.
SEYOUNG: No one expected
a blistered pitcher to pitch that well.
SSG? Wow...
I'm sure they felt very anxious.
And then we finally got
to the latter part of the game.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
He swings at the high pitch!
It's a strikeout!
(crowd cheering)
SEYOUNG: They were ahead by four.
I'm sure everyone at the SSG Landers
began to worry about
whether they could win the game or not.
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
CASTER 2: The shortstop fields the ball,
but he drops it!
He picks it back up, but it's too late!
CASTER 3: When it's raining like this,
-balls tend to become faster.
-CASTER 1: Right, in the grass.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: Choi Jeong!
It goes over the left wall!
(crowd cheering)
If the Kiwoom Heroes have Lee Junghoo,
the SSG Landers have Choi Jeong.
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
CASTER 1: He pushes out the curve.
The shortstop fields it
and throws it to first.
It's in the zone!
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
-Let's go!
-Let's do this!
We got this!
CASTER 1: Nothing is set in stone yet.
-(crowd chanting)
-(mitt thuds)
It's an inside pitch, but it's a ball!
He allows a walk!
Park Seonghan was the first hitter,
and he advanced with a walk.
And Choi Joohwan was up next.
(chanting)
CASTER 1: Choi Joohwan
was the last out for Game 4.
He swings at the curveball!
They are checking if it touched the bat.
SEYOUNG: Choi Wontae pitched a curve,
and Choi Joohwan swung at it.
But an instant replay was requested
to check if the ball was a foul ball.
Let's go for an instant replay.
(clamoring)
CASTER 1: Manager Hong Wonki
requests an instant replay.
Let's see.
SEYOUNG: It was hard to say.
If that was a strike,
Kiwoom would have an out.
The game could've
totally shifted to their side.
MAN 1: Look closer.
MAN 2: The call is confirmed.
CASTER 1: The ball is a foul ball.
(crowd cheering)
Park Seonghan is on first with a walk.
You got this!
(crowd cheering)
He pushes the fastball out to the left!
It bounces off the wall!
Park Seonghan advances to third!
Choi Joohwan advances to first!
SEYOUNG: They get runners
on first and third.
And they play a pinch hitter next.
WONHYONG: As was
the case during the season,
I always believed that Kangmin
should play in the crucial moments.
And if I'm being honest,
Kangmin's leg wasn't in a condition
where he could play a full game.
His leg was in a pretty bad state.
So I always thought I should
only play him in crucial moments.
KANGMIN: No matter what,
I had to get at least one run.
In the worst-case scenario,
I could hit a sacrifice fly,
which isn't the most optimal play.
If I was a bit more ambitious,
I could make a hit
and get runners on first and second,
or first and third.
When you hear "Pinch Hitter Kim Kangmin,"
it's terrifying.
WHEEJIP: He's always chewing gum,
and the way he just comes out casually
chewing gum just terrifies us.
KIM KANGMIN
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
CASTER 1: In Game 1 of the Korean Series,
Kim Kangmin hit a home run
that evened out the game.
(crowd chanting, clapping rhythmically)
He's a bit too slow.
The count is zero and two.
KANGMIN: The first pitch
was the best pitch to hit.
But I missed it.
You got this!
FANS: Kim Kangmin!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
(whistling)
I think it's true
that age is but a number.
The old soldiers are still alive!
HOME RUN
(crowd cheering)
(clacks)
(crowd erupts)
CASTER 1: Kim Kangmin's batted ball
travels far into the left
and goes over the wall!
This is what baseball
in the fall is all about!
(loud cheers)
CASTER 2: There are no words to explain.
Kim Kangmin just made
something incredible happen.
-No one expected this to happen.
-CASTER 1: That's right.
You are currently witnessing
the essence of baseball.
KOREAN SERIES WINS
KIWOOM 2 : 3 SSG
(energetic yells)
KANGMIN: I couldn't believe it at first.
After I hit the homer,
I couldn't believe what had just happened.
KANGMIN: Kim Kwanghyun!
-I love you so much! We did it!
-(players cheer)
(whooping)
-Kwanghyun!
-Here comes the ace.
(yells and clapping)
Jeez. I'm so grateful.
Just win it tomorrow too.
-Let's go!
-Let's go!
(all cheering)
I didn't expect him to hit a home run.
I got super emotional.
I had no idea such a thing would happen.
"I wondered if I could live
to watch a play like that again."
I had that thought.
I got goosebumps.
When the pitcher throws the ball
right down the middle, hitters can't miss.
And Kangmin did just that to end the game.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KOREAN SERIES GAME 6
SUNWOO: The Kiwoom Heroes
loses games that they can win
in unfortunate ways.
They lost with a walk-off homer,
so I'm sure the team spirit was down.
After getting hit by two homers,
they gave them the lead
despite having been four runs ahead.
That's hard to even imagine.
I thought of Wontae first.
SUNGMUN: I was worried.
He pitched so well, and without him,
we wouldn't have made it this far
to play baseball in the Korean Series.
It seemed like he was blaming himself,
so we went there to console him.
It was heartbreaking.
SUNWOO: In Game 6,
they played against Font.
I'm sure they expected a difficult game.
COACH: We just need to stick to our game.
Junghoo, you said on Media Day
that we were going to make it to Game 7.
We're going to win today, so don't worry.
Let's trust each other and play.
All right.
Give them a good word.
We were just all worn out.
NO.24 INFIELDER
SONG SUNGMUN
We played games incessantly,
so I'm sure the pitchers were exhausted,
and the fielders
were also facing difficulties.
During that game, it didn't feel like
we had given our everything to win.
Today, we're going to bite
and won't let go.
Let's take this to the end.
Let's go!
(clapping)
KOREAN SERIES GAME 6
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
CASTER 1: We are here today
for Game 6 of the Korean Series
at SSG Landers Field.
The SSG Landers are in the lead,
three games to two.
They're only one game away
from winning the trophy.
If we win, it'll be over.
If they lose, it'll be over.
So they won't give up.
So today's game is our last game.
We have no other games to fall back on.
PUIG (in English): Let's win today
and win tomorrow and bring the cup here.
(in Korean) We'll win two games
and bring the cup to Gocheok.
-PUIG: One, two, three!
-ALL: Let's go!
-KANGMIN: One, two, three!
-ALL: Let's go!
TOP OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(clacks)
CASTER 1: Two strikes.
Im Jiyeol hits the ball to the right,
and it's a hit!
The first hitter advances for Kiwoom.
With Im Jiyeol advancing,
they are on the road to success.
The fourth pitch.
Puig's ball pops up but doesn't go far.
It gets caught in the infield.
One and two.
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
He pushes it out to the center-right.
Puig makes the catch.
Three outs.
TOP OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
Kim Hyeseong! He swings the bat.
It's a hit to the right.
CASTER 2: It seems like
Kiwoom prepared a lot
to outplay Font today.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He pushes
the ball to the right!
This ball!
(all cheering)
-PLAYER 1: It's over the wall.
-PLAYER 2: It has.
CASTER 1: Im Jiyeol's two-run homer!
Im Jiyeol becomes the hero once again.
CASTER 2: Eppler must pitch every ball
like it's the final inning.
CASTER 1: One and two.
He hits the low pitch!
First base trips, but he fields it.
But he fails the throw!
Two runners come home
to even out the score!
The score is now even!
Kiwoom's defense gets penetrated again!
A runner on first with two outs.
Two and two.
Kim Wheejip tracks the low ball.
But he misses it!
Once again, Kiwoom's defense breaks!
CASTER 2: It looks like
he pulled his right hamstring.
CASTER 1: That's right.
SUNWOO: The dream that
you want to achieve the most
as a professional player
is winning the Series.
That's what baseball is about.
It's about sitting in the highest seat.
CASTER 1: I don't think
the number of pitches matters today.
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes need
to make something happen
with Lee Junghoo right now.
CASTER 1: It flies to the right!
And it goes over the wall!
Lee Junghoo's solo home run!
(all cheering)
JUNGHOO: I want to go to Game 7.
TOP OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 3 : 2 SSG
Every moment of the Korean Series,
the reporters were thinking,
"What the heck is happening?
We have no idea which team will win."
We'd never imagined
a Series like this one.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 3 : 2 SSG
CASTER 1: Full count.
It's a brushback. He allows a walk.
CASTER 2: Jokisch hasn't pitched
a single out since he took the mound.
(yells)
CASTER 1: Two and two.
(clacks)
He hits the ball to the center-left!
It's a perfect hit to the center-left!
Two runners come home!
Kim Sunghyun with a perfectly timed RBI!
The SSG Landers turn
the game around once again!
CASTER 2: Like yesterday,
the team's veteran players
are playing their roles well today.
CASTER 1: The second pitch.
(clacks)
Two fielders track the ball!
(casters gasp in awe)
-(clacks)
-(clonks)
He makes the catch!
The SSG Landers are taking
complete control of the infield!
(in English) Let's fucking go!
-Good job.
-Thank you.
Good swing.
Nice job.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH
KIWOOM 3 : 4 SSG
CASTER 1 (in Korean): Strike two.
The third pitch is a strikeout.
Kim Kangmin misses the first pitch.
(clacks)
It's a ground ball. Jokisch fields it.
Jokisch manages to shut out
the seventh inning.
Only one run behind.
CASTER 2: I think we're going
to have to watch the game
until the end today as well.
-Just like yesterday.
-CASTER 1: That's right.
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
It's a strikeout!
Kim Taekhyeong sends Lee Junghoo back!
Will baseball in 2022 end here,
or will there be a Game 7?
Hello? We're going to play Jonghun.
Let's get Puig.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
are leading the game by a single run.
Let's see how this
will turn out against Puig.
This ball travels slowly.
Park Seonghan fields it
and throws it to first!
One out!
(crowd cheering, clapping)
The 2022 Korean Series.
We're now at the climax.
(crowd roaring)
He got Puig out.
CASTER 1:
This is the best part of the game.
Kim Kwanghyun takes the mound
to pitch the final two outs.
(yells)
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun enters the field.
In 2010 and 2018, Kim Kwanghyun
played a key role in achieving victory
with his previous team.
How will he do in 2022?
KWANGHYUN: The day after you pitch
a game, your arms move a bit.
I still have control of my arms.
But the day after that,
I rest my arms because the pain worsens.
My manager has been watching me
ever since I was young.
And he was aware of my routine as well.
So the manager asked me if I could pitch.
And I told him yes.
FANS: Kim Kwanghyun!
Kim Kwanghyun! Kim Kwanghyun!
WONSEOK: When he took the mound,
the team spirit was just...
Honestly, we were only a run ahead.
Despite having such a small lead,
I wasn't nervous at all,
which was very odd.
I was only thinking,
"What do I do if he gets the final out?
Do I go running while spraying water?"
I just didn't know.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
are going for their fourth victory.
They haven't had one in 12 years.
And it'll be their first win
with their new name, the SSG Landers.
The SSG Landers needs one more out.
Lee Jiyoung hits it, but it's a foul.
KIM KWANGHYUN
WONHYONG: Who can overcome the pressure
in the very final moment
of the Korean Series?
That was my thought process.
I knew it was right for Kwanghyun
to take the mound and finish the game.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: Lee Jiyoung is in the box
with two outs and no runners on base.
Kim Kwanghyun chucks the ball,
and Oh Taegon makes the catch!
The game is over!
The king returns!
It took them four years
to get back their throne!
Their first victory as the SSG Landers!
(all cheering)
From the very first day
of the season this year,
the SSG Landers remains a champion today,
the very final day of the season!
They are the SSG Landers!
LEE JUNGHOO
WOOJIN: It was a great experience.
It was fun.
Although we came in second place,
we still have a chance to win,
and we will have something
to strive for desperately.
Playing 15 games in the postseason,
I'm sure our players improved quite a bit.
JUNGHOO: Then naturally,
we will do better next year.
Our team that played this year
will play next year too.
The future is quite optimistic for us.
WONHYONG: Manager Hong Wonki
was waiting for us to congratulate us.
Throughout the season,
he showed great character
as the manager of a team.
Despite the loss,
he was waiting to congratulate me.
It made me feel bad in a way.
He congratulated me.
And I, in return, told him
that throughout the Series,
the Kiwoom Heroes
had been a formidable opponent.
I thanked him.
(breathes deeply)
WONKI: I'm proud of all of you.
We're ending the Series with a loss.
But we came together as a team
and can strive for victory again.
So let's prepare well for next year
-and win the Series, okay?
-ALL: Yes, sir!
WONKI: Chin up, guys.
We won the most games in the postseason.
I'd say we're the real winners.
(all cheering)
(clapping and yelling)
That was amazing.
Where's our manager?
Gosh, this is making me cry
for the first time.
(emotional scream)
Now that it's in the past,
they are all fond memories.
But back then, it was killing me.
I'm crying more because of you, you prick.
KWANGHYUN: The Kiwoom players
fought really well.
That's why I think
this year's Korean Series was so great.
(screams)
(crowd cheering)
2022 KBO LEAGUE KOREAN SERIES CHAMPIONS
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
gets the winning trophy.
They lift the trophy high.
It is the very proof
that they are the best team.
2022 KOREAN SERIES CHAMPIONS
WE DID IT WITH ALL THE FANS!
ONE WEEK LATER
REPORTER 1: The LG Twins,
whose attempt at victory
after 28 years ended in failure,
decided not to renew the contract
with Manager Ryu Jihyun,
whose two-year contract expired.
As for the LG Twins...
MANAGER YOUM KYOUNGYOUB
I believe that our roster
is strong enough to win the Series.
KYOUNGYOUB: If I had to pick our weakness,
-we lack in the details.
-Gosh, this feels weird.
LEE TAEYANG
HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
This feels so weird.
Let's take a picture.
Should I make a pose?
REPORTER 2: If it was a day late,
maybe you wouldn't have joined, right?
My motto is to make the strong
become stronger.
ROH SIHWAN
HANWHA EAGLES INFIELDER
We have a goal we want to achieve
within two years. To achieve that...
Starting today, I hope you can all
erase the names on your back
and play on behalf of the team.
To put it simply, second place
means nothing in professional baseball.
JINMAN: You have to come in first
in order to get the spotlight.
That's the world of the pros.
That's how I'll always think.
REPORTER 3: The Doosan Bears
chose not to renew
with Manager Kim Taehyoung,
whose contract is expiring this year.
KIM JAEHWAN, KIM TAERYONG
We will now the begin
the inauguration ceremony
of the 11th manager of the Doosan Bears,
Manager Lee Seungyoup.
INTERVIEWER: How would you describe
the present with a ball count?
The present?
(sharp exhale)
A ball count?
(chuckles)
That's a hard question.
I'd say I'm at one strike.
I think my count is one and one.
That's how I feel.
I still have five years left.
I think...
I'm at two and two.
I think I'm right before the full count.
I think I'm at two and two.
I think presently,
I'm facing the very first pitch again.
(bat clacks)
CASTER 1: What we just saw there
were nine perfectly-pitched innings!
A SHUTOUT PITCH BY FONT
HE CRUSHES THE OPENING GAME
CASTER 2: The SSG Landers are
on a ten-game winning streak
since the opening game!
TEN-GAME WINNING STREAK FOR SSG LANDERS
ONE WIN AWAY FROM BREAKING THE RECORD
CASTER 3: With the SSG Landers
winning today's game,
they record their 51st win of the season.
A MIRACULOUS VICTORY OF THE SSG LANDERS
LOSING ISN'T IN THEIR DNA
CASTER 4: They get
the first 80th victory of this season.
THE SSG LANDERS SECURE THEIR 80TH WIN
WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN RATE 94.1%
REPORTER: For the first time
in the 40-year history of the KBO League,
the SSG Landers advance
to the Korean Series,
having maintained first place
from the beginning to the end
of the regular season.
With a successful performance
and the fans' love,
they became the best team in the league
in just two years since their founding.
After three weeks of rebuilding,
they will face the winner of the playoffs
in the Korean Series for the trophy.
EP. 10
TO VICTORY
(indistinct muttering)
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
15 DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
-Okay!
-PLAYER 1: That's good.
-Hey!
-PLAYER 2: Come on!
(exclaims, groans)
-Over here!
-(man yelling)
PLAYER 3: Nice, Kyungeun.
COACH: Accuracy over speed.
PLAYER 4: Nice.
-(mitt thuds)
-(all exclaiming, cheering)
(clacks)
JIHWAN: As you know,
a small error can shift the momentum
in the Korean Series.
So let's concentrate
while playing catch as well.
(shouts)
(indistinct chatter)
You can save two days
if you don't do batting practice today.
So why are you training today?
-Because I'm resting tomorrow.
-Huh?
-I'm resting tomorrow.
-Okay. Make sure you do.
-I rested a lot.
-That's okay.
You can start with the next part.
The Korean Series favors
the regular season winner.
After the regular season,
the winners get a three-week rest.
SEYOUNG: The SSG Landers wanted
to secure their three-week rest,
so they did everything they could
to stay at the top.
The SSG Landers used
their vacation quite wisely.
They were devoted
to recharging the players.
COACH: Two.
Good. Three.
KANGMIN: I think
I'm stiff because of this.
COACH (chuckles): That should be enough.
How is it now?
KIM KANGMIN
SSG LANDERS OUTFIELDER
Kangmin was initially
in the starting lineup.
But because of his age,
and also because Jihoon improved so much...
TAEGON: Anyway, he used
to be our key player.
SUNKYU: I think in baseball,
there are unseen factors that are in play.
The phrase "generational shift"
holds significance.
And when the shift happens,
I believe the veteran player
has a role to play.
And our team's veterans
are playing that role very well.
KANGMIN: When Jihoon earned
that nickname when he was a rookie,
he said it was an honor.
He thanked me for it.
But in ten years,
I think I'll be the one thanking him.
Jihoon is going to rise higher
than where he is now.
He's that kind of player.
There's no specific date I have in mind.
But when they ask me to retire,
then I'm ready to retire, even now.
KANGMIN: You play baseball
because the team needs you.
For the past few years,
I've been saying if I was asked to retire,
I'd happily retire as a baseball player.
KIM KANGMIN
(loud clack)
COACH: Nice.
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
TEN DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
REPORTER 1:
In Game 5 of the semi-playoffs,
the Kiwoom Heroes
maintained their lead over the KT Wiz
with An Woojin's great pitching
and Song Sungmun's homer.
I was about 70% sure
that the LG Twins was going to advance.
KWANGHYUN: They were nipping at our heels
until the final games of the season.
REPORTER 2: In the playoffs,
the Kiwoom Heroes
won three games in a row
after losing Game 1 to the LG Twins,
advancing to the Korean Series.
Puig led the victory
with two RBIs including a home run.
(crowd roaring)
JUNGHOO: I believe that the postseason
is very different from the regular season.
I want to go against a strong team
and play a good game of baseball.
They are a very young team,
so when they have the momentum,
it's terrifying for the other team.
Honestly, we don't know what they'll do.
They're absolutely unpredictable.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
FIVE DAYS UNTIL THE KOREAN SERIES
Kiwoom advanced?
(sighs)
Don't say that.
(laughter)
I wasn't trying to imply anything.
If LG had advanced,
it would've been similar
to our home games.
Against Kiwoom,
we play offense in the bottom inning.
JEONGJUN:
This is a great advantage for us.
We're going to play until Game 7.
But out of those seven games,
we have the final offense five times.
Keep that in mind and be bold.
-(mitt thuds)
-(groans)
WONKI: I'd like to emphasize this again.
The bigger the game is,
the more rational and calm
you have to be to perform well.
Do not let the result
of the game get to you.
Don't pay attention to it.
Just do what you can.
If you can't do something,
focus on supporting
the other players who can.
We've all worked hard
for a year to get here.
Our youngest players like
Chanhyeok and Myeongjong,
and our on-site staff members.
We all worked hard for this.
Think of this as our last chance.
Let's play the game without any regrets.
-Okay?
-PLAYERS: Yes, sir.
(clapping)
Our final goal?
Well, winning the Series.
Because...
(breathes deeply)
...as a person who has watched
other teams play
at Gocheok Sky Dome through the screen
for the past three years since 2019,
that reality was just ironic.
It was painful to watch
two other teams play at our home stadium.
-I don't take this lightly.
-REPORTER: I see.
There are so many veteran players,
and they talk.
So we must be cautious,
but at the same time, strong.
We were always confident and proud.
If we were to decide the winner
with a single game,
then I think we could lose.
But you have to win four games
to win the Series.
It's four games out of seven.
He's of course a very senior player.
But when we are in uniform
at the stadium, we're all just players.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KBO KOREAN SERIES MEDIA DAY
KOREAN SERIES MEDIA DAY
(indistinct muttering)
You guys are here together.
(gasps)
Hey.
WONHYONG (in English): Nice batting.
(in Korean) Why is it so awkward?
Jeong, is this your 100th media day?
It's my third time.
Junghoo, you worked really hard.
This is my second time.
-What about you, Manager?
-It's my first.
When I was still a player...
Jaewoong is really good.
Was he always so good at defense?
It's amazing watching him defend.
-WONHYONG: He's really good.
-Yes.
CASTER 1: It's another bunt.
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
PLAYOFFS GAME 3
It pops up a bit. He dives for the catch!
And to second base!
It's a double play!
(crowd cheering)
He made the dive
and got up immediately to throw the ball.
He had the ball like this.
I saw him too. He caught the ball
and changed his grip
while throwing the ball.
He's a natural.
It's the best play of the season.
(clears throat)
PUIG
(camera shutters clicking)
WONHYONG: Before we begin,
I'd like to express
my deepest condolences to the victims
and the bereaved who lost their loved ones
due to the accident in Itaewon.
Something that shouldn't
have happened ended up happening.
(breathes deeply)
I believe that words cannot console
the hearts of the bereaved
who lost their family or friends
in the Itaewon crowd crush.
THE KBO EXPRESSED THEIR CONDOLENCES
TO THE VICTIMS OF THE ITAEWON CROWD CRUSH
AND ANNOUNCED TO MINIMIZE CHEERING
TO MOURN THE VICTIMS
We'll now move on to an interview
with Manager Hong Wonki of Kiwoom.
Please tell us how you feel
about advancing to the Korean Series.
All the players on our team
are very exhausted
due to the many games
we played to be here.
However, as we have endured
throughout the year,
we want this time to be meaningful.
We will try our best to win
the Korean Series
with all our fans' support
and our players' great energy,
so that we can continue
this meaningful challenge.
Continuing our good flow
from the regular season,
we will win the Korean Series
to satisfy our fans.
On our team, we have players
with a lot of experience
who have been on big stages.
I think our players can
keep themselves composed even in a jam.
Because our roster is so young,
we can make fearless plays to adjust
ourselves to different situations.
I'll prove how important experience is.
I'd like to make the Series
as long as possible,
so I want to play until Game 7.
HOST: I see. He mentioned Game 7.
Though brief, I thought,
"We can't take this to Game 7."
HOST: SSG Landers' Manager Kim Wonhyong,
please announce
your starting pitcher for Game 1.
As everyone expects, Kim Kwanghyun
will be the starter for Game 1 tomorrow.
In the regular season,
I only made one hit in over 20 appearances
against Kim Kwanghyun.
He's on another level.
Our starter for Game 1 is An Woojin.
I think he's one of the pitchers
that represents our country.
When you're in the box,
he's a difficult pitcher to face.
REPORTER: The SSG Landers, who are aiming
to complete their wire-to-wire win,
and the Kiwoom Heroes,
who are striving for their first victory,
will meet tomorrow,
November 1st, 6:30 p.m.,
at Incheon SSG Landers Field
for Game 1 of the Korean Series.
THE DAY OF THE KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
Game 1 is crucial.
Teams that won the first game
won the Series 70% of the time.
The SSG Landers will be victorious,
so don't try to take away their spot.
They say Choi Jeong is quite the hitter,
so he'll score about two runs.
So my guess is Kiwoom will win,
nine to two.
Once a winner, you're always a winner.
I think the SSG Landers will stay on top.
So watch out, Kiwoom.
I'm proud of all of you.
Good luck, Kiwoom!
-Good luck, Landers!
-Good luck, Landers!
KIM HYERIN, KIM HYESEUL
SSG LANDERS FANS
CASTER 1: The media had their eyes
on whether the two players
-would go against each other.
-CASTER 2: That's right.
CASTER 1: The best right-handed pitcher
and the best southpaw are meeting today.
CASTER 2: That's right.
Game 1 of the Korean Series will be a game
that'll decide which pitcher
is the best in the KBO this season.
CASTER 1: Today's game might be
the most important game of the Series.
KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
TOP OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(crowd chanting, rhythmic clapping)
-(whistles blowing)
-(clonks)
CASTER 1: Kim Junwan,
the leadoff hitter, advances to first.
Kim Kwanghyun lets him walk to first.
CASTER 2: The MVP of the playoffs.
CASTER 1: He has a good track record
against Kim Kwanghyun as well.
The second pitch breaks.
The left fielder tracks the ball.
And he makes the catch.
Whenever I face Kim Kwanghyun,
I think I have to improve as a hitter.
What Kim Kwanghyun had was experience.
Of course, he was overwhelming
in terms of his power.
SUNWOO: But more importantly,
he used different types of pitches,
like he showed
during the latter part of the season.
With that, he took away
the hitters' timing.
That all came from experience.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(clonks)
SUNWOO: When he
was throwing in the first inning,
he made the hitters feel
what it's like to be overwhelmed.
Even I could feel it.
He was the perfect pitcher
for the Korean Series
which every baseball fan
had been waiting for.
An Woojin's pitches
were absolute perfection.
CASTER 1: SSG Landers' Kim Kwanghyun
and Kiwoom Heroes' An Woojin.
Both started the first inning smoothly
without allowing any hits.
Actually, when I heard
that An Woojin had blisters
in the playoffs,
I thought he wouldn't be able to pitch.
SUNWOO: He had scraped
the tip of his finger.
A pitcher can't possibly
grip balls with that injury.
That's why I assumed
he'd have trouble pitching.
(crowd chanting)
(clonks)
CASTER 1: The breaking ball
is out of the zone.
Han Yooseom advances with a walk.
An Woojin is disappointed.
What kind of a pitch will An Woojin throw?
He pitches a breaking ball.
Choi Joohwan advances
with a walk once again.
Runners on first and second, two outs.
SEYOUNG: He kept using breaking balls
against the hitters that followed.
He allowed a walk with a poor slider,
and he chose to pitch breaking balls.
He threw 31 pitches in the second inning
and out of those pitches,
only ten were fastballs.
A crisis happened,
and he pitched into an RBI.
We were so confused. In the first inning,
he had pitched insanely good fastballs.
But he suddenly started pitching
breaking balls in the second.
Everyone began to focus on that fact.
"What is going on?"
(confused exhale)
CASTER 2: Why is he
throwing so many curves?
CASTER 1: Is it because
his hands are in pain?
(pensive hum)
I looked at my hand in the second,
and it was bleeding.
WOOJIN: Although you could barely see it,
it was about to burst with blood.
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 1 SSG
(crowd cheering, whistling)
CASTER 1: Choi Jeong
enters the box at two outs.
(clacks)
It's a foul.
The third pitch is a curve.
Choi Jeong doesn't get baited.
CASTER 2: During the postseason,
-An Woojin had trouble with his fingers.
-CASTER 1: Right.
CASTER 2: Ever since then,
he had begun to pitch more breaking balls.
WOOJIN: I took the mound
and held the ball,
but it was so slippery,
so my stance was unstable.
Think about the pitch clock.
You have 12 seconds.
WOOJIN: It was my first time getting
a warning for exceeding 12 seconds.
12-SECOND RULE: IF A PITCH ISN'T THROWN
WITHIN 12 SECONDS, A WARNING IS GIVEN
CASTER 1: He must throw within 12 seconds.
An Woojin just received a warning.
(crowd chanting)
The sixth pitch is a fastball!
It flies to the right! It's a home run!
Choi Jeong!
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 2 SSG
WOOJIN: I kept wiping
my hands on my pants,
gripped it properly, and threw it again.
I gave that a try
so that it wouldn't be slippery.
(phone clanks, rings)
KIWOOM HEROES BULLPEN
COACH: Hello?
Okay.
Let's warm up.
PLAYER: Me? Already?
COACH: You have to play today.
Hurry up and get ready.
CASTER 1: No wonder.
No wonder he was throwing
so many curves instead of fastballs.
I had no idea.
This is quite heartbreaking.
CASTER 2: In the first inning,
he threw such strong pitches.
He even threw
a 157km/h pitch in the first.
But from the second inning,
he began to pitch more curves.
CASTER 1: If you look at his pants,
you can see bloodstains.
Sir, we have enough time,
so someone can come here
and start warming up.
(phone clanks)
CASTER 1: An Woojin knows
the importance of the Korean Series.
And because SSG's pitcher
was Kim Kwanghyun,
he held the pain in
for as long as he could.
-CASTER 2: He must feel terrible.
-CASTER 1: Eventually, he has no choice
but to leave the mound.
WONKI: Every game, he carried the game
until the sixth or the seventh.
So we had pitchers
prepared for after the sixth.
But because he came down so quickly,
we had to come up with a new plan.
We didn't have a pitcher selected
for an emergency case like this.
I was quite flustered.
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun
allowed no hits and no runs so far.
CASTER 2: That's right.
When I faced them in the postseason,
our games were really back and forth.
We've even lost three games
in a row against them.
KWANGHYUN: I was nervous.
And because their team is so young,
I thought it was important
to prevent them from gaining momentum.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: Two balls in a row.
He hits the third pitch to the right!
It's a hit!
Kim Wheejip advances to third!
Song Sungmun advances to second!
(caster exclaims)
Kim Wheejip goes for home base!
And he's safe!
Song Sungmun advances to third!
TOP OF THE FIFTH
KIWOOM 1 : 2 SSG
Song Sungmun lives up to his reputation
as the man of the autumn here!
They were fully recovered,
they had enough practice,
and they were full of confidence.
But in the first two games,
the players' senses had become dull.
CASTER 1: One and two.
He drops the catch!
The third baserunner comes home!
CASTER 2: When the stage
is big and important,
what determines the winner
and the loser are errors.
Things like walks, home runs,
and how nervous they are.
If you look, these are all ordinary plays.
(crowd cheering)
But they seem so impatient
against such easy hits.
CASTER 1: One and two.
(bat clacks)
He pushes it out.
It lands in front of the center fielder!
The second baserunner comes around
and goes for home.
Kiwoom takes the game back!
KIM KWANGHYUN
In the end, Kim Kwanghyun
comes down from the mound.
Kim Kwanghyun comes down
after throwing 99 pitches.
CHOI JIHOON
WONHYONG: Jihoon. Jihoon. Jihoon.
-Jihoon.
-JIHHON: Yes?
WONHYONG: Don't keep it in.
Forget about it. It's okay.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers had maintained
their lead throughout the game.
But in the top of the sixth,
the Kiwoom Heroes takes the lead.
They must chase to take the lead back now.
(crowd cheering)
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
CASTER 1: It skips off the bat!
The tying run comes home!
The game is even again!
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 4 : 4 SSG
(cheering and clapping)
Kim Sunghyun hits an RBI
that evens out the game!
(crowd chanting)
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
KIWOOM 4 : 4 SSG
The fourth pitch.
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
He hits it toward third! Lagares!
He stops on first.
(crowd chanting)
It goes between first and second!
Lagares goes for third base!
And he slides into third!
He's safe!
(applause)
Oh Taegon is in the box.
(crowd roars)
The first pitch! It goes to the center!
The center fielder catches it.
Lagares makes the run.
He goes for home.
And he comes home.
The SSG Landers takes back the game!
(all cheering)
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 5 SSG
CASTER 1: When you win Game 1,
you have a 76.3% chance
of winning the Korean Series.
The SSG Landers only have three outs left
until they win Game 1.
Jeon Byeongwoo enters the box
as a pinch hitter for Kim Wheejip.
(crowd chanting)
Noh Kyungeun is on the mound.
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
He hits the first pitch to the left!
It goes over the wall!
Jeon Byeongwoo!
(cheering)
A two-run homer takes the game back!
Kiwoom's spirit won't be broken!
(crowd roaring)
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes really knows
how to make people speechless.
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
CASTER 1: They are writing history!
NO. 0, KIM KANGMIN
SSG LANDERS OUTFIELDER
Kyungeun allowed a home run,
which turned the game around.
In my judgment, I thought
if Kyungeun pitched more that day,
he would've definitely allowed
Kiwoom to score more runs.
KANGMIN: It was the perfect timing
to play as a pinch hitter.
I thought that I would prove myself
with the one chance that I got.
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
(crowd chanting)
When I think about Game 1,
it was the kind of game that people
would talk about for years to come.
KIWOOM 6 : 5 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
CASTER 1: The fourth pitch.
In the box is Kim Kangmin.
-(clacks)
-(crowd erupts)
Left field!
It goes over the wall!
Kim Kangmin!
(all cheering)
The SSG Landers evens out the game!
KANGMIN: The hitter that was up next
had to hit one to end the game.
Even as I was running home,
that's the only thing I thought about.
I was praying to myself for another run.
Yes, I hate him.
NO. 56, LEE JIYOUNG
KIWOOM HEROES CATCHER
All jokes aside, I love him.
But I hated him in that situation.
I think of Game 1
as the most important game.
I believe that we poured
our everything into that game.
WONHYONG: We had to win the game,
so I even played Morimando.
(crowd whistling, cheering)
-(clacks)
-(crowd roars)
CASTER 1: The ball penetrates
the 5-6 hole! Puig passes third base!
He comes home!
Kiwoom adds another run to the score!
They take back the game!
BOTTOM OF THE TENTH
KIWOOM 7 : 6 SSG
He swings the bat against a breaking ball.
(clonks)
It's inside! He strikes him out looking!
(crowd cheering)
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
It skips off the bat.
He passes it to first.
The game is over.
KOREAN SERIES GAME 1
KIWOOM 7 : 6 SSG
KOREAN SERIES WINS
KIWOOM 1 : 0 SSG
After a long fight over ten innings,
the Kiwoom Heroes takes Game 1
of the Korean Series!
Despite playing after three weeks,
none of our players performed badly.
All our players did well,
as I saw and felt.
Overall, I think pitching too many balls
in the later part of the game was critical
and ultimately led to losing the game.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
FONT (in Spanish): I've been
a professional player for 16 years,
but I've never won a championship.
It'd be the first time in my 16 years.
I don't think words would be able
to describe how I would feel if we won.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: It's a breaking ball.
He strikes him out looking!
JUNGHOO: Our hitters
were weak against Font.
As expected,
he threw great pitches that day.
That's why we missed our swings.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He hits the curveball.
It goes to the left
and the left fielder tracks it!
But it goes over the wall!
The score for the Korean Series
is now one to one.
Now, we will be moving the game
to Gocheok Sky Dome.
WONSEOK: I was told
I may be the starter for Game 3.
He told me to get ready just in case.
So I got ready.
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
A low pitch. Swings and strikes out.
At two strikes.
It's a strikeout!
Puig tracks the ball,
and he jumps and makes the catch!
CASTER 2: The ball was hard to catch.
But he still made it.
He's showing great defense today.
CASTER 1: That's right.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He pops it up!
And it's gone!
With SSG winning Game 3,
they now have an 87.5% chance
to win the Korean Series!
GOCHEOK SKY DOME
KOREAN SERIES GAME 4
CASTER 1: It goes between first
and second! Jeon Byeongwoo!
He goes for third,
and now he's going for home!
And the ball is thrown to home base!
But he's safe!
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes
are terrifying.
SSG
KIWOOM
This game isn't going as planned
for the SSG Landers.
CASTER 1: He swings, but it's a strikeout!
The Kiwoom Heroes even out the score
of the Korean Series once again!
Now, it is hard to tell
who will win the Series!
REPORTER: Please remind us
of the starting pitcher for Game 5,
and the reasoning behind it.
The starting pitcher for Game 5
will be Kim Kwanghyun.
He had a good five-day rest.
So I'm sure he'll be able to play
at his full capacity.
REPORTER: Now that Game 4 is over,
I'm sure the fans are waiting
for news about An Woojin's recovery
and whether you'll be playing him or not.
Any comments?
Although his fingers are recovering,
we will have to watch
the situation for now.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KOREAN SERIES GAME 5
SUNWOO: Going into Game 5
in a level situation?
It's a serious matter.
I'm sure everyone thinks
that the winner of Game 5
will win the Series.
In the end, the Kiwoom Heroes won Game 4,
though it was a difficult game.
So I think they would have the confidence
that they'll win no matter what.
YONGKYU: Hey, Jaehyun,
what game is today's game?
-PLAYER 1: Today?
-PLAYER 2: It's Game 5.
-YONGKYU: Hey, what game is it today?
-Game 5.
-YONGKYU: Junghoo, what's the game today?
-JUNGHOO: Game 5.
You're all wrong. Today is Game 7.
Okay? Play as if you are playing Game 7.
It's Game 7 today.
-We're almost there guys.
-We've come so far.
The game began,
and we only have two innings left.
If we win this,
we will finally achieve our goal.
And naturally, everyone started
asking the question to Kiwoom.
"Who will be playing
as the starter in Game 5?"
No one could've predicted it.
(clonks)
SEYOUNG: Kiwoom played An Woojin.
SSG played Kim Kwanghyun.
Everyone expected him
to come back in Game 6 or 7.
But Hong Wonki chose to play An Woojin,
and it resulted in
a very interesting matchup.
SUNWOO: When Kim Kwanghyun lost Game 1,
no one could dare fathom
how disappointed he was.
That's why Kim Kwanghyun,
who had to pitch Game 5,
probably wanted to give his everything
and play the game of his life
to achieve the goal he had set
when he returned to Korea.
(crowd cheering, whistling)
(clonks)
UMPIRE: Strike!
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun
opens up the game with a strike.
KWANGHYUN: The first thing
I had in mind was winning the Series.
I heard that they needed me
in order for them to win the Series.
I paid the most attention to that aspect.
SEYOUNG: Because he was so disappointed
with his performance in Game 1,
Kim Kwanghyun really
sharpened his sword before the game.
CASTER 1: His fifth pitch.
Was that a swing?
The umpire declares a swing.
(crowd cheering)
(clonks)
Jeon Byeongwoo gets a walk.
But I think
his well-preparedness backfired.
CASTER 2: Lee Junghoo has been hitting
at least one hit a game in this Series.
CASTER 1: That's right.
CASTER 1: He pulls and hits it!
It goes over the right fielder!
He doesn't make the catch!
(crowd erupts)
Lee Junghoo explodes with a hit
in his first appearance!
Runners on second and third!
(inaudible shouting)
The second pitch rolls beside the pitcher!
The ball rolls to the outfield!
The third baserunner comes home!
Lee Junghoo, the second baserunner,
comes home as well!
SUNWOO: Kiwoom's job today
was to get the first run of the game
to bring back the momentum to their side.
Their confidence was sky-high.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 2 : 0 SSG
CASTER 1: Starting pitcher,
An Woojin, takes the mound.
While pitching during Game 1,
his blister burst.
He threw 58 pitches that game.
(crowd chanting, whistling)
The fourth pitch. Swings and strikes out!
CASTER 2: The velocity is 156 km/h!
An Woojin with a very strong pitch.
KANGMIN: They were saying it was
really hard to hit the ball that day.
All the hitters were saying that.
So I thought they would
keep having trouble.
(crowd yelling)
CASTER 1: The fastball hunter.
He swings! Strikeout!
An Woojin sends back the fastball hunter
with a strikeout and a 156km/h fastball.
TOP OF THE FOURTH
KIWOOM 3 : 0 SSG
A curveball.
He strikes him out on his third.
(clonks)
Swing and a strikeout!
(crowd roaring)
We were all wondering
if he could play the game.
But he comes back today
to conquer the mound.
(crowd chanting)
-(bat clacks)
-The fifth pitch goes to the shortstop!
Out on second!
And he's out on first!
It's a double play!
An Woojin forces a double play
and escapes the jam.
(all cheering)
SUNWOO: Not only that,
but An Woojin was pitching so well
that it was affecting
the opponent pitcher,
shaking him up a lot.
It was shocking.
An Woojin forced Kim Kwanghyun
to come down from the mound first.
It was absolutely shocking.
-(crowd chanting)
-(bat clacks)
KIM KWANGHYUN
WONKI: Hey.
Can you check his fingers for me?
UMPIRE: Okay, I'll do it.
Woojin, let me look at your fingers.
Goodness. It must've been rough.
-Okay.
-CASTER 2: He has blisters.
Since he's throwing fastballs
with such high velocity,
Manager Hong Wonki asked the umpire
to check the condition
of An Woojin's hand.
The umpire is now checking
An Woojin's index finger and thumb.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 4 : 0 SSG
CASTER 1: He pops up the curveball.
It flies really high,
but it doesn't go deep.
Shortstop Sin Junwoo makes the catch
to finish the inning.
An Woojin threw exactly 100 pitches.
(crowd cheering)
Three runners left on bases.
The SSG Landers fail to overcome
An Woojin even in the sixth.
CASTER 3: Kim Kwanghyun
must be very disappointed
about the early innings today.
SEYOUNG: No one expected
a blistered pitcher to pitch that well.
SSG? Wow...
I'm sure they felt very anxious.
And then we finally got
to the latter part of the game.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
He swings at the high pitch!
It's a strikeout!
(crowd cheering)
SEYOUNG: They were ahead by four.
I'm sure everyone at the SSG Landers
began to worry about
whether they could win the game or not.
-(crowd chanting)
-(clacks)
CASTER 2: The shortstop fields the ball,
but he drops it!
He picks it back up, but it's too late!
CASTER 3: When it's raining like this,
-balls tend to become faster.
-CASTER 1: Right, in the grass.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: Choi Jeong!
It goes over the left wall!
(crowd cheering)
If the Kiwoom Heroes have Lee Junghoo,
the SSG Landers have Choi Jeong.
TOP OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
CASTER 1: He pushes out the curve.
The shortstop fields it
and throws it to first.
It's in the zone!
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
-Let's go!
-Let's do this!
We got this!
CASTER 1: Nothing is set in stone yet.
-(crowd chanting)
-(mitt thuds)
It's an inside pitch, but it's a ball!
He allows a walk!
Park Seonghan was the first hitter,
and he advanced with a walk.
And Choi Joohwan was up next.
(chanting)
CASTER 1: Choi Joohwan
was the last out for Game 4.
He swings at the curveball!
They are checking if it touched the bat.
SEYOUNG: Choi Wontae pitched a curve,
and Choi Joohwan swung at it.
But an instant replay was requested
to check if the ball was a foul ball.
Let's go for an instant replay.
(clamoring)
CASTER 1: Manager Hong Wonki
requests an instant replay.
Let's see.
SEYOUNG: It was hard to say.
If that was a strike,
Kiwoom would have an out.
The game could've
totally shifted to their side.
MAN 1: Look closer.
MAN 2: The call is confirmed.
CASTER 1: The ball is a foul ball.
(crowd cheering)
Park Seonghan is on first with a walk.
You got this!
(crowd cheering)
He pushes the fastball out to the left!
It bounces off the wall!
Park Seonghan advances to third!
Choi Joohwan advances to first!
SEYOUNG: They get runners
on first and third.
And they play a pinch hitter next.
WONHYONG: As was
the case during the season,
I always believed that Kangmin
should play in the crucial moments.
And if I'm being honest,
Kangmin's leg wasn't in a condition
where he could play a full game.
His leg was in a pretty bad state.
So I always thought I should
only play him in crucial moments.
KANGMIN: No matter what,
I had to get at least one run.
In the worst-case scenario,
I could hit a sacrifice fly,
which isn't the most optimal play.
If I was a bit more ambitious,
I could make a hit
and get runners on first and second,
or first and third.
When you hear "Pinch Hitter Kim Kangmin,"
it's terrifying.
WHEEJIP: He's always chewing gum,
and the way he just comes out casually
chewing gum just terrifies us.
KIM KANGMIN
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
KIWOOM 4 : 2 SSG
PINCH HITTER: KIM KANGMIN
CASTER 1: In Game 1 of the Korean Series,
Kim Kangmin hit a home run
that evened out the game.
(crowd chanting, clapping rhythmically)
He's a bit too slow.
The count is zero and two.
KANGMIN: The first pitch
was the best pitch to hit.
But I missed it.
You got this!
FANS: Kim Kangmin!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
-Kim Kangmin, home run!
(whistling)
I think it's true
that age is but a number.
The old soldiers are still alive!
HOME RUN
(crowd cheering)
(clacks)
(crowd erupts)
CASTER 1: Kim Kangmin's batted ball
travels far into the left
and goes over the wall!
This is what baseball
in the fall is all about!
(loud cheers)
CASTER 2: There are no words to explain.
Kim Kangmin just made
something incredible happen.
-No one expected this to happen.
-CASTER 1: That's right.
You are currently witnessing
the essence of baseball.
KOREAN SERIES WINS
KIWOOM 2 : 3 SSG
(energetic yells)
KANGMIN: I couldn't believe it at first.
After I hit the homer,
I couldn't believe what had just happened.
KANGMIN: Kim Kwanghyun!
-I love you so much! We did it!
-(players cheer)
(whooping)
-Kwanghyun!
-Here comes the ace.
(yells and clapping)
Jeez. I'm so grateful.
Just win it tomorrow too.
-Let's go!
-Let's go!
(all cheering)
I didn't expect him to hit a home run.
I got super emotional.
I had no idea such a thing would happen.
"I wondered if I could live
to watch a play like that again."
I had that thought.
I got goosebumps.
When the pitcher throws the ball
right down the middle, hitters can't miss.
And Kangmin did just that to end the game.
INCHEON SSG LANDERS FIELD
KOREAN SERIES GAME 6
SUNWOO: The Kiwoom Heroes
loses games that they can win
in unfortunate ways.
They lost with a walk-off homer,
so I'm sure the team spirit was down.
After getting hit by two homers,
they gave them the lead
despite having been four runs ahead.
That's hard to even imagine.
I thought of Wontae first.
SUNGMUN: I was worried.
He pitched so well, and without him,
we wouldn't have made it this far
to play baseball in the Korean Series.
It seemed like he was blaming himself,
so we went there to console him.
It was heartbreaking.
SUNWOO: In Game 6,
they played against Font.
I'm sure they expected a difficult game.
COACH: We just need to stick to our game.
Junghoo, you said on Media Day
that we were going to make it to Game 7.
We're going to win today, so don't worry.
Let's trust each other and play.
All right.
Give them a good word.
We were just all worn out.
NO.24 INFIELDER
SONG SUNGMUN
We played games incessantly,
so I'm sure the pitchers were exhausted,
and the fielders
were also facing difficulties.
During that game, it didn't feel like
we had given our everything to win.
Today, we're going to bite
and won't let go.
Let's take this to the end.
Let's go!
(clapping)
KOREAN SERIES GAME 6
KIWOOM HEROES VS SSG LANDERS
CASTER 1: We are here today
for Game 6 of the Korean Series
at SSG Landers Field.
The SSG Landers are in the lead,
three games to two.
They're only one game away
from winning the trophy.
If we win, it'll be over.
If they lose, it'll be over.
So they won't give up.
So today's game is our last game.
We have no other games to fall back on.
PUIG (in English): Let's win today
and win tomorrow and bring the cup here.
(in Korean) We'll win two games
and bring the cup to Gocheok.
-PUIG: One, two, three!
-ALL: Let's go!
-KANGMIN: One, two, three!
-ALL: Let's go!
TOP OF THE FIRST
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
(clacks)
CASTER 1: Two strikes.
Im Jiyeol hits the ball to the right,
and it's a hit!
The first hitter advances for Kiwoom.
With Im Jiyeol advancing,
they are on the road to success.
The fourth pitch.
Puig's ball pops up but doesn't go far.
It gets caught in the infield.
One and two.
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
He pushes it out to the center-right.
Puig makes the catch.
Three outs.
TOP OF THE THIRD
KIWOOM 0 : 0 SSG
Kim Hyeseong! He swings the bat.
It's a hit to the right.
CASTER 2: It seems like
Kiwoom prepared a lot
to outplay Font today.
(clacks)
CASTER 1: He pushes
the ball to the right!
This ball!
(all cheering)
-PLAYER 1: It's over the wall.
-PLAYER 2: It has.
CASTER 1: Im Jiyeol's two-run homer!
Im Jiyeol becomes the hero once again.
CASTER 2: Eppler must pitch every ball
like it's the final inning.
CASTER 1: One and two.
He hits the low pitch!
First base trips, but he fields it.
But he fails the throw!
Two runners come home
to even out the score!
The score is now even!
Kiwoom's defense gets penetrated again!
A runner on first with two outs.
Two and two.
Kim Wheejip tracks the low ball.
But he misses it!
Once again, Kiwoom's defense breaks!
CASTER 2: It looks like
he pulled his right hamstring.
CASTER 1: That's right.
SUNWOO: The dream that
you want to achieve the most
as a professional player
is winning the Series.
That's what baseball is about.
It's about sitting in the highest seat.
CASTER 1: I don't think
the number of pitches matters today.
CASTER 2: The Kiwoom Heroes need
to make something happen
with Lee Junghoo right now.
CASTER 1: It flies to the right!
And it goes over the wall!
Lee Junghoo's solo home run!
(all cheering)
JUNGHOO: I want to go to Game 7.
TOP OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 3 : 2 SSG
Every moment of the Korean Series,
the reporters were thinking,
"What the heck is happening?
We have no idea which team will win."
We'd never imagined
a Series like this one.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
KIWOOM 3 : 2 SSG
CASTER 1: Full count.
It's a brushback. He allows a walk.
CASTER 2: Jokisch hasn't pitched
a single out since he took the mound.
(yells)
CASTER 1: Two and two.
(clacks)
He hits the ball to the center-left!
It's a perfect hit to the center-left!
Two runners come home!
Kim Sunghyun with a perfectly timed RBI!
The SSG Landers turn
the game around once again!
CASTER 2: Like yesterday,
the team's veteran players
are playing their roles well today.
CASTER 1: The second pitch.
(clacks)
Two fielders track the ball!
(casters gasp in awe)
-(clacks)
-(clonks)
He makes the catch!
The SSG Landers are taking
complete control of the infield!
(in English) Let's fucking go!
-Good job.
-Thank you.
Good swing.
Nice job.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH
KIWOOM 3 : 4 SSG
CASTER 1 (in Korean): Strike two.
The third pitch is a strikeout.
Kim Kangmin misses the first pitch.
(clacks)
It's a ground ball. Jokisch fields it.
Jokisch manages to shut out
the seventh inning.
Only one run behind.
CASTER 2: I think we're going
to have to watch the game
until the end today as well.
-Just like yesterday.
-CASTER 1: That's right.
CASTER 1: The count is one and two.
It's a strikeout!
Kim Taekhyeong sends Lee Junghoo back!
Will baseball in 2022 end here,
or will there be a Game 7?
Hello? We're going to play Jonghun.
Let's get Puig.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
are leading the game by a single run.
Let's see how this
will turn out against Puig.
This ball travels slowly.
Park Seonghan fields it
and throws it to first!
One out!
(crowd cheering, clapping)
The 2022 Korean Series.
We're now at the climax.
(crowd roaring)
He got Puig out.
CASTER 1:
This is the best part of the game.
Kim Kwanghyun takes the mound
to pitch the final two outs.
(yells)
CASTER 1: Kim Kwanghyun enters the field.
In 2010 and 2018, Kim Kwanghyun
played a key role in achieving victory
with his previous team.
How will he do in 2022?
KWANGHYUN: The day after you pitch
a game, your arms move a bit.
I still have control of my arms.
But the day after that,
I rest my arms because the pain worsens.
My manager has been watching me
ever since I was young.
And he was aware of my routine as well.
So the manager asked me if I could pitch.
And I told him yes.
FANS: Kim Kwanghyun!
Kim Kwanghyun! Kim Kwanghyun!
WONSEOK: When he took the mound,
the team spirit was just...
Honestly, we were only a run ahead.
Despite having such a small lead,
I wasn't nervous at all,
which was very odd.
I was only thinking,
"What do I do if he gets the final out?
Do I go running while spraying water?"
I just didn't know.
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
are going for their fourth victory.
They haven't had one in 12 years.
And it'll be their first win
with their new name, the SSG Landers.
The SSG Landers needs one more out.
Lee Jiyoung hits it, but it's a foul.
KIM KWANGHYUN
WONHYONG: Who can overcome the pressure
in the very final moment
of the Korean Series?
That was my thought process.
I knew it was right for Kwanghyun
to take the mound and finish the game.
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: Lee Jiyoung is in the box
with two outs and no runners on base.
Kim Kwanghyun chucks the ball,
and Oh Taegon makes the catch!
The game is over!
The king returns!
It took them four years
to get back their throne!
Their first victory as the SSG Landers!
(all cheering)
From the very first day
of the season this year,
the SSG Landers remains a champion today,
the very final day of the season!
They are the SSG Landers!
LEE JUNGHOO
WOOJIN: It was a great experience.
It was fun.
Although we came in second place,
we still have a chance to win,
and we will have something
to strive for desperately.
Playing 15 games in the postseason,
I'm sure our players improved quite a bit.
JUNGHOO: Then naturally,
we will do better next year.
Our team that played this year
will play next year too.
The future is quite optimistic for us.
WONHYONG: Manager Hong Wonki
was waiting for us to congratulate us.
Throughout the season,
he showed great character
as the manager of a team.
Despite the loss,
he was waiting to congratulate me.
It made me feel bad in a way.
He congratulated me.
And I, in return, told him
that throughout the Series,
the Kiwoom Heroes
had been a formidable opponent.
I thanked him.
(breathes deeply)
WONKI: I'm proud of all of you.
We're ending the Series with a loss.
But we came together as a team
and can strive for victory again.
So let's prepare well for next year
-and win the Series, okay?
-ALL: Yes, sir!
WONKI: Chin up, guys.
We won the most games in the postseason.
I'd say we're the real winners.
(all cheering)
(clapping and yelling)
That was amazing.
Where's our manager?
Gosh, this is making me cry
for the first time.
(emotional scream)
Now that it's in the past,
they are all fond memories.
But back then, it was killing me.
I'm crying more because of you, you prick.
KWANGHYUN: The Kiwoom players
fought really well.
That's why I think
this year's Korean Series was so great.
(screams)
(crowd cheering)
2022 KBO LEAGUE KOREAN SERIES CHAMPIONS
(crowd chanting)
CASTER 1: The SSG Landers
gets the winning trophy.
They lift the trophy high.
It is the very proof
that they are the best team.
2022 KOREAN SERIES CHAMPIONS
WE DID IT WITH ALL THE FANS!
ONE WEEK LATER
REPORTER 1: The LG Twins,
whose attempt at victory
after 28 years ended in failure,
decided not to renew the contract
with Manager Ryu Jihyun,
whose two-year contract expired.
As for the LG Twins...
MANAGER YOUM KYOUNGYOUB
I believe that our roster
is strong enough to win the Series.
KYOUNGYOUB: If I had to pick our weakness,
-we lack in the details.
-Gosh, this feels weird.
LEE TAEYANG
HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
This feels so weird.
Let's take a picture.
Should I make a pose?
REPORTER 2: If it was a day late,
maybe you wouldn't have joined, right?
My motto is to make the strong
become stronger.
ROH SIHWAN
HANWHA EAGLES INFIELDER
We have a goal we want to achieve
within two years. To achieve that...
Starting today, I hope you can all
erase the names on your back
and play on behalf of the team.
To put it simply, second place
means nothing in professional baseball.
JINMAN: You have to come in first
in order to get the spotlight.
That's the world of the pros.
That's how I'll always think.
REPORTER 3: The Doosan Bears
chose not to renew
with Manager Kim Taehyoung,
whose contract is expiring this year.
KIM JAEHWAN, KIM TAERYONG
We will now the begin
the inauguration ceremony
of the 11th manager of the Doosan Bears,
Manager Lee Seungyoup.
INTERVIEWER: How would you describe
the present with a ball count?
The present?
(sharp exhale)
A ball count?
(chuckles)
That's a hard question.
I'd say I'm at one strike.
I think my count is one and one.
That's how I feel.
I still have five years left.
I think...
I'm at two and two.
I think I'm right before the full count.
I think I'm at two and two.
I think presently,
I'm facing the very first pitch again.