Full Count (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Open the Awamori Shochu - full transcript

(loud thud)

(upbeat music)

(bat clacks)

2022 PLAYOFFS GAME 2
KIWOOM HEROES VS LG TWINS

LG TWINS WON GAME 1 AGAINST KIWOOM

SANGHOON: Did you have lunch?

INCREASING THEIR ODDS
OF ADVANCING TO THE KOREAN SERIES

The man with two faces.

ON THEIR FIRST HUNT
FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 28 YEARS,

A LEGENDARY PLAYER OF THE LG TWINS
WILL BE COMMENTATING ON GAME 2

HE WAS ON THE TEAM IN 1994...



Did you see the game yesterday?
They were good.

...THE LAST TIME
THE LG TWINS WON THE KOREAN SERIES

CASTER: Pitcher Lee Sanghoon had
the most wins this year.

-COMMENTATOR: That's right.
-CASTER: With 18 wins and 8 losses.

For the LG Twins,
he's definitely the ace of the year.

His greatest strength
lies in his fast pitches.

SANGHOON: Woosuk carries his own now.

You're the closing pitcher
that represents our country.

His pitches are no joke.

Nothing scares you, right?

Looking at you throw, nothing scares you.

WOOSUK: Yes.

SANGHOON: I'm always rooting for you.
(exclaims)

Keep your gloves on.



Good to see you here.

-I have a question, sir.
-SANGHOON: Go ahead.

-(laughs)
-Can my uniform number be...

-SANGHOON: Sure.
-I thought I should ask.

SANGHOON: You can use 47.

I'll do my best as number 47.

SANGHOON: Grow out your hair.

And throw the ball hard with confidence.

Watching them
from a third-person perspective...

For example,
since LG won the game yesterday,

it seemed like
the mood was still the same.

-CASTER: Team spirit seems great.
-SANGHOON: Yes.

It just means
that they are that much stronger.

CASTER: Is there anything similar
to when you won the Series in 1994?

SANGHOON: It's similar in the fact
that they won many games.

(caster laughs)

-SANGHOON: That's a hard feat to achieve.
-That's what's most important.

I hope the LG Twins wins the Series soon.

So that they can bring back

the love, friendship,
and what we shared in the past

to the current generation
and share them again with new people.

There must be changes.

It hurts too much.

If you keep thinking of your past love,

you might end up becoming depressed...

(people chattering and laughing)

...and desperate.

CASTER: With the LG Twins winning Game 1,

the winning team of Game 1

has more than an 80% chance
of advancing to the Korean Series.

If we win today, it'll be 88%.

If we win the day after tomorrow,
it'll be 100%.

CASTER: Next up is Lee Jongdoo,
hitter number five.

Jeong Samheum pitches his third ball.

Strikeout! The game is over.
The LG Twins wins the game!

LG wins four games in a row
to finish up the Series.

AWARD CEREMONY DELAYED
DUE TO UPROAR OF SOME FANS

ANCHOR: In Game 4 of the Korean Series,
which took place in Daegu today,

the LG Twins beat Samsung six to two.

The LG Twins takes the throne this year.

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: In the box is Kim Sunggap.

1994 KOREAN SERIES
LG TWINS VS PACIFIC DOLPHINS

The first pitch.

-The pitcher catches it to end the game.
-(crowd cheering)

He throws it to first base
to end the Korean Series.

The LG Twins wins the Korean Series.

It took them four years
to take back victory again.

STAFF: Mr. Lee Sanghoon.
Scene one, cut one, take one.

Hello, everyone.

I'm a baseball commentator
with MBC Sports Plus.

My name is Lee Sanghoon. Nice to meet you.

-He was able to force a swing.
-That's right.

Today, Mr. Lee Sanghoon has joined us
for the commentary.

CASTER: These are the key pitchers

who played a crucial role
in the 1994 Series win.

SANGHOON: Wow, look at the bullpen.

It's Cha Dongchul, Cha Myungsuk,
Park Chulhong, and Kang Bongsoo.

-CASTER: Right.
-Cha Myungsuk is the general manager now.

CASTER: That's right.

Are the general managers
from all ten teams participating in this?

I'm sure there are those who wouldn't.

Hello. I'm the general manager
of the LG Twins, Cha Myungsuk.

Out of all the general managers,
I am the most handsome.

The LG Twins has a new leader.

A former franchise player,
Manager Ryu Jihyun, will lead the team.

-STAFF: Hello.
-JIHYUN: Hello.

-Everything's so fancy here.
-(staff laughs)

JIHYUN: Please make me look good.

STAFF 1: Yes,
this is all for that purpose.

STAFF 2: Don't worry about your cap.

The other managers didn't wear caps
in the interview.

JIHYUN: You should've told me sooner.

(staff laughing)

STAFF 3: Make your hair look natural.

I was going to wear makeup as well.

I wanted to make myself look good.

Hello, I'm Ryu Jihyun,
Manager of the LG Twins.

ANCHOR: Manager Ryu Jihyun,
who was rookie of the year in 1994,

is a franchise player who spent 11 years
with the LG Twins as a baseball player

and took leadership roles
on the same team afterward.

COME ON, REPLY 1994

CASTER 1: Instead of the show, Reply 1994,

this one is "Come on, reply 1994."

PLAYOFFS GAME 1
KIWOOM HEROES VS LG TWINS

CASTER 2: It's two and two with Go Woosuk.

(crowd chanting)

An outside pitch!
His swing misses! Strikeout!

The LG Twins, who was waiting for today,
shake up the Heroes in Game 1!

The LG Twins manages to get a head start.

PLAYOFFS GAME 1
KIWOOM 3 : 6 LG

I know you all have been waiting
for this moment for so long.

While we were training,
we were also anticipating this moment.

JIHYUN: We've been looking forward to it.

We promise to show good results
until the end.

CASEY (in English): This is the best,
best team that we've had.

I think that, you know,
the vibe in the dugout

and the clubhouse
is the best it has been, so...

(in Korean)
Recently, out of all the teams,

the LG Twins has the best lineup.

SANGHOON: They won Game 1.

But it wasn't an easy win, actually.

But since the end result was a win,
many expected LG to take the win easily.

But...

I don't want to jump the gun here,
but they might become impatient.

They may feel cornered.

They're afraid to be criticized
if they don't win again.

That's why I think
their win might pressure them.

ANCHOR: Can they fulfill the dream
of winning the Korean Series,

which they've failed previously?

HAEMIN: I can feel it.

The hope for victory
from our players and our fans

are becoming bigger and bigger.

CASTER: We are here today as we get deeper

into the fall at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Kiwoom with a loss,
while the LG Twins has a head start.

This is Game 2 of the playoffs.

We are with commentators,
Lee Sanghoon and Park Jaehong. Hello.

-SANGHOON: Hello.
-JAEHONG: Hello.

(bat clacks)

CASTER:
Will Kiwoom even out the series today,

or will the LG Twins
ride a winning streak?

Let's get into the game to find out.

EP.05
OPEN THE AWAMORI SHOCHU

ALL (shouting): Let's go!

STAFF: Kiwoom Heroes were performing
really well early in the season.

Was it unexpected?

It was.

They were on a roll.

The Heroes are made of young players
who play surprisingly well.

The numbers don't reflect it,
but their values as a team show.

MYUNGSUK: Through the medium
that is Lee Junghoo, the team unites.

It was obvious. Anyone could tell.

They are a team with many strengths.

I was surprised
when I saw the Kiwoom players.

First of all...

(soft grunt)

It's not that they were relaxed.

But they had casually come
to play another game.

(indistinct chatter)

SANGHOON: Hey, Junghoo.

-Good luck.
-JUNGHOO: Thank you.

SANGHOON: I thought that they may feel
a bit down after losing yesterday's game.

During practice,

they showed desperation,
but not out of anxiety.

It was a new kind of desperation.

Whether we just barely lost
or lost really badly, it's still a loss.

Yesterday's game is in the past.

JUNGHOO:
I will focus more on what's to come...

SANGHOON: After this,
I'll be commentating on Game 5.

COACH: I don't think we'll reach Game 5.

(laughter)

-SANGHOON: You don't think so?
-COACH: No.

SANGHOON: I see.

Then four games?

JIHYUN: You can see
Kim Hyunsoo out on the field.

Then there's Captain Oh Jihwan.

Depending on how these players
lead the team, the mood can change.

All the veteran players on our team
are doing their best,

so that's why I think
we're currently getting good results.

CASTER: Both teams are playing
their non-Korean ace pitchers today.

The LG Twins are playing Plutko.

That's right. Plutko hasn't taken
the mound in over a month.

That's why I think
it's important for the LG Twins

that he adapts to the mound quickly
early into the game.

(crowd cheering)

STAFF: Frankly, Plutko didn't perform well
in Game 2.

I was quite surprised
at how many hits he allowed.

CASTER: He has two wins and a loss
against Kiwoom. His ERA at 1.82.

He used to throw well against Kiwoom.

CROWD (chanting): Lee Junghoo!

CASTER: The second pitch is a curve.
It slips between first and second base!

Lee Yongkyu goes for third!

He advances to third!

ALL (chanting): Lee Junghoo!

SANGHOON: If you look right now,

Plutko looks awkward
standing on the mound.

-His potential hasn't come out yet.
-CASTER: That's right.

He takes a swing.

-(crowd cheering)
-It pops up high to the right!

The right fielder chases after it!
But he doesn't make the catch!

Hong Changki fails to catch the ball!
The runner, Lee Yongkyu, comes home!

A two-point RBI double!

Kiwoom takes charge!

This is Lee Junghoo!

The score gap widens, at five to zero.

COMMENTATOR: No one expected
Plutko to break down this badly

-at the beginning of the game.
-CASTER: Right.

SANGHOON: That's right.

COMMENTATOR:
This goes for today's game as well,

but I think it's going to have
a significant effect on the entire Series.

(somber music)

When you're playing big games,
you have to concentrate on one thing.

LG was winning but felt like being chased.

For example,
when you're running towards a goal

and someone chases closely behind you.

The chaser thinks, "I lost anyway,
but I'm still going to give it my all."

And they make a big spurt.

That chaser was Kiwoom.

CASTER: Kim Junwan steps on home base!
The Kiwoom Heroes score another run!

Although you're ahead, you think,
"What if they catch up to me?"

It felt like that was their concern.

CASTER: Oh Jihwan doesn't have a hit
during this postseason.

He's facing the switched pitcher,
Yang Hyun.

I personally didn't feel any pressure.

I don't think
you really need to feel pressured.

-JAEHONG: He could hit a big one.
-CASTER: That's right.

(crowd chanting, cheering)

-CASTER: The second pitch.
-(crowd gasps)

Oh Jihwan hits it to the center.

The third baserunner goes for home.

Kim Hyunsoo comes home safely.

The LG Twins decreases the deficit by one.

SANGHOON: With Kim Hyunsoo coming home,
they're now in a position to score more.

CASTER: That's right.

JIHWAN: It makes me really happy
to think about the crowd cheering

and our fans loving the game.

It makes me feel good.
So that's what I think about.

(crowd chanting)

CASTER: The bases are loaded.
Yoo Kangnam is in the box.

-(crowd cheering)
-He holds back his swing!

BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
KIWOOM 7 : 5 LG

CASTER: They are now only two runs behind.

Now it's seven to six,
a one-run difference!

We don't know
how this game will end anymore!

SANGHOON: Looking at this past season,
the LG Twins never fell behind.

The speed at which
they are chasing is terrifying.

STAFF: The LG Twins managed

to almost catch up to them.
It was seven to six.

But they couldn't turn the game around.

I found the full-force pitching
of Kiwoom's setup men very impressive.

SANGHOON: Choi Wontae was
a starting pitcher during the season.

But coming into the postseason,
he only pitches a few innings,

so he's going full force with his pitches.

If you look at the velocity of his balls
on the scoreboard,

it went up to 149 km/h.

JAEHONG: When he was starting pitcher,
it was around 145 km/h.

The speed has increased.

SANGHOON: That's right.

WONTAE: I was in prime condition.

I don't have many days like that.

But that day was one of my best days.

I felt super confident.

I even thought,
"I could probably pitch until the ninth."

But I saw Donghyeok pitch after me,
and his change-ups dropped this much.

BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
KIWOOM 7 : 6 LG

SANGHOON: You can see

that all the pitchers
are pitching their best.

CASTER: Moon Bogyeong touches second base!

-Out on second. To first!
-(crowd cheering)

Double play! The game is over!

The setup men's pitches were
pure desperation until the end.

It may have always been the case,
but their pitches were more than that.

The LG Twins was squashed by their energy.

(crowd cheering)

If we had lost seven to two,
like we were losing early in the game,

I wouldn't be like this.

But watching them come back,

I'd like to tell them
to keep their chins up.

MAN: We don't have an interview today,
so let's go at 11:30 p.m.

WOOSUK:
After I became the closing pitcher,

we made it to the postseason every year.

-COACH: Good work.
-WOOSUK: Good work, sir.

I didn't want it to end like this.

It's my postseason goal.

WOOSUK: I hope our strength will come out

so we can advance and all end up smiling.

(crowd cheering)

2022 PLAYOFFS GAME 2
1 WIN 1 LOSS

GAME 1 KIWOOM 3 : 6 LG
GAME 2 KIWOOM 7 : 6 LG

(fans screaming)

REPORTER: Game 3 is now very important.

We expect Kiwoom's ace,
An Woojin, to take the mound.

How will you prepare the players
during the break?

JIHYUN: We don't have a game tomorrow,

so we'll prepare well
and show you our best in Game 3.

(light music)

THE LOVE FROM LG FANS
IS MORE VALUABLE THAN WINNING

GYESOON: Back then in Incheon,
on the day LG won the Series,

it was chaotic.

People were saying
they thought there was an earthquake.

SANGHOON: The three rookies of LG.

Ryu Jihyun, Seo Yongbin, Kim Jaehyun.

They were insanely good players.

It felt like they would win everything.

GYESOON:
When the three rookies joined the team,

that's when a new era
of "exciting baseball" opened up.

When those rookies joined the team

and began hitting those pitches,
baseball became popular.

That's why people were so excited.

What more can I say about Ryu Jihyun?

There won't be a shortstop
as good as him in the future either.

JIHYUN:
I was a professional player for 11 years,

and I received so much love.

I don't know
when I'll stop wearing this uniform.

But until then, I'll try my best

before the day I take this uniform off.

When I didn't know anything
as a rookie, I won the Series.

I promised the fans
that I'd give them a win every year.

I've made such a comment before.

But it's been 28 years.

1994 KOREAN SERIES GAME 4
LG TWINS VS PACIFIC DOLPHINS

CASTER: Youm Kyoungyoub is in the box.
The fourth pitch.

Ryu Jihyun, the shortstop, fields it.

JIHYUN: When that day comes
and I finally keep my promise,

I think it'll be an extremely happy day.

CASTER: There are stories about
what will happen when the LG Twins wins.

There are stories about them
getting a watch, drinking,

-and even a ring.
-COMMENTATOR: Right.

CASTER: There are countless stories.

But those stories have all been shelved.

STAFF: It's hard not to ask
about the late Chairman Koo Bonmoo.

There are more important things
than awamori shochu.

SANGHOON:
He was chairman of a large conglomerate

and owner of a team.

What's amazing is how...

he remembered all the names,
even the players on the second team.

Not anyone can do that.

LG TWINS "WE ARE THE CHAMPION!"

Chairman Koo Bonmoo would invite
the players to his house.

It was in the countryside.

He would braise a truckload of meat.

He would be wearing
this cheap jacket around,

while feeding the players
and pouring us drinks.

He would say hello to me.

GYESOON: Even the players heard that.

To the players,
he was like a father figure.

He would support the players
with equipment

or improve training conditions.

When we spoke with other teams,

we learned that the LG Twins
had much better support.

CASTER: This victory drink.

They say 5% to 10% of the alcohol
evaporates every year.

So it's about 93% gone now,
although it's just our assumption.

The alcohol inside the bottle
of the awamori shochu isn't important.

The drink doesn't matter.
Who cares if it's water instead?

SANGHOON: The hearts of every player
on our team are inside the bottle.

It's a promise made among men.

After keeping the promise,

the desire to drink up
every last drop inside.

And another fresh start
for the next season.

If these things were to happen...

Even just saying it

makes me feel like the world is ours,
wouldn't you say?

I heard that when they won,
they always drank that shochu.

For a number of years,

because we hadn't made it
to the Korean Series or the postseason,

the chairman promised
a Rolex watch and awamori shochu.

He said he'd open them
if we won the series.

The Rolex will be given
to the MVP voted on by the team,

and everyone will pop open the bottle
of awamori shochu and drink it.

That's what I heard.

(sharp inhale)

And we haven't made
any progress ever since.

2002 KOREAN SERIES SECOND PLACE

LG TWINS WHO WON TWICE IN THE '90S

FELL INTO A SLUMP
AFTER PLACING SECOND IN 2002

YONGTAIK:
The seniors who led LG for ten years,

most of them began to underperform.

All of a sudden.

Consequently, I had to become
someone who led the lineup.

-Personally, it was a lot of pressure.
-(tense music)

We were on our way to the bus
to play an away game.

And the fans blocked the way.

I understand their anger.

It's because we hadn't even made it
to the postseason since 2002.

I'm sorry. I really am.

Actually, the players...

there's so much pressure on the players.

-MAN 1: What?
-MAN 2: So much pressure?

-What the hell are you saying?
-YONGTAIK: But it wasn't just me.

The LG Twins, the team itself,
was suddenly in that state.

Because of the pressure and burden,
we felt small.

We became a team
that couldn't perform as we wanted.

Each player's pride and confidence

hit rock bottom.

LG Group's Chairman Koo Bonmoo
passed away this morning.

As chairman of the LG Group for 23 years,
he expanded LG into a global...

CASTER: The chairman of LG Group
passed away today.

-What unfortunate news.
-COMMENTATOR: Right.

He was so warm to the players.

-He generously gave his love to them.
-CASTER: That's right.

COMMENTATOR:
All nine players in the lineup

-have folded their pants up.
-CASTER: That's right.

COMMENTATOR: They're doing it

-to honor their owner.
-CASTER: I see.

The LG Group loved baseball so much,
and Chairman Koo led that group.

The LG Twins should never forget him.

STAFF: What does winning
the Korean Series mean for the LG Twins?

I think it means restoring our pride.

All the fans miss the 1990s,
specifically 1990 and 1994.

And our seniors retired
without achieving that goal.

I think it's a goal
that our generation must achieve.

Uh...

It'll feel very different
from the victory in 1994.

It's the same victory, but the feeling
will be completely different.

(somber music)

GWANGJU-KIA CHAMPIONS FIELD
2022 REGULAR SEASON OPENING GAME

ANNOUNCER: Hitting Coach Lee Hojun.

(crowd applauding)

In a way, our team tries our best
to dive deep into baseball.

Every action and every conversation

starts with baseball
and ends with baseball.

HOJUN: We try to bring about change.
If we find something new,

we try to implement it
before the other teams.

I think that's our team color.

JIHYUN: Thank you.

The opening game should've been in Jamsil,

but I'm sorry to call
all the fans to Gwangju.

I promise it'll be in Jamsil next year.
Thank you.

(crowd cheering and applauding)

LG TWINS AND DOOSAN BEARS
BOTH USE JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM

TO PLAY THE OPENING GAME IN JAMSIL,
ONE MUST PERFORM BETTER THAN THE OTHER

BUT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS,
THE LG TWINS HAS FAILED TO BEAT DOOSAN

CASTER: Today is May 5.
We're at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

A game between the rivals,
Doosan and LG, on Children's Day.

They are the rival teams in Seoul.

(laughter)

-BOY: Aren't you Heo Kooyoun?
-MAN: Congratulations.

(boy gasps in surprise)

CASTER:
In the games held on Children's Day

without spectators these past two years,

LG won both times.

And who will be the winners

of today's game which will happen
in front of the children?

I'm looking forward to today's game.

When you play games and train together
in the same stadium,

you run into them more,
so you get closer to them.

KYOUNGMIN: So outside of the stadium,

I feel like I'm closest
to the LG Twins players.

JIHWAN: We're all good friends,

but when we're in a game,
we still get competitive.

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: Oh Jihwan and the LG Twins
successfully chase Doosan

to a one-run deficit.

The moment I enter the field,
I concentrate more.

Because I have my pride,
as my fans already know, I have to win.

(cheering)

Seriously? That shouldn't be allowed.

WOMAN: On Children's Day, no less.

(frustrated groan)

Why not?
Remember that brawl on Children's Day.

(man chuckles)

-BOY: What a mess on Children's Day...
-When was that? May?

CASTER:
The Doosan Bears have the momentum.

They score three more runs.
It's four to nothing. It goes behind!

-COMMENTATOR: This isn't happening.
-CASTER: Oh, no.

-(caster exclaims)
-COMMENTATOR: This is bad.

-CASTER: A brawl seems to be ensuing.
-COMMENTATOR: This is wrong.

The difference shows
in my Instagram messages.

When we win, I get less than 50 messages.

But when we lose, I get about 1,000.

When we lose to Doosan, I get 2,000.

(chuckles)

MYUNGSUK: You can tell that LG Twins fans
consider the Doosan Bears their rival.

COMMENTATOR:
Because Oh Jihwan's shoulder is so strong,

-they were able to get third base out.
-CASTER: Right.

Because they lost to Doosan so much,

elementary school kids
became fans of other teams.

If you wear an LG uniform
and go to school, you get made fun of.

So many bought Doosan uniforms to wear.

CASTER: In a baseball stadium
where the crowd is back after three years,

the Doosan Bears win
the Children's Day game.

(crowd cheering)

THE LAST SEASON THAT THE LG TWINS
PLACED ABOVE DOOSAN BEARS WAS 2014

But to be fair, Doosan is a team
that has made great achievements

over the last seven to eight years.

MYUNGSUK:
And we want to become a team like them.

In the '90s,
the LG Twins always beat Doo...

SANGHOON: The OB Bears back then.
LG was far better than them.

LG didn't think of Doosan as a rival.

But that's when Doosan thought of LG
as a rival.

When they changed
from the OB Bears to the Doosan Bears...

uh...

things became the opposite.

They became two families under one roof.

Doosan began walking all over LG.
It was upsetting.

I even resented them.

GYESOON: You know that incident, right?
1 win and 15 losses.

It was absurd.

In 2018, the LG Twins finally broke
the 15-game losing streak against Doosan.

CASTER:
This was a difficult win for the LG Twins.

(crowd chanting)

In the final game of the season,

the LG Twins
finally manage to beat Doosan.

SANGHOON: It was sad,
but they desperately needed a win.

That's where the LG Twins was standing.

I know there are nine other teams,

but out of all of them,
I hated LG losing to Doosan the most.

After that, Doosan continued to dominate.

But the LG Twins couldn't win again.

This is the tenth faceoff

between the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears
this season.

LG is on fire these days.

Their lineup was on fire,
and now the whole team is.

INVINCIBLE LG! TWINS TO THE END!

This year, the situation reversed.

(exciting music)

CASTER:
Today's starting pitcher is Plutko.

An outside pitch!
He takes a swing but misses!

He gets struck out for the first out.

He hammers the ball over the right wall!

Kim Hyunsoo! Kim Hyunsoo!

A three-run homer
that flies over the right wall!

Oh Jihwan starts off the inning.

He hits the first pitch
to the center-right.

That was Oh Jihwan.

2022 REGULAR SEASON GAME 10
LG 11 : 4 DOOSAN

CASTER: The game's over.

The LG Twins wins the game again.

The LG Twins manages to keep
their winning streak going.

I can tell
that the LG Twins became much stronger.

Watching the LG Twins reminds me
of when Doosan was in their prime.

CASTER: He pops the curveball up the left!

It flies over the left fielder!
And it's a goner!

-Chae Eunseong's three-run homer!
-(crowd cheering)

COMMENTATOR: The concentration
of the hitters in their lineup.

When there's a chance, they don't miss it.

-They push them hard.
-CASTER: Right.

The count is two and two.

-(crowd gasps)
-CASTER: He pops it up to the center.

He tracks the ball.

-(mitt clonks)
-He gets the final out!

The game is over.
The score is nine to zero.

After five years, the LG Twins finally get
a three-game sweep against Doosan Bears.

With the news of LG Twins'
seven consecutive wins,

we will end the commentary now.

(crowd cheering)

Until recently,
we had done poorly against them.

But this year was different.

And from now on,
in order to be in the top ranks,

putting rivalry aside,
we must try to win anyway.

That mindset puts me at ease.

I was always sorry.

But anyway, as of right now,
we are in a better position.

From now on, we'll try our best
to play more games at home.

JONGNO LG BAR

(indistinct chatter)

(drum beating)

ALL (chanting): Oh Jihwan, hit!

(drum beating)

ALL (chanting): Oh Jihwan, hit!

HAKCHUL: Because we couldn't go
to the stadium due to COVID-19,

I wanted LG fans to have a place
to watch the game together.

That's how I started this.

So while designing this place,

I thought I needed some decorations.

So I brought my collection from home

which I've had since 1982
and used them as decoration.

-(whistling)
-(drum beating)

STAFF: Out of all the fans you've seen,

were there any memorable ones
who were crazy about baseball?

Uh...

She must be 94 years old this year.

HAKCHUL: Her name is Shin Gyesoon.

She can't visit the stadium anymore.

Out of all the baseball fans in Korea,

I don't think
there is anyone as fervent as her.

Back then, no girls liked baseball.

So I was the talk of the town.

Hmm.

A gray-haired old grandma
was sitting among the crowd.

A woman, no less.

GYESOON: A young man asked me,
"Do you know about the rules of baseball?"

So I asked him,
"How much baseball do I need to know?

Will knowing inside-the-park home runs
and no-hitters be enough?"

Then he apologized very politely and left.

As for me, I've never skipped

a single LG Twins game.

I watch everything.

I watched about 100 games in a year.

STAFF:
When did you begin watching baseball?

When Grandpa and Dad watched it,
I watched it then.

STAFF: How does it feel
to actually play baseball?

When I hit the pitch right on
and there's that cracking sound,

I feel like all my stress is blown away.

EUNSUNG: LG's goal is to win.
I really hope they win.

Let's go, LG!

MAN: This is what makes us happy.

Go Woosuk is a player
with so much potential.

-He's young too.
-He'll be good for another ten.

Hey, we picked him over Lee Junghoo.

(laughter)

-So why did we do that?
-He should do well.

-Of course.
-Of course.

ANNOUNCER:
A round of applause for Go Woosuk.

(crowd cheering and applauding)

MAN: What I felt was

when An Woojin took the mound
when we went to the stadium,

players had trouble hitting his ball.

And then in the last part,
Go Woosuk took the mound.

As soon as the Kiwoom fans saw him,
they sighed.

That's how we felt when we saw An Woojin.

They felt the same thing.

(mitt clonks)

(crowd cheering and applauding)

(cheering continues)

SANGHOON: The world is a fair place.

If your velocity is high,
you have less control.

If you have great control,
your ball may only be slightly fast.

That's why the world is fair.

But if you look at Go Woosuk,
he's already become a tremendous pitcher.

But in my opinion, I believe
there's 30% more room for improvement.

LG TWINS VS KIWOOM HEROES

Of course, it's impossible to reach 100%.
But let's say he plays at 90% capacity.

What kind of pitch
do you think he'll throw then?

The opponent will miss.

It'll be impossible to hit.

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: Go Woosuk, LG's closing pitcher,
has recorded 99 saves.

(crowd exclaims)

For the past few years,
the LG Twins didn't have a pitcher

who could close out the game.

Go Woosuk should play
as their closing pitcher

for the next ten years.

STAFF:
How does it feel to have a closing pitcher

who can close the game out easily?

When I end my inning in a winning state,
I feel easier leaving the mound.

I've been a closing pitcher
when Woosuk wasn't there.

But there are so many situations
the pitcher has to overcome.

So I think he's amazing. I respect him.

And I can watch the game
without any worries.

I've been a closing pitcher
since my third year as a pro.

In my first and second years,
I had a truly tough time.

Once Manager Ryu came on board...

WOOSUK: My skills weren't great.

But he gave me opportunities
to play in whatever situation.

(Woosuk inhales sharply)
He's the one that made me who I am.

CASTER: A high ball.
Swing and a strikeout!

GOCHEOK SKYDOME
LG 4: 2 KIWOOM

COMMENTATOR: As expected,
his last pitch overwhelms

-all the hitters.
-CASTER: Right.

I have a story
that I remember clearly about Woosuk.

We were at spring camp.

In the weight training gym,

he did everything
the trainer told him to do.

Then he was doing his own workout routine.

(inhales sharply)
So I just watched him from behind.

The first thing I said was,
"Do you like Oh Seunghwan?"

That was my first question.

And he said he did.
He also asked me how I knew.

So I told him,
"You are just like Oh Seunghwan."

Since I was a student,
we had a similar build.

Many people told me that.

Watching Seunghwan, I learned

about the effort that was needed
to end up in his position.

So I tried to copy his efforts.

JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM
LOTTE GIANTS VS LG TWINS

ANNOUNCER: They are taking photos
with Yongtaik's fan club, Loving Yongtaik.

-They are now taking pictures.
-(camera shutter clicks)

Hello, everyone! I think we're ready now.

Please give Park Yongtaik
a round of applause!

(crowd cheering)

ANNOUNCER: Thank you.

We made an announcement in advance
that you can only get two autographs

per person this year.

ANCHOR:
The tickets to Jamsil Baseball Stadium

were sold out
for the first time in three years.

Park Yongtaik, the legend of LG,
had a retirement ceremony.

(bat clacks)

CASTER (in video): It flies to the left!
Park Yongtaik!

(crowd cheering and applauding)

-CASTER: It's July 3, 2022.
-(soft music)

The man known as the heart of LG
is finally retiring after multiple delays.

ANNOUNCER: LG Twins, Park Yongtaik.

This player has played
as a hitter for the LG Twins

for 19 seasons
from the 2002 season to the 2020 season.

For your contribution, we'll award you
with a plaque of appreciation.

CASTER: She's a famous person.

She's known as the Mokdong Grandma.

She came to the retirement ceremony
and gave him flowers.

This is Lee Daeho's last season,

so I'm sure he can relate.

COMMENTATOR: Right,
it makes you think a lot.

CASTER: That's right.

He loved LG more than anyone.

OH JIHWAN
LG TWINS

Um... I'm sure he felt pressured.

JIHWAN: He experienced firsthand

what our fans call
the dark ages for a long time.

He was a captain back then as well.

So I thought his body and mind
must've been very exhausted.

It really made me think.

I'm sure you hoped for a win,
so it must be a bit disappointing.

Yoo Heekwan is next to me here,
but I thought I'd win three or four times.

Oh.

YONGTAIK: But I couldn't do it
for 19 years and retired.

It may not be that disappointing
as a player.

But reflecting back after my retirement,

it is indeed disappointing to retire
without a Series victory.

-I explained all this earlier.
-CASTER: Right.

-It's up to your juniors now.
-YONGTAIK: Right.

Everyone is thinking it, aren't they?

That we can win this season.

Objectively speaking,
we can win this season.

And we have to win
when there's a chance like this.

-Got it, Jihwan?
-JIHWAN: Yes.

He sent us a really strong message.

He wanted us to take care
of the future of LG Twins.

(deep inhale)
Um...

But I thought I shouldn't be burdened.

We're doing well enough.

The season isn't over yet.

Please win today's game.

Today is the only day
that I can root for you.

-Let's do this. Okay.
-All right.

(exciting music)

CASTER:
We will now jump into Lotte Giants'

and LG Twins' ninth game of the season.

The first inning.
Offense goes to Lotte Giants.

The leadoff hitter is An Chihong.
A strike on the first pitch.

-He's rooting for them.
-COMMENTATOR: Yes.

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: Next up is number five, Oh Jihwan.

He makes contact.
It goes through the center!

-To home! He comes back home safely.
-(crowd cheering)

The LG Twins gets another run
with Oh Jihwan's RBI!

The score is four to one.

(crowd chanting)

COMMENTATOR: Oh Jihwan recorded
an RBI after two runs were scored.

-CASTER: Yes.
-COMMENTATOR: This can shift the momentum.

CASTER: The next pitcher is
the closing pitcher, Go Woosuk.

He's currently at a high velocity,
as he pitches faster and faster

-every single year.
-COMMENTATOR: Yes.

YONGTAIK: Go Woosuk is a great player
because he can control the pitches

-which are extremely fast.
-COMMENTATOR: Yeah.

CASTER: He pulls in and hits it!
The second baseman!

The game is over.

The LG Twins players gave Park Yongtaik
the gift of victory.

WOOSUK: What I'm most happy about is

that we are nearing the end of the season
without any big injuries.

And in terms of our performance,
I'm happy that we're doing well.

I'll keep it up! Thank you!

(crowd cheering and applauding)

YONGTAIK: All things considered,
if I were to place a bet,

I would definitely bet on the LG Twins.
I said that.

They were capable of winning that season.

And it was a season which they had to win.

CASTER: Oh Jihwan is taking control
of today's game!

(crowd cheering)

JIHWAN: The only thing
we can show our fans is winning games.

CASTER 1: The LG Twins makes
the second-place series with Kiwoom

a winning series!

CASTER 2: Game 14 of the regular season
between the two teams.

It's being held in Jamsil today as well.

(crowd cheering)

ANCHOR: The LG Twins is
in 2nd place with a win rate above 60%.

The strong team of hitters
are also known as "Mega Twins."

It only took them a season to build
one of the best offensives in the league.

CASTER: With a score of seven to zero,
LG takes two consecutive wins.

YONGTAIK: Looking back
at the recent ten years of the team,

they currently have the strongest members.

The LG Twins' edge over the other teams
was their supply of players.

Although KT Wiz was
a strong favorite to win,

a few of their players got injured
and they collapsed at once.

But for the LG Twins, one or two players
getting injured was fine.

Others wouldn't even notice
that he's gone.

(sniffs)
Hmm. That's how many players LG had.

CASTER 1: LG Twins versus KT Wiz.

This is Game 13
between LG Twins and KT Wiz.

A chance to take the lead for LG.
Pinch hitter, Lee Hyungjong.

A great hit! Another RBI!

(crowd cheering)

LG 2 : 1 KT

LG 3 : 1 KT

A miraculous ninth inning by the LG Twins!

CASTER 2: A game for first place
at Incheon SSG Landers Field.

A dramatic come-from-behind win
for the LG Twins!

The LG Twins is full of hope
after beating the SSG Landers.

REGULAR SEASON FINAL GAME
KT WIZ VS LG TWINS

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: The seventh pitch at full count.

The runners are off. He makes contact!

This batted ball goes
over the right fielder!

-Oh Jihwan with a walk-off hit!
-(crowd cheering)

KT 5 : 6 LG

(cheering continues)

THE LG TWINS HAD THE MOST NUMBER OF WINS
IN A REGULAR SEASON IN CLUB HISTORY

THEY ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS AND ARE
ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE KOREAN SERIES

LG has the best strategy
and the best players.

The pitchers are confident.

And the hitters did their jobs.

They did better than what was expected.

Thanks to that,
they made it to the postseason.

But for the postseason,
at least one person must go crazy.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS GAME 3

CASTER: Hello, everyone. This is
the 2022 KBO League sponsored by Shinhan.

Game 3 of the playoffs

between the LG Twins
and the Kiwoom Heroes.

Park Yongtaik is joining us today.

Hello.

YONGTAIK: Kiwoom's vibe is...

I heard this
from a very key player of Kiwoom.

After they lost Game 1,

they were calculating the dates
to see when they'd get eliminated.

Then they scheduled a dinner party.

But after losing Game 2
and recording one win and one loss,

LG thought, "We can't lose.
We can't get eliminated.

It's going to be big trouble."

CASTER: Leading up to the postseason,
LG fans were very proud

-of this pitcher.
-YONGTAIK: That's right.

CASTER: The best pitcher
of the KBO League in September

-is Kim Yunsik.
-YONGTAIK: Kim Yunsik.

CASTER: The count is full.

He makes contact!

Kim Yunsik with a catch!
He throws it to first.

LG's starting pitcher prevents
the runner from scoring!

Kim Yunsik!

Kim Yunsik shows us
what bold pitching means.

COMMENTATOR: If I had to choose one thing
that could've been done better

was the timing of our switch in pitchers.

The Kiwoom hitters had trouble
making contact with the ball.

I think the timing of the switch
could've been better.

HOJUN: It felt like we weren't ready.

Yunsik's back wasn't all right.

We were looking into
whether he could pitch.

We even thought of changing the lineup.

COMMENTATOR:
After taking Kim Yunsik off the mound,

Jin Haesoo showed a loss of control
against Lee Junghoo.

And he let Kim Hyeseong
hit the ball to the right field as well.

That might've been why they lost today.

I should've prepared in much more detail,
and I should've been more nervous.

HOJUN: We thought
that we could beat Kiwoom easily.

We thought we'd obviously win.

We never thought that we'd lose to Kiwoom.

(crowd cheering)

CASTER: To third base.

The third baserunner is out,
and it was too slow.

-The score is two to two, a tie.
-(crowd cheering)

ANCHOR: The Kiwoom hitters,
who couldn't advance

because of Kim Yunsik,

were all waiting for this moment
to make hits like this.

JIHYUN: This isn't something
I'm going to elaborate on,

but Yunsik's back wasn't great.

JIHYUN: He held his back
using one of his arms during the game.

That's when I thought
he had reached his limit.

I hope he can play more
boldly and relaxed tomorrow.

PLAYER: How...

-It's okay, we'll go up about 80% now.
-Good.

In Game 3 of the playoffs,
Kiwoom won the game against LG.

They only have one win left
until the Korean Series.

Both teams will be playing Game 4
in Gocheok today.

CASTER:
Let's dive in to the game at Gocheok.

If the LG Twins loses this game,
they'll be eliminated.

For the Kiwoom Heroes,
they have a win to spare,

but it probably doesn't feel that way.

COMMENTATOR: That's right.
(chuckles)

They have to try their best
to take it slow.

And I think they are.

In order to make a miracle happen,
we need to forget the past.

PLAYER: A new day calls for a new mindset.

We'll do our best in today's game.

I'm leaving the rest up to fate today.

I think we'll win
if we keep up our team spirit.

ANCHOR: The LG Twins is
on the verge of elimination.

How do you feel today?

JIHYUN: Just as we played in the season,
whenever we thought a game was important,

or when we were in a jam,
our players grew.

We wisely overcame the difficulties.

That's how we did well in the season.

I think we'll do well today too.

Our players don't give up that easily.

So I'm trusting them
to perform their best.

STAFF: What kind of manager is Ryu Jihyun?

You can answer now.

He's meticulous.

He plans everything thoroughly.

He's the type that checks
each and every rung on a ladder.

However...
(sucks teeth)

Oh...

he rarely makes plays

that are out of the box,
ones that are decisive.

JIHYUN:
We're going to win today no matter what.

We're going to win both games and advance.

This is just a process, so don't worry.

Don't think about anything else.

Don't mind what others say.

We can just stick to our plan.

-PLAYER: One, two, three!
-ALL: Let's go!

STAFF: I felt like
Oh Jihwan was feeling a lot of pressure.

Whenever there's a big game like this,
Oh Jihwan always says,

"I want to win.
What would it feel like to win?"

He says those things a lot.

But because of his strong desire to win,
he expressed it explicitly.

I'm sure
the other players recognized that too.

(Korean National Anthem playing)

(crowd applauding)

TOP OF THE FIRST
LG 0 : 0 KIWOOM

(indistinct chatter on TV)

CASTER: The fifth pitch goes
through the pitcher and the shortstop.

The number-two hitter,
Park Haemin, advances to a base.

COMMENTATOR: Kim Hyunsoo's postseason BA

is in second place
with Manager Lee Seungyuop.

CASTER:
He pulls in and hits it to the right!

(crowd cheering)

A back-to-back hit for LG Twins today.

A chance for LG Twins
with two hits after an out.

The number-four hitter, Chae Eunseong.

The count is two and two.

-He makes contact to the left!
-(crowd cheering)

Park Haemin runs through third.
He's going home!

A close call at home base,
but Park Haemin was faster!

He touches the plate with his right hand.

The first run goes to LG Twins!

Three hits in a row!

COACH: Nice!

COMMENTATOR:
Thanks to Chae Eunseong playing his role

as the number-four hitter,

the LG Twins is managing
to live up its team spirit

which seemed a bit down
when the game first started.

"Kiwoom wouldn't have
anything left at this point."

That's what many thought.

On the other hand, while the LG Twins
was playing Games 1, 2, and 3,

many thought they would've perfected
their flaws by Game 4.

From where LG stands,

they thought, "If we try again,
we can still make it."

CASTER: With runners on the bases,
he's facing the greatest hitter

-of the league, Lee Junghoo.
-(tense music)

He hits the first pitch!

The ball slows down
after hitting the mitt!

Lee Junghoo's hit.

This one got pushed out very low.

The three fielders are gathering!

It's a fair ball!

(crowd cheering)

The third baserunner comes home!
And Lee Junghoo advances to third!

(groaning)

Kiwoom is putting up a good fight
to keep their momentum up.

BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
LG 1 : 2 KIWOOM

YONGTAIK: The air in the dugout.

You can tell by the air in the dugout
that Kiwoom had the momentum.

That's what I thought.

BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH
LG 1 : 2 KIWOOM

COMMENTATOR:
He keeps throwing outside pitches.

CASTER: He makes contact.
It goes near the pitcher.

-But he drops the ball!
-(crowd cheering)

He drops it!

It's an error!

LG TWINS BULLPEN

COACH: Yes? Okay.

Who?

(suspenseful music)

GO WOOSUK

GO WOOSUK

CASTER: Go Woosuk takes the mound.

-He makes contact to the left!
-(crowd cheering)

The third baserunner comes home!

Another run for Kiwoom!

The score is now four to one
with Kiwoom in the lead.

Little by little,
Kiwoom is inching closer to Incheon.

We'd never had a game
where we couldn't concentrate this badly.

That's how badly things turned out
during that game.

Nothing worked or played out
as the players thought.

Everyone was flustered and confused.

TOP OF THE NINTH
LG 1: 4 KIWOOM

CASTER: The count is one and one.

Foul.

(suspenseful music)

The count is one and two.

He swings and misses. Strikeout!

(crowd cheering)

The Kiwoom Heroes only have
one more out to go!

In the box is the pinch hitter,
Kim Minsung.

-Kim Minsung must advance to a base.
-COMMENTATOR: Right.

If the Kiwoom Heroes
manage to win the game here,

-they are making something great happen.
-CASTER: That's right.

COMMENTATOR: On the other hand,
the LG Twins will feel dumbfounded.

-CASTER: Right.
-COMMENTATOR: Because it's a shocking loss

if they end up losing like this.

-(crowd cheering)
-(whistles blowing)

(tense music)

CASTER: He swings and misses! Strikeout!

I'M DONE WAITING 28 YEARS
LET'S TAKE TO IT TO THE END

In 2014, 2019, and this year, 2022,

the Kiwoom Heroes are advancing

for a third time for a shot
at their first victory.

COMMENTATOR:
This is a miraculous day for Kiwoom.

This will be
an extremely bitter loss for the LG Twins.

-LG Twin's loss is very shocking.
-CASTER: That's right.

REPORTER: Manager Ryu,
it was such a close series. Any comments?

JIHYUN: I think the thought
that they must win pressured them.

I think it reflected
on their performance today.

As a manager, I'd like to thank my players
for trying their hardest until the end.

From Game 1 to Game 4,

thank you to all the fans
for passionately cheering us on.

On behalf of the team,
I'm sorry for disappointing everyone.

REPORTER:
That was Manager Ryu Jihyun of LG Twins.

JIHYUN: Thank you.

(crowd cheering)

The LG Twins this season?

They were perfect.

The relief pitchers were perfect.

The lineup cycle was perfect.

The movements of the fielders
were perfect.

In the professional world,
if you win ten games

and lose once, you get criticized.

You played 144 games very well,
because that's the season.

They played 144 solid games,

but everything just ended
in two or three games.

How did the LG Twins feel?

What did they feel?

(somber music)

PLUTKO

JUNG WOOYOUNG

GO WOOSUK

STAFF: Not as a manager,
but as a retired player of LG Twins,

do you have any piece of advice
for the players?

Hmm...

I believe that the culture of LG Twins
that continued from the past until now

has developed a good path for the team.

JIHYUN: I hope
this culture will form within the team

and that it'll be passed down.

Then even from the outside,
the LG Twins will look like the best team.

Plus, the fact
that I'm able to work together

with these players as a manager

is a great honor for me.

HYUNWOOK: Because we have Oh Seunghwan,

I don't think about the ninth.

(thrilling music)

SEUNGHWAN:
Since I'm a bit on the older side,

before they talk of a slump...

TAEIN: I was shocked
by the 13-game losing streak.

CASTER: He makes contact!
It pops high to the left!

-COMMENTATOR: It's a goner!
-CASTER: A home run!

SEUNGHWAN:
During our 13-game losing streak...

HYEONJOON: The game kept turning around
even when we were winning.

SEUNGHWAN:
I was given back-to-back blown saves.

DON'T SAY SORRY.
PLAY BETTER!

Seunghwan will play the ninth.

SEUNGHWAN: If you put your trust in me,
I'll try once again.

OH SEUNGHWAN

NEXT EPISODE
THE FALLEN GUARDIAN