Full Count (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 8 - Become the Beast - full transcript
After hitting a wall, two players from Hanhwa and Samsung adapt to the first team.
(loud thud)
(upbeat music)
(bat clacks)
SEOUL, WESTIN JOSUN SEOUL
2023 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
-(camera shutter clicking)
-MAN 1: Hello.
MAN 2: Hello, Mr. Heo.
-MAN 3: General Manager Jang.
-(laughter)
-KOOYOUN: Good luck with the draft.
-JUNGSUK: Thank you.
KOOYOUN: We lost two games...
HOST 1: This is the 2023 KBO Rookie Draft,
the chance to meet
the future stars of baseball
ahead of time.
HOST 2: Today's event might be a place
where a future star
who'll lead and shine
in the KBO League might be born.
The Hanwha Eagles choose
Pitcher Kim Seohyeon
from Seoul High School.
KIM SEOHYEON
INTERVIEWER:
The rookies who were drafted this year
-were born in 2003.
-JAEGYUN: Yes.
INTERVIEWER: How does it make you feel
when you play baseball with them?
JAEGYUN: I'm not sure.
The age difference is just too big.
I can't put my finger around
exactly how I feel.
But I think back
on what I was doing in 2003.
We choose Catcher Kim Beomseok
from Kyungnam High School.
(applause)
JAEGYUN: I kind of envy them.
They are just so young.
When I see them,
I just hope that they'll do well
since they worked hard
to make it this far.
A lot goes on my mind watching them.
KIM DONGHEON, SEO HYUNWON, IM JUNGKYUN
REPORTER:
Your team now has two fireballers
with Moon Dongju from last year
and Kim Seohyeon from this year.
How will you make use
of these two players?
MINCHEOL:
Moon Dongju is improving his skills
quite well based on our plan.
As for Kim Seohyeon, my prediction
is that we're going to see him play
on the first team next year.
HOST 1: This is a new beginning,
not only for the rookie players
but for the teams as well.
We wish all of them good luck
in reaching the final destination
of their dreams.
2023 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
(exciting music)
-ANALYST 1: To third base!
-(mitt clonks)
ANALYST 2: Despite being a rookie,
he managed to stay focused.
I want to become a player
that fans will cheer for.
REPORTER 1: People already have
a nickname for you, "Prince of Daejeon."
I'll try my best to live up
to the fans' expectations.
ANALYST 3: Lee Junghoo missed his swing,
despite him having a great eye
with good batting skills.
REPORTER 2: I heard you were like
a K-pop idol in Lions Park.
Can you feel that you are popular?
I don't think I'm like a K-pop idol.
REPORTER 2:
Apart from your baseball performance,
I felt that many are expecting you
to win the Rookie of the Year.
How do you feel about that?
I don't know
what the Rookie of the Year is.
I don't have that in mind.
EP. 08
BECOME THE BEAST
HANWHA EAGLES SEOSAN
BASEBALL TRAINING CENTER
(players grunting and yelling)
Hello.
I'm Moon Dongju,
a pitcher playing for the Hanwha Eagles.
EUNHYE: In the previous year,
Moon Dongju played
in the U-23 Baseball World Cup.
So I think the team was worried
that he would get injured.
They wanted him to build up his body
in the second team, not the first team.
Many say that the true winner
of last year's draft is Hanwha Eagles.
It's because they recruited Moon Dongju.
HOST: We will now introduce
the players from the ten teams
who were drafted
in the first round last August.
The Hanwha Eagles drafted
the best high school pitcher,
Moon Dongju
from Gwangju Jinheung High School.
Hello.
I'm a pitcher that was drafted
in the first round by the Hanwha Eagles.
I'd like to thank the team
for trusting me and recruiting me.
I'll try to live up to your expectations.
Hanwha Eagles, Moon Dongju, let's go!
HANWHA EAGLES SEOSAN
BASEBALL TRAINING CENTER
How many do I throw, Sungmin?
45? Okay.
WOOYOUNG: A velocity equal to 155 km/h.
Not anyone can throw that fast.
But that's his velocity
warming up in the bullpen.
-(clacks)
-(coach grunts)
(in English) That's a good arm.
The way the ball comes out of his hand.
CARLOS: You could tell
why he was the number-one pick.
You know why everybody was so hyped up
about who he could be in the future.
DONGJU (in Korean):
Only the ace players on a team
can have number one on their backs.
That's why I wanted my uniform
to have that number
so that I can prove myself.
-(mitt clacks)
-COACH: All right!
Wow, nice ball.
WONHO: Dongju,
your pitches are getting stronger,
so keep that under control.
You're straining yourself too much
if you throw any harder.
Pace yourself.
Your velocity should be
around 136 km/h to 138 km/h.
Don't go over that.
Use only 70 to 80% of your full strength.
(bright music)
WONHO: When you're warming up,
the most important thing to do
is to pace yourself.
You must gradually increase
the number of pitches and power
to get ready for the season.
In the past, we had players
who threw 150 km/h in spring training,
but in the exhibition game,
their arms were already too tired.
That's why most of those players
went into rehab during the season.
That's the most important lesson
I teach the rookie players.
(player grunts loudly)
JEONGJIN: As a coach
and an experienced baseball player,
I get quite surprised.
They are very calm despite their young age
and try to deal
with all the little things as well.
And on the mound, when they have the ball,
their focus is on another level.
DONGJU: I began my training at Seosan,
but all my friends are in Geojedo
and at the first team spring camp.
I want to finish preparing here
as soon as possible
so that I can go to Daejeon and train.
INTERVIEWER: Any comments?
(soft chuckle)
First of all, since I'm filming
this documentary, I will try my best
and show the fans many great plays.
HACHEONG BASEBALL FIELD
HANWHA EAGLES FIRST TEAM
(in English) This is the follow-up
to the rebuilding
that we started last year in 2021.
CARLOS: We continue to see
our players make progress
and refine the little details of the game.
Last year, you heard
the word "rebuilding" a lot.
Rebuilding. Rebuilding.
Everything went around rebuilding
that we were starting last year.
-PLAYER (in Korean): One, two, three!
-ALL: Three!
CARLOS (in English):
That is a word of the past, okay?
We're going to play through
where winning is going
to be a big component
of what we will do this year
and strive for.
Our players have gotten better.
Our bullpen.
Our pitchers from last year to this year.
There's been a visible growth.
And great surprises like Inhwan,
you know, potential Rookie of the Year.
INHWAN (in Korean):
When I couldn't take it anymore,
I thought,
"I should at least join the first team."
That thought helped me get this far.
CARLOS (in English): There will be
internal competitions in spring training.
Embrace it. You are competing for a job.
So have a good day, guys.
-PLAYER: Thank you.
-(players clapping)
DAEJEON
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
DONGJU THREW HIS PITCH IN THE BULLPEN
WITH ALL THE TEAM OFFICIALS WATCHING
EUNHYE (in Korean):
There were so many people.
Even though it was a public holiday,
reporters were lined up.
The manager and the general manager
were there.
COACH: Nice.
EUNHYE: It'd be natural to be nervous.
But Moon Dongju
didn't seem nervous at all.
(mitt clonks)
RYU HYUNJIN
FORMER HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
CURRENT TORONTO BLUE JAYS PITCHER
CARLOS (in English):
You did a really good job.
INTERPRETER (in Korean): Good job.
CARLOS (in English):
Keep working hard, okay?
INTERPRETER (in Korean):
Keep up the good work.
HYOSANG: No one in this world will hate
getting attention for their skills.
But for the rookies,
it makes them stay excited all the time.
In other words, it may lead to plays
they aren't capable of making,
which increases
the chances of them getting injured.
A WEEK LATER, MOON DONGJU
HAD DISCOMFORT IN HIS SIDE
HE WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH AN INTERNAL OBLIQUE TEAR
DAEGU SAMSUNG LIONS PARK
SPRING CAMP
COACH: Step in with your left.
Your swing has to push through.
You're hitting the ball,
but sometimes, it'll feel like pushing...
INTERVIEWER: Can you look
into this camera and introduce yourself?
-Sure. Can I begin?
-INTERVIEWER: Yes.
Hello.
I'm Kim Hyeonjoon,
an outfielder for the Samsung Lions.
INTERVIEWER:
You can sit down a bit more comfortably.
Let's roll again.
Hello. I'm Kim Hyeonjoon,
an outfielder for the Samsung Lions.
2021 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
HYEONJOON: In my senior year
in high school, I was injured,
so I couldn't prove myself
the way I wanted to.
I had almost given up.
But in Round 9,
Samsung Lions called my name.
I was so desperate at that moment...
(inhales deeply)
-...that I ended up crying.
-(soft music)
HOST: That was the end of Round 8.
We will now begin Round 9.
2021 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
OFFICIAL: The Samsung Lions choose
Kim Hyeonjoon from Gaesung High School.
HOST:
The Samsung Lions chose an outfielder.
Kim Hyeonjoon from Gaesung High School.
Congratulations.
EUNHYE:
In the world of professional baseball,
there's a clear hierarchy.
Depending on which round
you get picked in,
you draw more or less attention.
When you first enter the team,
everything you do
is based on when you got picked.
HOST:
Kim Hyeonjoon of Gaesung High School.
He was drafted as a player in Round 9.
HYEONJOON:
I couldn't watch the draft with my family.
I didn't want to make the mood sad
in case I didn't get picked.
I was watching it alone.
KIM HYEONJOON
SAMSUNG LIONS
I called my father right after.
(inhales sharply)
My father rarely cries.
But he choked up on the phone with me.
HYEONJOON: At first,
I wasn't an official KBO League player.
I had to get called up to be
an official player on the first team.
I was planning to play
in the Future League
and build up some experience.
But because there was
an injured player on the first team,
I got called up pretty quickly.
SAMYOUNG: It's really difficult to prevent
any injuries from happening.
SAMYOUNG: And in the end,
another player will fill up the space.
This season,
Kim Hyeonjoon and Lee Haeseung
are players who have been performing well.
So I believe
that the future is optimistic for Samsung.
ANALYST: Samsung plays the pinch hitter,
Kim Hyeonjoon,
to lead off this inning.
This is his first time entering the box
in this regular season.
WHEN KEY PLAYERS FROM THE SAMSUNG LIONS
WERE ABSENT DUE TO INJURIES,
THEY CALLED UP KIM HYEONJOON
TO THE FIRST TEAM
In this season, he has to prove himself
with every chance he gets to swing.
The count is full.
The ball is too high!
The first hitter advances with a walk!
(crowd cheering)
HYEONJOON: I got called up
after getting trained on the second team,
so I was given a chance to prove myself.
I tried to show them what I could do,
instead of trying too hard.
I think being psychologically relaxed
helped me get here.
ANALYST: A runner on second with two outs.
-(crowd cheering)
-Kim Jaehwan pops the ball up!
Two fielders go for the catch.
Center fielder Kim Hungon makes the catch!
The game is over!
The final score is six to five!
They win two games in a row from behind!
GAME OVER
SAMSUNG 6 : 5 DOOSAN
TAEWON: If you are working
as a staff on a pro team,
you dream of winning.
You wish to achieve
what you couldn't the year before.
But with Park Haemin gone,
it was quite clear
that their chance at victory got lower.
ANCHOR: Park Haemin, the captain
of the Samsung Lions this season,
signs an FA contract with the LG Twins.
TAEWON: When Park Haemin came out
as their opponent,
his batting range covers such a wide area
that when they see a hit
fly to the center, they think it's over.
ANALYST 1: He makes the catch!
(analyst 2 laughs)
ANALYST 1: An unbelievably insane catch!
ANLAYST 2: He climbed up the fence
with one hand and made the catch.
ANALYST 1: Wow, what an amazing catch.
It's a known fact
that he's an amazing fielder.
But this is such a memorable catch.
HOST 1:
Im Chankyu and Park Haemin are here today.
-Park Haemin has his new uniform on today.
-HOST 2: That's right.
How is the team spirit in LG Twins?
HAEMIN: Our team spirit is strong.
But there's a more definite hierarchy
than at Samsung Lions.
You get to be freer at Samsung Lions.
But in the LG Twins,
different from how we appear to be,
the culture here is stricter
between the senior and junior players.
It did feel a bit weird
to meet my former teammates
wearing a different uniform.
For my first game, I had no choice
but to go against my former team
whom I was with for ten years.
I had trouble controlling my emotions
in the game.
HAEMIN: I've just joined the LG Twins
as a new player this year.
I'd like to become a player
that is needed by the LG Twins
and achieve victory,
a goal my team and our fans
have much desired for a long time.
Let's go, LG Twins!
Honestly speaking, I found him difficult
and had trouble talking to him.
But he was the captain back then.
"That's how a captain should be."
That's what I thought at first.
And I think he's an extremely good player
with great defensive skills,
and I can't even imagine
to be on par with him.
INTERVIEWER: When you first heard
of his transfer, how did you feel?
After Haemin left,
in a way,
I thought this could be a chance.
And I luckily got that chance.
(inhales deeply)
So I think I got
a precious opportunity thanks to him.
ANALYST: This place is more familiar
to him than anyone else,
but he comes into this game as a stranger.
He wears a new striped uniform
to enter the very familiar place
instead of his former blue uniform.
And the home team
was brutally scarred with him gone.
They're happy that he's back here,
but they are unhappy at the same time.
On a field where mixed feelings
of happiness and unusualness exist,
how will the game play out?
It's quite awkward to have you
follow me around while filming.
Lee Youngbin, get back here.
Stop running away.
HAEMIN (in English):
Captain. Hey, Captain!
JOSÉ PIRELA
SAMSUNG LIONS OUTFIELDER
Wow. You're all right?
Please?
-PLAYER (in Korean): Come here.
-HAEMIN: Hello, everyone.
WITH VETERAN PARK HAEMIN GONE
ROOKIE KIM HYEONJOON WAS COMPETING
TO ENSURE HIS POSITION AS A CENTER FIELDER
ANALYST 1: Top of the first.
The LG Twins are on offense.
The game starts
with Park Haemin entering the box.
HAEMIN: I was very nervous that day
from the moment I entered the field
until the game finished.
The crowd was cheering really loudly.
They welcomed me onto the field,
so I'm very thankful.
ANALYST 1:
It's so natural to see Park Haemin here,
-but it's so unnatural at the same time.
-ANALYST 2: That's right.
ANALYST 1: The ball skips off the bat.
It lands in front of the left fielder.
Park Haemin goes for second
in the blink of an eye.
And Park Haemin
successfully advances to second.
(bat clacks)
He makes contact!
The ball gets fielded and thrown home!
-(mitt clonks)
-And he's safe at home base!
ANALYST 2: The Samsung hitters
must proactively swing more.
ANALYST 1:
The second pitch goes to the center.
It goes right into his gloves.
JAWOOK: Of course,
it felt unnatural in a way.
When he made good plays,
I wished he was still on our team.
And I was worried about
what we would do without him.
SEOKWON: They tried to replace Park Haemin
with a player that had around 70% or 60%
of Park Haemin's power.
But that plan failed.
They were hit big with Park Haemin gone.
And they didn't have
a backup to replace him.
But the Samsung Lions found
a pot of gold to their surprise.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1: Samsung on offense
with Kim Hyeonjoon leading off.
ANALYST 2: As I mentioned yesterday,
it's very difficult to compete
to be the leadoff hitter
-in such a short period of time.
-ANALYST 1: That's right.
ANALYST 2: Kim Hyeonjoon
is playing his role very well
on the team these days.
There were many players we had in mind.
Out of them,
our first pick was Kim Hungon.
TAEWON: Honestly,
I didn't expect Kim Hyeonjoon
to perform this well.
I thought it was much better to play him
as a substitute
when others couldn't play the position.
But when I watched him play,
he was so much more capable
than what I had expected.
ANALYST 1: It goes to center-right!
-The center fielder makes the catch.
-(mitt clonks)
Two outs.
INTERVIEWER: Was there any moment
or any aspect of him as a center fielder
that impressed you?
I'd have to say his personality.
He's cheerful, motivated,
and very competitive.
SANGSU: When he makes a bad play,
you can see that he gets pretty emotional.
Though that's a bad sign as a player,
I think rookies should be emotional.
When I see his face
and can feel his ambition,
I think, "He'll become a great player."
REPORTER:
If Kim Hyeonjoon grows as a player,
what kind of player will he become?
In other words, his limit.
SAMYOUNG: I think he'll become
like Lee Junghoo, his role model.
He'd play a style of baseball
similar to his,
including his defensive power.
Also, even the fans say
that he kind of looks like Lee Junghoo
as well.
SAMYOUNG: Although he cannot be compared
with Lee Junghoo yet,
I feel like he can be on par
with Lee Junghoo
or even surpass him in the future.
REPORTER:
He says all his hits are lucky hits.
(laughter)
I told him that his hits were good today,
and he said, "I'm just getting lucky."
SAMYOUNG:
I think he's got a humble character.
Samsung only picks players
with good characters.
(laughter continues)
ANALYST 1: This is the ninth game
between Samsung and Lotte this season.
The lineup for Samsung today.
Kim Jichan, Koo Jawook,
Pirela, Oh Jaeil, Oh Sunjin,
and Kim Jaeseong is also in the lineup.
And Kim Hyeonjoon is number nine.
REPORTER: In batting and defense,
what is your strength?
I think there are many hits in the play
with a solid point of contact.
HYEONJOON:
And I think my defense is quite stable.
(crowd clapping)
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
Lee Daeho's batted ball goes to the center
with Kim Hyeonjoon in the center.
-ANALYST 2: The ball wasn't strong enough.
-ANALYST 1: Right.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
It also goes to Kim Hyeonjoon this time.
He makes the catch. Three outs.
HYEONJOON: I am 21,
and I think I'm doing better
than Park Haemin when he was 21 years old.
BOTTOM OF THE TENTH
SAMSUNG 6 : 6 LOTTE
ANCHOR 1: Today's star was Lee Daeho.
That's right. In the ninth,
Choi Junyong started losing focus
and allowed Samsung to even out the game
to play an extra inning.
ANCHOR 2:
But Lee Daeho recorded a walk-off hit,
showing us a great performance.
ANALYST 1: Lee Daeho's batted ball
flies to center-left.
The center fielder tracks it!
He fails to make the catch!
-The final runner comes home!
-(crowd cheering)
GAME OVER
SAMSUNG 6 : 7 LOTTE
(cheering continues)
HYEONJOON:
I was defending a bit closer in.
We did a defensive shift
in the extra inning.
When he made contact,
I knew I could catch it.
But I didn't check
the distance of the wall and tripped.
ANALYST 2:
Kim Hyeonjoon was defending closer to home
and tracked the ball down,
but he couldn't catch it.
I thought, "We lost because of me."
But I was more upset at myself
because I missed such an easy catch.
(somber music)
HYEONJOON: Some people say,
"Haemin would've caught that ball."
One day, I'll become like him.
I think it really motivates me
to see people bad-mouthing me.
(crowd singing and clapping)
(crowd cheering)
(bright music)
JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM
HANWHA EAGLES VS LG TWINS
REPORTER: Hanwha fans
have all been waiting for this moment
to finally see Moon Dongju again.
ANCHOR: Moon Dongju,
who started the season
in the Futures League due to his injury,
finally made his debut
in the KBO League today.
-HOST: Come in.
-DONGJU: Hello.
-Should I sit here?
-STAFF: Yes, here.
-HOST: How about a personal question?
-REPORTER: Did any of your family members
or friends congratulate you
for getting called up to the first team?
DONGJU:
The day I got the call was Parents' Day.
I didn't prepare a big gift for them.
DONGJU: But thanks to that call,
I managed to survive that day.
(laughter)
I know I joined the first team
much later than expected,
but during rehab,
the coaches really took good care of me.
So I'm in perfect condition.
So I'll train well and win.
(people clapping)
HOST: That'll be it.
REPORTER: I love the confidence.
CARLOS (in English): Moon is healthy.
And he'll be relieving one inning
into the first couple of weeks.
He won't go back-to-back.
PLAYER (in Korean): I'm so unlucky.
I don't want you
to get negatively influenced by me.
Not at all.
DONGJU: If I'm playing one inning,
I'd have to face three hitters
no matter what.
I'll try my best to go scoreless
against just three hitters.
ANALYST 1:
I'm looking forward to this game
just as much as the Hanwha fans.
He showed great pitching when he played
two games in the Futures League.
I'm sure he'll be readying up
in the bullpen.
If he does play today,
-I expect a great performance from him.
-ANALYST 2: Right.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
HANWHA 1 : 0 LG
A runner on third with two outs.
-(crowd cheering)
-The ball flies to center-left!
It completely penetrates
through the defense!
The third baserunner comes home!
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
HANWHA 1 : 1 LG
JANG MINJE
HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
Gosh, I'm such an idiot.
REPORTER:
Jang Minje did a great job pitching,
only allowing one run over five innings.
This momentum
will definitely help the game.
It's the bullpen's job
to maintain excellent pitching.
Keep your eyes on the game
to see how the bullpen performs today.
(crowd chanting)
ANALYST 1: Wow, Moon Dongju is warming up.
This will be another interesting facet
to today's game.
Moon Dongju.
ANALYST 2: I'm very curious to see
what kind of pitches he will throw today.
ANALYST 1:
The beast rookie takes the mound.
The way he opened the door from the dugout
made a strong impression on me.
ANALYST 2: He's smiling as he runs out.
It shows how bold he is.
DONGJU: I tried my best
to take the mound quickly and pitch.
It was hard to get my touch back.
It was really difficult to get
my good pitches back again.
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
HANWHA 1 : 5 LG
(clacks)
ANALYST 1: 153 and 154 km/h.
He pitched two fastballs.
The ball breaks low.
It's a hit to the left.
Oh Jihwan gets a hit against Moon Dongju
who made his debut today.
-(clacks)
-This one is important. It travels far.
And this ball bounces off the wall.
Oh Jihwan scores a run.
The score is now six to one.
ANALYST 2: The LG Twins' veteran hitters
are teaching him a lesson.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
The beast rookie, Moon Dongju,
may not be able to pitch a full inning.
ANALYST 2: It looks like
they are switching the pitcher.
ANALYST 1: A strenuous debut
for the beast rookie, Moon Dongju.
He pitched two outs,
but let LG score three runs
before getting switched out.
DONGJU: I couldn't control my pitches.
I couldn't pitch
good breaking balls either.
-Overall, I disliked my pitching that day.
-(somber music)
MOON DONGJU MADE HIS FIRST TEAM DEBUT
WITH MANY FANS CHEERING HIM ON
BUT HE FACED DIFFICULTIES
IN HIS FIRST PRO LEAGUE APPEARANCE
JEONGJIN: He did receive
a lot of attention coming here.
But I told him in the professional league,
he must start from the bottom.
There was no need for him to rush.
I told him he'll have many days
when he can pitch at full power.
I also said that if he continues to pitch
like that, he'll one day become a star.
However, he must not get injured.
In the beginning, when there was a jam,
I always sighed and thought,
"I'm screwed."
So I had a rough time after that day.
-Hello.
-MEDIA: Hello.
CARLOS (in English): Yesterday,
he threw a good fastball velocity.
Talking to him today, he understands
that it's not about power pitching.
It's about command
and being able to put your pitches
or locate your pitches
where they should be
and using your off-speed well.
So it's going to be a learning curve.
He's a kid who was just
in high school last year, and now...
MOON DONGJU
I think Moon, one day,
should be a starter, not a reliever.
Right now, because of all this,
the league has started,
so with the health issues, we're talking
to go slowly and try to build him up.
ANALYST (in Korean): Rookie Moon Dongju
takes the mound for the second time
this season for Hanwha.
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
LOTTE GIANTS VS HANWHA EAGLES
(in English) He's a young kid.
He's a young kid.
It's not going to be a straight road.
CARLOS: He's going to face some adversity.
He's going to have
to make some adjustments
like any young player does.
ANALYST 1 (in Korean):
The rookie pitcher, Moon Dongju,
finishes the inning
with just three hitters.
ANALYST 2: After his debut, his pitches
in the next two games were great.
Many consider him to be performing well.
CARLOS (in English):
But we're very positive
that he'll be making those adjustments.
Uh, but so far, it's been good.
He's definitely lived up
to the expectation.
ANALYST 1 (in Korean):
The Hanwha Eagles are two runs ahead
with the score at six to four.
Moon Dongju takes the mound.
Lee Junghoo makes contact,
but the first baseman fields it.
-(mitt clonks)
-And the pitcher covers the first base!
(crowd cheering)
-The fastball is in the zone!
-(mitt clonks)
Hanwha Eagles' future, Moon Dongju,
sets the stepping stone to victory
at the bottom of the eighth!
Hello.
JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM
HANWHA EAGLES VS DOOSAN BEARS
REPORTER: This is your first time
playing as a starter in pro baseball.
How did you feel
when you first heard about starting?
DONGJU:
I knew that I'd be pitching more innings,
but I was surprised
that I was going to play as a starter.
DONGJU (inhales deeply):
I thought that I must do well.
ANALYST 1: The count is one and two.
He pops up the breaking ball.
It flies pretty far,
but it is not far enough.
The left fielder makes the catch.
He only faced seven hitters
in the first and second innings.
Moon Dongju is going scoreless
with four strikeouts.
(indistinct chatter)
Dongju, you're doing well!
-PLAYER: Nice pitching!
-COACH: You're doing well.
CARLOS (in English): We started
incrementing his number of pitches
and innings, in terms of continuing
to develop him in his first year.
You know, but uh...
unfortunately, he got hurt.
ANCHOR (in Korean): On the ninth
of this month, super rookie Moon Dongju,
who was recognized for his potential
despite lack of control,
was excluded from the first team
due to an injury.
(in English)
Yeah, I mean, it's unfortunate.
You know, we need him healthy.
He got hurt here in the lats.
(clears throat)
Just going to have to send him down
to see how long it takes
for him to recoup.
DONGJU (in Korean): After I was excluded
due to my injury in the lats,
I'm out once again
because of my shoulders.
I was given the chance
to perform well on the first team.
I kept telling myself
I shouldn't get injured, but I did.
If I weren't injured,
I could still go out there
and play the game
to get experience and practice.
But I don't have that chance if I'm hurt.
So I'm hindering myself
from growing as a player.
I was so bummed
because I lost my goal for the season
with this.
DUE TO ANOTHER INJURY,
MOON DONGJU LEFT THE FIRST TEAM
IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER HE'LL PLAY
AS A STARTER THIS SEASON
INTERVIEWER: Did you focus more on defense
after the walk-off hit by Lee Daeho?
When the hitter hits,
I try to adjust myself to the ball
and make the catch as safely as possible.
That's why I think such great defense...
It's not that great,
but I think
that's why I've been defending well.
-ANALYST 1: To the right!
-ANALYST 2: It travels far!
ANALYST 1: He makes the catch!
Kim Hyeonjoon's insane catch!
He pops the ball up,
and the center fielder comes down!
ANALYST 2: They no longer have Park Haemin
in the center.
But they have Kim Hyeonjoon
who plays as well as he did.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
JAWOOK: I think we found a great player
who was really needed in that position.
He's a great outfielder
with good batting skills.
He keeps up
his competitiveness really well.
REPORTER: When you first picked him,
did you expect he would be this good?
SAMYOUNG: I think he's a player
that may conquer the league.
ANALYST 1: Kim Hyeonjoon records hits
18 games in a row!
ANALYST 2: It's 19 games in a row!
Kim Hyeonjoon records hits
20 games in a row!
ANALYST 3: He makes
the top ten players of the KBO League
in terms of the longest hit streaks.
HYEONJOON:
I don't want to set a limit for myself.
I want to be a player
that keeps improving.
KIM HYEONJOON
PLAYER: Are you the god of batting?
Everything's a hit for you.
That hit earlier wasn't good.
ANALYST 1: Today's the first game
of the three-game weekend series.
Recently, neither team
has been performing very well.
So this series will be
a lot of pressure on them.
ANALYST 2: In the case of Samsung,
the key players of the team are gone
due to injuries.
So their roster suddenly got much weaker
and that heavily influenced them.
The most difficult part for Samsung
is that they have many injured players.
SAMYOUNG:
The team spirit is very low right now.
It's really important
to get the team spirit going again,
but that's the hardest part.
-Feel free to pitch anything.
-Yes, sir.
MINHO: I'll switch when you nod.
But if I signal to you,
just listen to me, okay?
ANALYST 1: Today's starter is
Hwang Dongjae for the Samsung Lions.
ANALYST 2: The last time
he was a starting pitcher was 49 days ago.
When Hwang Dongjae is facing Lee Daeho,
I'm sure he feels pressured.
Lee Daeho has the power to make
an extra-base hit when he wants.
That's why it's hard to control the ball.
ANALYST 1: He lightly pushes out
the sixth pitch. It's a foul to the right.
DONGJAE: When I was facing Lotte,
I put too much thought into pitching
against a star player like Lee Daeho.
That's why I couldn't give 100%
to my pitches.
(crowd singing)
ANALYST 1: The score is four to three.
The third pitch.
-It goes to the right center.
-(crowd cheering)
The center and right fielders
are near the wall.
And it's gone!
Lee Daeho takes the lead
with a two-run homer!
TOP OF THE FIFTH
LOTTE 5 : 4 SAMSUNG
It's fine.
(crowd screaming and cheering)
COACH: It's all right.
Don't think too much.
Are you crying?
ANALYST 1:
Kim Hyeonjoon is the key player today.
His position as the leadoff hitter
is quite important today.
ANALYST 2: Kim Hyeonjoon hits
the first pitch and it pops up.
A tricky one to catch.
It doesn't become a hit!
Shortstop Lee Hakju catches the ball.
ANALYST 1: Lee Hakju manages to catch
a very tricky fly ball.
ANALYST 2: Full count.
The first baseman
fields the breaking ball.
And he steps on first base for the out.
ANALYST 1 (sucks teeth): Kim Hyeonjoon
recorded a hit in every game.
The game hasn't been playing out
in his favor,
so his timing isn't that great today.
HYEONJOON: Being a professional
baseball player is a paid job.
And if you are bad at your job,
you deserve to be criticized.
But you can be complimented
when you're good.
(crowd cheering and clapping)
ANALYST 1: The bottom of the ninth
begins with Kim Hyeonjoon leading off.
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
LOTTE 7 : 7 SAMSUNG
The second pitch.
-It's a line drive!
-(crowd cheering)
Jung Hoon's unbelievable catch!
ANALYST 2: What a great defense.
ANALYST 1: A good throw and a good hit,
followed by a good defensive play.
Wow!
ANALYST 2:
This is just unfair to Kim Hyeonjoon.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
HYEONJOON:
I guess God wanted me to grow up strong.
I didn't want my emotions
to get the best of me.
ANALYST 1:
The game continues with an extra inning.
TOP OF THE TENTH
LOTTE 7 : 7 SAMSUNG
The second pitch.
He makes contact! It flies up high.
-It's right in front of the wall!
-(clonks)
-Koo Jawook with an amazing jump catch!
-(crowd cheering)
The score is still seven to seven.
Now it's Samsung's turn
to attack in the tenth.
HYEONJOON: His helmet bounced off,
so I picked it up for him.
And I wished him good luck
and patted him on the back.
I think that drew a lot of attention.
INTERVIEWER: And then you made the game
into a cool movie.
ANALYST 1: This is
the closest game of the latter half.
ANALYST 2: That's right.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1: With this, the Lotte Giants
are feeling the pressure once again.
If you look at the probability,
this situation is absolutely
more favorable for Samsung Lions.
ANALYST 2: The second baserunner,
Kim Jichan, has nimble feet.
Kim Hyeonjoon hit a line drive
to third base...
-ANALYST 1: Right.
-...just before this.
HYEONJOON: That week,
I was in so many clutch situations.
I thought I should
at least hit one out of three.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
He pushes it out to the left for a hit!
The second baserunner is coming home!
To home base!
The game is over!
-(crowd cheering)
-(upbeat music)
ANALYST 2:
When Jeon Junwoo threw the ball,
-Kim Jichan wasn't even on third base.
-ANALYST 1: Right.
ANALYST 2: But the coach decided
he should keep going.
HYEONJOON: I knew that Coach Kim
would make him go home.
I think he trusted Jichan's speed.
After I hit the ball,
I just had my eyes on third base.
To check if he kept going.
-ANALYST 1: Coach Kim's decision.
-(crowd cheering)
-It was extremely big.
-ANALYST 2: Indeed.
(crowd cheering and whistling)
(cheering continues)
HYEONJOON:
I was so elated that I threw the helmet.
I'd never been splashed by water
like that.
Although I was completely soaked,
I was just happy.
(crowd cheering)
(players whooping)
(players shouting)
PLAYER: Come on!
INTERVIEWER: Kim Hyeonjoon,
who is replacing Park Haemin.
How is he growing as a player?
He isn't a replacement for Haemin,
but he now stands on his own.
I think Hyeonjoon will be in charge
of center field
for our team in the future.
He's going to be a player who will protect
the Samsung Lions' pride from now on.
SEOKWON: So many of the fans
who were worried and critical
when Park Haemin left
now absolutely adore Kim Hyeonjoon.
PLAYER: ♪ Kim Hyeonjoon ♪
FANS: ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Kim Hyeonjoon ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Kim Hyeonjoon with a hit ♪
(fans cheering and clapping)
KIM HYEONJOON WITH A HIT
REPORTER: People talk about you
as the Rookie of the Year. Any thoughts?
I don't know
what the Rookie of the Year is.
Rather than winning a title for myself,
I want to play baseball in the fall.
I hope that my team does well.
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
SSG LANDERS VS HANWHA EAGLES
AFTER THREE MONTHS OF RECOVERY,
MOON DONGJU PITCHES
HIS FINAL GAME ON OCTOBER 3
ANALYST 1: This is the 2022 KBO League.
We are here today for the 16th game
between SSG and Hanwha.
It is confirmed that Hanwha will be
the last place this season,
but they must find hope
for the next season.
And I'm sure they want to find that hope
in Moon Dongju today.
HYOSANG: After his first injury, I thought
he was taking the mound too early.
But after the second injury,
it looked like Hanwha
and Moon Dongju's decisions were correct.
It's best to take time.
-PLAYER 1: Good luck.
-PLAYER 2: Let's go!
-PLAYER 3: Hope you hit a homer.
-PLAYER 4: Get us a home run.
-PLAYER 5: Hit one.
-PLAYER 6: All right.
PLAYER 7: You can do it.
ANALYST 1: The season ends very soon.
So I'm looking forward
to what role he will play,
and how well he'll perform next year.
HYOSANG: Becoming the winning pitcher
in your debut year
is a very important part
of a pitcher's career.
If a year goes by without a win,
he'll be extremely disappointed.
ANALYST 1: The starting pitcher is
the Prince of Daejeon,
the super rookie, Moon Dongju.
The first pitch is a strike.
An outside pitch at 152 km/h.
He pushes the second pitch out!
It's a hit to the right
a little farther from the infield.
Choi Jihoon hits the first pitch.
The ground ball goes through the center!
A hit right in front
of the center fielder.
ANALYST 2: It seems like
they are well-prepared
for Moon Dongju's fastballs.
ANALYST 1: Back-to-back hits
by the hitters who focused on fastballs.
ANALYST 2: If Moon Dongju is the pitcher,
then no hitter would swing
for a breaking ball.
ANALYST 1: Indeed.
DONGJU: I thought
that I shouldn't go head-to-head.
And I couldn't control
my fastballs back then.
-(crowd singing and clapping)
-(suspenseful music)
-(bat clacks)
-ANALYST 1: He hits the first pitch
to the right. It's high and deep!
-ANALYST 2: That's a goner.
-ANALYST 1: It goes over the wall!
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 2: Of course, he has a fastball
with an overwhelming speed.
But when you throw too many of them,
you will get hit one day.
Moon Dongju needs to be aware of that.
DONGJU: After watching
the other players swing with confidence,
I thought
that I should still try to pitch around.
I wanted to focus
on pitching breaking balls that day.
ANALYST 1: Moon Dongju suffered
quite a bit that last inning.
The game is unpredictable for both teams.
It's the top of the fourth
with the SSG Landers on offense.
The table setters are coming next.
-(mitt clonks)
-The second pitch.
He swings for the breaking ball.
ANALYST 2:
I'm sure he'll use another breaking...
ANALYST 1: Oh,
the pitch breaks really low.
Moon Dongju is using curveballs well
like you said to force a swing.
CARLOS (in English):
Definitely understanding himself better.
Understanding how to utilize
his secondary pitches,
and getting better with it.
DONGJU (in Korean):
I think as I play more games,
I become better in many aspects.
Before, I just pitched
the ball mindlessly.
But now, I think about
what pitch I'm going to throw
depending on the situation.
So I think I've improved in that aspect.
SSG
HANWHA
ANALYST 1: From the last inning,
Moon Dongju has increased
the number of breaking balls.
ANALYST 2: Including the curve,
he uses other pitches such as sliders,
which forced the hitters to swing.
If you look since the last inning,
the height of his pitches are quite good.
ANALYST 1: And he's a great pitcher
who is talented at learning other pitches.
One of my biggest strengths
is how fast I learn.
Since I can learn quickly,
I'll grow quickly too.
DONGJU:
That's what I want to show the fans too.
ANALYST 1: He finally meets the conditions
to become a winning pitcher.
Moon Dongju at Eagles Park.
AFTER MEETING THE CONDITIONS TO WIN,
HE WAS SWITCHED OUT
ANALYST 1: You can see that the pitches
linger a bit up in the air.
That's why he's having trouble
with the timing.
ANALYST 2: The count is two and two.
He's out with a strikeout.
This is the second out!
He hits the third pitch to the right,
and it travels very far.
The ball goes very deep
behind the right fielder!
He makes the catch
for the final out of the game!
This is a story of a prince
who saves the team from a crisis.
DONGJUN: After the game was over,
I finally felt that I had won the game.
I remember my friends,
my parents, my family,
and so many fans in the crowd that day.
It was a meaningful match for me.
That day was my last time
playing as a pitcher this season,
so I threw the ball thinking
that this may be my last chance.
And it makes me happy that I got
my first win in such a great atmosphere.
(inhales sharply)
It's an experience I'll never forget.
(indistinct chatter)
(crowd cheering and whooping)
-MAN: Moon Dongju.
-FANS (chanting): Moon Dongju!
Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
FEMALE FAN (shouts): Moon Dongju!
HYOSANG: A win for a pitcher is
very symbolic to the player.
The fact that he got his first win
in his debut year
means that he has no regrets.
We can say that he had a good season.
FANS (chanting): Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
Your highest velocity today was 157 km/h.
(fans cheering)
Did you know?
I didn't know.
For your next season, do you have a goal
of increasing your velocity?
I'll go for 160 km/h.
(fans cheering)
MAN: That's an acrostic poem.
Everyone, say the first letter.
FANS: Moon!
The door opens.
FANS: Dong!
Dongju comes in.
FANS: Ju!
I'm the star!
(fans cheering and clapping)
Please give him a big round of applause.
(man chuckling)
Were you always this cheerful?
(laughter)
YONGTAIK: It didn't matter who it was,
as long as they play to Game 5
and move up.
SANGHOON: In the postseason,
-they need to become insane.
-(crowd cheering)
They need a few insane players
that the opposing team, their fans,
their bench, and their front office,
must start to hate them.
You need to make a player like that.
ANALYST 1: It goes deep!
ANALYST 2: He steps on the base
and throws it to first!
He misses the throw to first!
YONGTAIK: They were having fun
playing baseball in the postseason.
NEXT EPISODE
THE SEASON OF CRISIS
(upbeat music)
(bat clacks)
SEOUL, WESTIN JOSUN SEOUL
2023 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
-(camera shutter clicking)
-MAN 1: Hello.
MAN 2: Hello, Mr. Heo.
-MAN 3: General Manager Jang.
-(laughter)
-KOOYOUN: Good luck with the draft.
-JUNGSUK: Thank you.
KOOYOUN: We lost two games...
HOST 1: This is the 2023 KBO Rookie Draft,
the chance to meet
the future stars of baseball
ahead of time.
HOST 2: Today's event might be a place
where a future star
who'll lead and shine
in the KBO League might be born.
The Hanwha Eagles choose
Pitcher Kim Seohyeon
from Seoul High School.
KIM SEOHYEON
INTERVIEWER:
The rookies who were drafted this year
-were born in 2003.
-JAEGYUN: Yes.
INTERVIEWER: How does it make you feel
when you play baseball with them?
JAEGYUN: I'm not sure.
The age difference is just too big.
I can't put my finger around
exactly how I feel.
But I think back
on what I was doing in 2003.
We choose Catcher Kim Beomseok
from Kyungnam High School.
(applause)
JAEGYUN: I kind of envy them.
They are just so young.
When I see them,
I just hope that they'll do well
since they worked hard
to make it this far.
A lot goes on my mind watching them.
KIM DONGHEON, SEO HYUNWON, IM JUNGKYUN
REPORTER:
Your team now has two fireballers
with Moon Dongju from last year
and Kim Seohyeon from this year.
How will you make use
of these two players?
MINCHEOL:
Moon Dongju is improving his skills
quite well based on our plan.
As for Kim Seohyeon, my prediction
is that we're going to see him play
on the first team next year.
HOST 1: This is a new beginning,
not only for the rookie players
but for the teams as well.
We wish all of them good luck
in reaching the final destination
of their dreams.
2023 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
(exciting music)
-ANALYST 1: To third base!
-(mitt clonks)
ANALYST 2: Despite being a rookie,
he managed to stay focused.
I want to become a player
that fans will cheer for.
REPORTER 1: People already have
a nickname for you, "Prince of Daejeon."
I'll try my best to live up
to the fans' expectations.
ANALYST 3: Lee Junghoo missed his swing,
despite him having a great eye
with good batting skills.
REPORTER 2: I heard you were like
a K-pop idol in Lions Park.
Can you feel that you are popular?
I don't think I'm like a K-pop idol.
REPORTER 2:
Apart from your baseball performance,
I felt that many are expecting you
to win the Rookie of the Year.
How do you feel about that?
I don't know
what the Rookie of the Year is.
I don't have that in mind.
EP. 08
BECOME THE BEAST
HANWHA EAGLES SEOSAN
BASEBALL TRAINING CENTER
(players grunting and yelling)
Hello.
I'm Moon Dongju,
a pitcher playing for the Hanwha Eagles.
EUNHYE: In the previous year,
Moon Dongju played
in the U-23 Baseball World Cup.
So I think the team was worried
that he would get injured.
They wanted him to build up his body
in the second team, not the first team.
Many say that the true winner
of last year's draft is Hanwha Eagles.
It's because they recruited Moon Dongju.
HOST: We will now introduce
the players from the ten teams
who were drafted
in the first round last August.
The Hanwha Eagles drafted
the best high school pitcher,
Moon Dongju
from Gwangju Jinheung High School.
Hello.
I'm a pitcher that was drafted
in the first round by the Hanwha Eagles.
I'd like to thank the team
for trusting me and recruiting me.
I'll try to live up to your expectations.
Hanwha Eagles, Moon Dongju, let's go!
HANWHA EAGLES SEOSAN
BASEBALL TRAINING CENTER
How many do I throw, Sungmin?
45? Okay.
WOOYOUNG: A velocity equal to 155 km/h.
Not anyone can throw that fast.
But that's his velocity
warming up in the bullpen.
-(clacks)
-(coach grunts)
(in English) That's a good arm.
The way the ball comes out of his hand.
CARLOS: You could tell
why he was the number-one pick.
You know why everybody was so hyped up
about who he could be in the future.
DONGJU (in Korean):
Only the ace players on a team
can have number one on their backs.
That's why I wanted my uniform
to have that number
so that I can prove myself.
-(mitt clacks)
-COACH: All right!
Wow, nice ball.
WONHO: Dongju,
your pitches are getting stronger,
so keep that under control.
You're straining yourself too much
if you throw any harder.
Pace yourself.
Your velocity should be
around 136 km/h to 138 km/h.
Don't go over that.
Use only 70 to 80% of your full strength.
(bright music)
WONHO: When you're warming up,
the most important thing to do
is to pace yourself.
You must gradually increase
the number of pitches and power
to get ready for the season.
In the past, we had players
who threw 150 km/h in spring training,
but in the exhibition game,
their arms were already too tired.
That's why most of those players
went into rehab during the season.
That's the most important lesson
I teach the rookie players.
(player grunts loudly)
JEONGJIN: As a coach
and an experienced baseball player,
I get quite surprised.
They are very calm despite their young age
and try to deal
with all the little things as well.
And on the mound, when they have the ball,
their focus is on another level.
DONGJU: I began my training at Seosan,
but all my friends are in Geojedo
and at the first team spring camp.
I want to finish preparing here
as soon as possible
so that I can go to Daejeon and train.
INTERVIEWER: Any comments?
(soft chuckle)
First of all, since I'm filming
this documentary, I will try my best
and show the fans many great plays.
HACHEONG BASEBALL FIELD
HANWHA EAGLES FIRST TEAM
(in English) This is the follow-up
to the rebuilding
that we started last year in 2021.
CARLOS: We continue to see
our players make progress
and refine the little details of the game.
Last year, you heard
the word "rebuilding" a lot.
Rebuilding. Rebuilding.
Everything went around rebuilding
that we were starting last year.
-PLAYER (in Korean): One, two, three!
-ALL: Three!
CARLOS (in English):
That is a word of the past, okay?
We're going to play through
where winning is going
to be a big component
of what we will do this year
and strive for.
Our players have gotten better.
Our bullpen.
Our pitchers from last year to this year.
There's been a visible growth.
And great surprises like Inhwan,
you know, potential Rookie of the Year.
INHWAN (in Korean):
When I couldn't take it anymore,
I thought,
"I should at least join the first team."
That thought helped me get this far.
CARLOS (in English): There will be
internal competitions in spring training.
Embrace it. You are competing for a job.
So have a good day, guys.
-PLAYER: Thank you.
-(players clapping)
DAEJEON
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
DONGJU THREW HIS PITCH IN THE BULLPEN
WITH ALL THE TEAM OFFICIALS WATCHING
EUNHYE (in Korean):
There were so many people.
Even though it was a public holiday,
reporters were lined up.
The manager and the general manager
were there.
COACH: Nice.
EUNHYE: It'd be natural to be nervous.
But Moon Dongju
didn't seem nervous at all.
(mitt clonks)
RYU HYUNJIN
FORMER HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
CURRENT TORONTO BLUE JAYS PITCHER
CARLOS (in English):
You did a really good job.
INTERPRETER (in Korean): Good job.
CARLOS (in English):
Keep working hard, okay?
INTERPRETER (in Korean):
Keep up the good work.
HYOSANG: No one in this world will hate
getting attention for their skills.
But for the rookies,
it makes them stay excited all the time.
In other words, it may lead to plays
they aren't capable of making,
which increases
the chances of them getting injured.
A WEEK LATER, MOON DONGJU
HAD DISCOMFORT IN HIS SIDE
HE WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH AN INTERNAL OBLIQUE TEAR
DAEGU SAMSUNG LIONS PARK
SPRING CAMP
COACH: Step in with your left.
Your swing has to push through.
You're hitting the ball,
but sometimes, it'll feel like pushing...
INTERVIEWER: Can you look
into this camera and introduce yourself?
-Sure. Can I begin?
-INTERVIEWER: Yes.
Hello.
I'm Kim Hyeonjoon,
an outfielder for the Samsung Lions.
INTERVIEWER:
You can sit down a bit more comfortably.
Let's roll again.
Hello. I'm Kim Hyeonjoon,
an outfielder for the Samsung Lions.
2021 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
HYEONJOON: In my senior year
in high school, I was injured,
so I couldn't prove myself
the way I wanted to.
I had almost given up.
But in Round 9,
Samsung Lions called my name.
I was so desperate at that moment...
(inhales deeply)
-...that I ended up crying.
-(soft music)
HOST: That was the end of Round 8.
We will now begin Round 9.
2021 KBO ROOKIE DRAFT
OFFICIAL: The Samsung Lions choose
Kim Hyeonjoon from Gaesung High School.
HOST:
The Samsung Lions chose an outfielder.
Kim Hyeonjoon from Gaesung High School.
Congratulations.
EUNHYE:
In the world of professional baseball,
there's a clear hierarchy.
Depending on which round
you get picked in,
you draw more or less attention.
When you first enter the team,
everything you do
is based on when you got picked.
HOST:
Kim Hyeonjoon of Gaesung High School.
He was drafted as a player in Round 9.
HYEONJOON:
I couldn't watch the draft with my family.
I didn't want to make the mood sad
in case I didn't get picked.
I was watching it alone.
KIM HYEONJOON
SAMSUNG LIONS
I called my father right after.
(inhales sharply)
My father rarely cries.
But he choked up on the phone with me.
HYEONJOON: At first,
I wasn't an official KBO League player.
I had to get called up to be
an official player on the first team.
I was planning to play
in the Future League
and build up some experience.
But because there was
an injured player on the first team,
I got called up pretty quickly.
SAMYOUNG: It's really difficult to prevent
any injuries from happening.
SAMYOUNG: And in the end,
another player will fill up the space.
This season,
Kim Hyeonjoon and Lee Haeseung
are players who have been performing well.
So I believe
that the future is optimistic for Samsung.
ANALYST: Samsung plays the pinch hitter,
Kim Hyeonjoon,
to lead off this inning.
This is his first time entering the box
in this regular season.
WHEN KEY PLAYERS FROM THE SAMSUNG LIONS
WERE ABSENT DUE TO INJURIES,
THEY CALLED UP KIM HYEONJOON
TO THE FIRST TEAM
In this season, he has to prove himself
with every chance he gets to swing.
The count is full.
The ball is too high!
The first hitter advances with a walk!
(crowd cheering)
HYEONJOON: I got called up
after getting trained on the second team,
so I was given a chance to prove myself.
I tried to show them what I could do,
instead of trying too hard.
I think being psychologically relaxed
helped me get here.
ANALYST: A runner on second with two outs.
-(crowd cheering)
-Kim Jaehwan pops the ball up!
Two fielders go for the catch.
Center fielder Kim Hungon makes the catch!
The game is over!
The final score is six to five!
They win two games in a row from behind!
GAME OVER
SAMSUNG 6 : 5 DOOSAN
TAEWON: If you are working
as a staff on a pro team,
you dream of winning.
You wish to achieve
what you couldn't the year before.
But with Park Haemin gone,
it was quite clear
that their chance at victory got lower.
ANCHOR: Park Haemin, the captain
of the Samsung Lions this season,
signs an FA contract with the LG Twins.
TAEWON: When Park Haemin came out
as their opponent,
his batting range covers such a wide area
that when they see a hit
fly to the center, they think it's over.
ANALYST 1: He makes the catch!
(analyst 2 laughs)
ANALYST 1: An unbelievably insane catch!
ANLAYST 2: He climbed up the fence
with one hand and made the catch.
ANALYST 1: Wow, what an amazing catch.
It's a known fact
that he's an amazing fielder.
But this is such a memorable catch.
HOST 1:
Im Chankyu and Park Haemin are here today.
-Park Haemin has his new uniform on today.
-HOST 2: That's right.
How is the team spirit in LG Twins?
HAEMIN: Our team spirit is strong.
But there's a more definite hierarchy
than at Samsung Lions.
You get to be freer at Samsung Lions.
But in the LG Twins,
different from how we appear to be,
the culture here is stricter
between the senior and junior players.
It did feel a bit weird
to meet my former teammates
wearing a different uniform.
For my first game, I had no choice
but to go against my former team
whom I was with for ten years.
I had trouble controlling my emotions
in the game.
HAEMIN: I've just joined the LG Twins
as a new player this year.
I'd like to become a player
that is needed by the LG Twins
and achieve victory,
a goal my team and our fans
have much desired for a long time.
Let's go, LG Twins!
Honestly speaking, I found him difficult
and had trouble talking to him.
But he was the captain back then.
"That's how a captain should be."
That's what I thought at first.
And I think he's an extremely good player
with great defensive skills,
and I can't even imagine
to be on par with him.
INTERVIEWER: When you first heard
of his transfer, how did you feel?
After Haemin left,
in a way,
I thought this could be a chance.
And I luckily got that chance.
(inhales deeply)
So I think I got
a precious opportunity thanks to him.
ANALYST: This place is more familiar
to him than anyone else,
but he comes into this game as a stranger.
He wears a new striped uniform
to enter the very familiar place
instead of his former blue uniform.
And the home team
was brutally scarred with him gone.
They're happy that he's back here,
but they are unhappy at the same time.
On a field where mixed feelings
of happiness and unusualness exist,
how will the game play out?
It's quite awkward to have you
follow me around while filming.
Lee Youngbin, get back here.
Stop running away.
HAEMIN (in English):
Captain. Hey, Captain!
JOSÉ PIRELA
SAMSUNG LIONS OUTFIELDER
Wow. You're all right?
Please?
-PLAYER (in Korean): Come here.
-HAEMIN: Hello, everyone.
WITH VETERAN PARK HAEMIN GONE
ROOKIE KIM HYEONJOON WAS COMPETING
TO ENSURE HIS POSITION AS A CENTER FIELDER
ANALYST 1: Top of the first.
The LG Twins are on offense.
The game starts
with Park Haemin entering the box.
HAEMIN: I was very nervous that day
from the moment I entered the field
until the game finished.
The crowd was cheering really loudly.
They welcomed me onto the field,
so I'm very thankful.
ANALYST 1:
It's so natural to see Park Haemin here,
-but it's so unnatural at the same time.
-ANALYST 2: That's right.
ANALYST 1: The ball skips off the bat.
It lands in front of the left fielder.
Park Haemin goes for second
in the blink of an eye.
And Park Haemin
successfully advances to second.
(bat clacks)
He makes contact!
The ball gets fielded and thrown home!
-(mitt clonks)
-And he's safe at home base!
ANALYST 2: The Samsung hitters
must proactively swing more.
ANALYST 1:
The second pitch goes to the center.
It goes right into his gloves.
JAWOOK: Of course,
it felt unnatural in a way.
When he made good plays,
I wished he was still on our team.
And I was worried about
what we would do without him.
SEOKWON: They tried to replace Park Haemin
with a player that had around 70% or 60%
of Park Haemin's power.
But that plan failed.
They were hit big with Park Haemin gone.
And they didn't have
a backup to replace him.
But the Samsung Lions found
a pot of gold to their surprise.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1: Samsung on offense
with Kim Hyeonjoon leading off.
ANALYST 2: As I mentioned yesterday,
it's very difficult to compete
to be the leadoff hitter
-in such a short period of time.
-ANALYST 1: That's right.
ANALYST 2: Kim Hyeonjoon
is playing his role very well
on the team these days.
There were many players we had in mind.
Out of them,
our first pick was Kim Hungon.
TAEWON: Honestly,
I didn't expect Kim Hyeonjoon
to perform this well.
I thought it was much better to play him
as a substitute
when others couldn't play the position.
But when I watched him play,
he was so much more capable
than what I had expected.
ANALYST 1: It goes to center-right!
-The center fielder makes the catch.
-(mitt clonks)
Two outs.
INTERVIEWER: Was there any moment
or any aspect of him as a center fielder
that impressed you?
I'd have to say his personality.
He's cheerful, motivated,
and very competitive.
SANGSU: When he makes a bad play,
you can see that he gets pretty emotional.
Though that's a bad sign as a player,
I think rookies should be emotional.
When I see his face
and can feel his ambition,
I think, "He'll become a great player."
REPORTER:
If Kim Hyeonjoon grows as a player,
what kind of player will he become?
In other words, his limit.
SAMYOUNG: I think he'll become
like Lee Junghoo, his role model.
He'd play a style of baseball
similar to his,
including his defensive power.
Also, even the fans say
that he kind of looks like Lee Junghoo
as well.
SAMYOUNG: Although he cannot be compared
with Lee Junghoo yet,
I feel like he can be on par
with Lee Junghoo
or even surpass him in the future.
REPORTER:
He says all his hits are lucky hits.
(laughter)
I told him that his hits were good today,
and he said, "I'm just getting lucky."
SAMYOUNG:
I think he's got a humble character.
Samsung only picks players
with good characters.
(laughter continues)
ANALYST 1: This is the ninth game
between Samsung and Lotte this season.
The lineup for Samsung today.
Kim Jichan, Koo Jawook,
Pirela, Oh Jaeil, Oh Sunjin,
and Kim Jaeseong is also in the lineup.
And Kim Hyeonjoon is number nine.
REPORTER: In batting and defense,
what is your strength?
I think there are many hits in the play
with a solid point of contact.
HYEONJOON:
And I think my defense is quite stable.
(crowd clapping)
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
Lee Daeho's batted ball goes to the center
with Kim Hyeonjoon in the center.
-ANALYST 2: The ball wasn't strong enough.
-ANALYST 1: Right.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
It also goes to Kim Hyeonjoon this time.
He makes the catch. Three outs.
HYEONJOON: I am 21,
and I think I'm doing better
than Park Haemin when he was 21 years old.
BOTTOM OF THE TENTH
SAMSUNG 6 : 6 LOTTE
ANCHOR 1: Today's star was Lee Daeho.
That's right. In the ninth,
Choi Junyong started losing focus
and allowed Samsung to even out the game
to play an extra inning.
ANCHOR 2:
But Lee Daeho recorded a walk-off hit,
showing us a great performance.
ANALYST 1: Lee Daeho's batted ball
flies to center-left.
The center fielder tracks it!
He fails to make the catch!
-The final runner comes home!
-(crowd cheering)
GAME OVER
SAMSUNG 6 : 7 LOTTE
(cheering continues)
HYEONJOON:
I was defending a bit closer in.
We did a defensive shift
in the extra inning.
When he made contact,
I knew I could catch it.
But I didn't check
the distance of the wall and tripped.
ANALYST 2:
Kim Hyeonjoon was defending closer to home
and tracked the ball down,
but he couldn't catch it.
I thought, "We lost because of me."
But I was more upset at myself
because I missed such an easy catch.
(somber music)
HYEONJOON: Some people say,
"Haemin would've caught that ball."
One day, I'll become like him.
I think it really motivates me
to see people bad-mouthing me.
(crowd singing and clapping)
(crowd cheering)
(bright music)
JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM
HANWHA EAGLES VS LG TWINS
REPORTER: Hanwha fans
have all been waiting for this moment
to finally see Moon Dongju again.
ANCHOR: Moon Dongju,
who started the season
in the Futures League due to his injury,
finally made his debut
in the KBO League today.
-HOST: Come in.
-DONGJU: Hello.
-Should I sit here?
-STAFF: Yes, here.
-HOST: How about a personal question?
-REPORTER: Did any of your family members
or friends congratulate you
for getting called up to the first team?
DONGJU:
The day I got the call was Parents' Day.
I didn't prepare a big gift for them.
DONGJU: But thanks to that call,
I managed to survive that day.
(laughter)
I know I joined the first team
much later than expected,
but during rehab,
the coaches really took good care of me.
So I'm in perfect condition.
So I'll train well and win.
(people clapping)
HOST: That'll be it.
REPORTER: I love the confidence.
CARLOS (in English): Moon is healthy.
And he'll be relieving one inning
into the first couple of weeks.
He won't go back-to-back.
PLAYER (in Korean): I'm so unlucky.
I don't want you
to get negatively influenced by me.
Not at all.
DONGJU: If I'm playing one inning,
I'd have to face three hitters
no matter what.
I'll try my best to go scoreless
against just three hitters.
ANALYST 1:
I'm looking forward to this game
just as much as the Hanwha fans.
He showed great pitching when he played
two games in the Futures League.
I'm sure he'll be readying up
in the bullpen.
If he does play today,
-I expect a great performance from him.
-ANALYST 2: Right.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
HANWHA 1 : 0 LG
A runner on third with two outs.
-(crowd cheering)
-The ball flies to center-left!
It completely penetrates
through the defense!
The third baserunner comes home!
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
HANWHA 1 : 1 LG
JANG MINJE
HANWHA EAGLES PITCHER
Gosh, I'm such an idiot.
REPORTER:
Jang Minje did a great job pitching,
only allowing one run over five innings.
This momentum
will definitely help the game.
It's the bullpen's job
to maintain excellent pitching.
Keep your eyes on the game
to see how the bullpen performs today.
(crowd chanting)
ANALYST 1: Wow, Moon Dongju is warming up.
This will be another interesting facet
to today's game.
Moon Dongju.
ANALYST 2: I'm very curious to see
what kind of pitches he will throw today.
ANALYST 1:
The beast rookie takes the mound.
The way he opened the door from the dugout
made a strong impression on me.
ANALYST 2: He's smiling as he runs out.
It shows how bold he is.
DONGJU: I tried my best
to take the mound quickly and pitch.
It was hard to get my touch back.
It was really difficult to get
my good pitches back again.
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
HANWHA 1 : 5 LG
(clacks)
ANALYST 1: 153 and 154 km/h.
He pitched two fastballs.
The ball breaks low.
It's a hit to the left.
Oh Jihwan gets a hit against Moon Dongju
who made his debut today.
-(clacks)
-This one is important. It travels far.
And this ball bounces off the wall.
Oh Jihwan scores a run.
The score is now six to one.
ANALYST 2: The LG Twins' veteran hitters
are teaching him a lesson.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
The beast rookie, Moon Dongju,
may not be able to pitch a full inning.
ANALYST 2: It looks like
they are switching the pitcher.
ANALYST 1: A strenuous debut
for the beast rookie, Moon Dongju.
He pitched two outs,
but let LG score three runs
before getting switched out.
DONGJU: I couldn't control my pitches.
I couldn't pitch
good breaking balls either.
-Overall, I disliked my pitching that day.
-(somber music)
MOON DONGJU MADE HIS FIRST TEAM DEBUT
WITH MANY FANS CHEERING HIM ON
BUT HE FACED DIFFICULTIES
IN HIS FIRST PRO LEAGUE APPEARANCE
JEONGJIN: He did receive
a lot of attention coming here.
But I told him in the professional league,
he must start from the bottom.
There was no need for him to rush.
I told him he'll have many days
when he can pitch at full power.
I also said that if he continues to pitch
like that, he'll one day become a star.
However, he must not get injured.
In the beginning, when there was a jam,
I always sighed and thought,
"I'm screwed."
So I had a rough time after that day.
-Hello.
-MEDIA: Hello.
CARLOS (in English): Yesterday,
he threw a good fastball velocity.
Talking to him today, he understands
that it's not about power pitching.
It's about command
and being able to put your pitches
or locate your pitches
where they should be
and using your off-speed well.
So it's going to be a learning curve.
He's a kid who was just
in high school last year, and now...
MOON DONGJU
I think Moon, one day,
should be a starter, not a reliever.
Right now, because of all this,
the league has started,
so with the health issues, we're talking
to go slowly and try to build him up.
ANALYST (in Korean): Rookie Moon Dongju
takes the mound for the second time
this season for Hanwha.
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
LOTTE GIANTS VS HANWHA EAGLES
(in English) He's a young kid.
He's a young kid.
It's not going to be a straight road.
CARLOS: He's going to face some adversity.
He's going to have
to make some adjustments
like any young player does.
ANALYST 1 (in Korean):
The rookie pitcher, Moon Dongju,
finishes the inning
with just three hitters.
ANALYST 2: After his debut, his pitches
in the next two games were great.
Many consider him to be performing well.
CARLOS (in English):
But we're very positive
that he'll be making those adjustments.
Uh, but so far, it's been good.
He's definitely lived up
to the expectation.
ANALYST 1 (in Korean):
The Hanwha Eagles are two runs ahead
with the score at six to four.
Moon Dongju takes the mound.
Lee Junghoo makes contact,
but the first baseman fields it.
-(mitt clonks)
-And the pitcher covers the first base!
(crowd cheering)
-The fastball is in the zone!
-(mitt clonks)
Hanwha Eagles' future, Moon Dongju,
sets the stepping stone to victory
at the bottom of the eighth!
Hello.
JAMSIL BASEBALL STADIUM
HANWHA EAGLES VS DOOSAN BEARS
REPORTER: This is your first time
playing as a starter in pro baseball.
How did you feel
when you first heard about starting?
DONGJU:
I knew that I'd be pitching more innings,
but I was surprised
that I was going to play as a starter.
DONGJU (inhales deeply):
I thought that I must do well.
ANALYST 1: The count is one and two.
He pops up the breaking ball.
It flies pretty far,
but it is not far enough.
The left fielder makes the catch.
He only faced seven hitters
in the first and second innings.
Moon Dongju is going scoreless
with four strikeouts.
(indistinct chatter)
Dongju, you're doing well!
-PLAYER: Nice pitching!
-COACH: You're doing well.
CARLOS (in English): We started
incrementing his number of pitches
and innings, in terms of continuing
to develop him in his first year.
You know, but uh...
unfortunately, he got hurt.
ANCHOR (in Korean): On the ninth
of this month, super rookie Moon Dongju,
who was recognized for his potential
despite lack of control,
was excluded from the first team
due to an injury.
(in English)
Yeah, I mean, it's unfortunate.
You know, we need him healthy.
He got hurt here in the lats.
(clears throat)
Just going to have to send him down
to see how long it takes
for him to recoup.
DONGJU (in Korean): After I was excluded
due to my injury in the lats,
I'm out once again
because of my shoulders.
I was given the chance
to perform well on the first team.
I kept telling myself
I shouldn't get injured, but I did.
If I weren't injured,
I could still go out there
and play the game
to get experience and practice.
But I don't have that chance if I'm hurt.
So I'm hindering myself
from growing as a player.
I was so bummed
because I lost my goal for the season
with this.
DUE TO ANOTHER INJURY,
MOON DONGJU LEFT THE FIRST TEAM
IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER HE'LL PLAY
AS A STARTER THIS SEASON
INTERVIEWER: Did you focus more on defense
after the walk-off hit by Lee Daeho?
When the hitter hits,
I try to adjust myself to the ball
and make the catch as safely as possible.
That's why I think such great defense...
It's not that great,
but I think
that's why I've been defending well.
-ANALYST 1: To the right!
-ANALYST 2: It travels far!
ANALYST 1: He makes the catch!
Kim Hyeonjoon's insane catch!
He pops the ball up,
and the center fielder comes down!
ANALYST 2: They no longer have Park Haemin
in the center.
But they have Kim Hyeonjoon
who plays as well as he did.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
JAWOOK: I think we found a great player
who was really needed in that position.
He's a great outfielder
with good batting skills.
He keeps up
his competitiveness really well.
REPORTER: When you first picked him,
did you expect he would be this good?
SAMYOUNG: I think he's a player
that may conquer the league.
ANALYST 1: Kim Hyeonjoon records hits
18 games in a row!
ANALYST 2: It's 19 games in a row!
Kim Hyeonjoon records hits
20 games in a row!
ANALYST 3: He makes
the top ten players of the KBO League
in terms of the longest hit streaks.
HYEONJOON:
I don't want to set a limit for myself.
I want to be a player
that keeps improving.
KIM HYEONJOON
PLAYER: Are you the god of batting?
Everything's a hit for you.
That hit earlier wasn't good.
ANALYST 1: Today's the first game
of the three-game weekend series.
Recently, neither team
has been performing very well.
So this series will be
a lot of pressure on them.
ANALYST 2: In the case of Samsung,
the key players of the team are gone
due to injuries.
So their roster suddenly got much weaker
and that heavily influenced them.
The most difficult part for Samsung
is that they have many injured players.
SAMYOUNG:
The team spirit is very low right now.
It's really important
to get the team spirit going again,
but that's the hardest part.
-Feel free to pitch anything.
-Yes, sir.
MINHO: I'll switch when you nod.
But if I signal to you,
just listen to me, okay?
ANALYST 1: Today's starter is
Hwang Dongjae for the Samsung Lions.
ANALYST 2: The last time
he was a starting pitcher was 49 days ago.
When Hwang Dongjae is facing Lee Daeho,
I'm sure he feels pressured.
Lee Daeho has the power to make
an extra-base hit when he wants.
That's why it's hard to control the ball.
ANALYST 1: He lightly pushes out
the sixth pitch. It's a foul to the right.
DONGJAE: When I was facing Lotte,
I put too much thought into pitching
against a star player like Lee Daeho.
That's why I couldn't give 100%
to my pitches.
(crowd singing)
ANALYST 1: The score is four to three.
The third pitch.
-It goes to the right center.
-(crowd cheering)
The center and right fielders
are near the wall.
And it's gone!
Lee Daeho takes the lead
with a two-run homer!
TOP OF THE FIFTH
LOTTE 5 : 4 SAMSUNG
It's fine.
(crowd screaming and cheering)
COACH: It's all right.
Don't think too much.
Are you crying?
ANALYST 1:
Kim Hyeonjoon is the key player today.
His position as the leadoff hitter
is quite important today.
ANALYST 2: Kim Hyeonjoon hits
the first pitch and it pops up.
A tricky one to catch.
It doesn't become a hit!
Shortstop Lee Hakju catches the ball.
ANALYST 1: Lee Hakju manages to catch
a very tricky fly ball.
ANALYST 2: Full count.
The first baseman
fields the breaking ball.
And he steps on first base for the out.
ANALYST 1 (sucks teeth): Kim Hyeonjoon
recorded a hit in every game.
The game hasn't been playing out
in his favor,
so his timing isn't that great today.
HYEONJOON: Being a professional
baseball player is a paid job.
And if you are bad at your job,
you deserve to be criticized.
But you can be complimented
when you're good.
(crowd cheering and clapping)
ANALYST 1: The bottom of the ninth
begins with Kim Hyeonjoon leading off.
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
LOTTE 7 : 7 SAMSUNG
The second pitch.
-It's a line drive!
-(crowd cheering)
Jung Hoon's unbelievable catch!
ANALYST 2: What a great defense.
ANALYST 1: A good throw and a good hit,
followed by a good defensive play.
Wow!
ANALYST 2:
This is just unfair to Kim Hyeonjoon.
ANALYST 1: That's right.
HYEONJOON:
I guess God wanted me to grow up strong.
I didn't want my emotions
to get the best of me.
ANALYST 1:
The game continues with an extra inning.
TOP OF THE TENTH
LOTTE 7 : 7 SAMSUNG
The second pitch.
He makes contact! It flies up high.
-It's right in front of the wall!
-(clonks)
-Koo Jawook with an amazing jump catch!
-(crowd cheering)
The score is still seven to seven.
Now it's Samsung's turn
to attack in the tenth.
HYEONJOON: His helmet bounced off,
so I picked it up for him.
And I wished him good luck
and patted him on the back.
I think that drew a lot of attention.
INTERVIEWER: And then you made the game
into a cool movie.
ANALYST 1: This is
the closest game of the latter half.
ANALYST 2: That's right.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1: With this, the Lotte Giants
are feeling the pressure once again.
If you look at the probability,
this situation is absolutely
more favorable for Samsung Lions.
ANALYST 2: The second baserunner,
Kim Jichan, has nimble feet.
Kim Hyeonjoon hit a line drive
to third base...
-ANALYST 1: Right.
-...just before this.
HYEONJOON: That week,
I was in so many clutch situations.
I thought I should
at least hit one out of three.
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 1:
He pushes it out to the left for a hit!
The second baserunner is coming home!
To home base!
The game is over!
-(crowd cheering)
-(upbeat music)
ANALYST 2:
When Jeon Junwoo threw the ball,
-Kim Jichan wasn't even on third base.
-ANALYST 1: Right.
ANALYST 2: But the coach decided
he should keep going.
HYEONJOON: I knew that Coach Kim
would make him go home.
I think he trusted Jichan's speed.
After I hit the ball,
I just had my eyes on third base.
To check if he kept going.
-ANALYST 1: Coach Kim's decision.
-(crowd cheering)
-It was extremely big.
-ANALYST 2: Indeed.
(crowd cheering and whistling)
(cheering continues)
HYEONJOON:
I was so elated that I threw the helmet.
I'd never been splashed by water
like that.
Although I was completely soaked,
I was just happy.
(crowd cheering)
(players whooping)
(players shouting)
PLAYER: Come on!
INTERVIEWER: Kim Hyeonjoon,
who is replacing Park Haemin.
How is he growing as a player?
He isn't a replacement for Haemin,
but he now stands on his own.
I think Hyeonjoon will be in charge
of center field
for our team in the future.
He's going to be a player who will protect
the Samsung Lions' pride from now on.
SEOKWON: So many of the fans
who were worried and critical
when Park Haemin left
now absolutely adore Kim Hyeonjoon.
PLAYER: ♪ Kim Hyeonjoon ♪
FANS: ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Kim Hyeonjoon ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Kim Hyeonjoon with a hit ♪
(fans cheering and clapping)
KIM HYEONJOON WITH A HIT
REPORTER: People talk about you
as the Rookie of the Year. Any thoughts?
I don't know
what the Rookie of the Year is.
Rather than winning a title for myself,
I want to play baseball in the fall.
I hope that my team does well.
HANWHA LIFE EAGLES PARK
SSG LANDERS VS HANWHA EAGLES
AFTER THREE MONTHS OF RECOVERY,
MOON DONGJU PITCHES
HIS FINAL GAME ON OCTOBER 3
ANALYST 1: This is the 2022 KBO League.
We are here today for the 16th game
between SSG and Hanwha.
It is confirmed that Hanwha will be
the last place this season,
but they must find hope
for the next season.
And I'm sure they want to find that hope
in Moon Dongju today.
HYOSANG: After his first injury, I thought
he was taking the mound too early.
But after the second injury,
it looked like Hanwha
and Moon Dongju's decisions were correct.
It's best to take time.
-PLAYER 1: Good luck.
-PLAYER 2: Let's go!
-PLAYER 3: Hope you hit a homer.
-PLAYER 4: Get us a home run.
-PLAYER 5: Hit one.
-PLAYER 6: All right.
PLAYER 7: You can do it.
ANALYST 1: The season ends very soon.
So I'm looking forward
to what role he will play,
and how well he'll perform next year.
HYOSANG: Becoming the winning pitcher
in your debut year
is a very important part
of a pitcher's career.
If a year goes by without a win,
he'll be extremely disappointed.
ANALYST 1: The starting pitcher is
the Prince of Daejeon,
the super rookie, Moon Dongju.
The first pitch is a strike.
An outside pitch at 152 km/h.
He pushes the second pitch out!
It's a hit to the right
a little farther from the infield.
Choi Jihoon hits the first pitch.
The ground ball goes through the center!
A hit right in front
of the center fielder.
ANALYST 2: It seems like
they are well-prepared
for Moon Dongju's fastballs.
ANALYST 1: Back-to-back hits
by the hitters who focused on fastballs.
ANALYST 2: If Moon Dongju is the pitcher,
then no hitter would swing
for a breaking ball.
ANALYST 1: Indeed.
DONGJU: I thought
that I shouldn't go head-to-head.
And I couldn't control
my fastballs back then.
-(crowd singing and clapping)
-(suspenseful music)
-(bat clacks)
-ANALYST 1: He hits the first pitch
to the right. It's high and deep!
-ANALYST 2: That's a goner.
-ANALYST 1: It goes over the wall!
(crowd cheering)
ANALYST 2: Of course, he has a fastball
with an overwhelming speed.
But when you throw too many of them,
you will get hit one day.
Moon Dongju needs to be aware of that.
DONGJU: After watching
the other players swing with confidence,
I thought
that I should still try to pitch around.
I wanted to focus
on pitching breaking balls that day.
ANALYST 1: Moon Dongju suffered
quite a bit that last inning.
The game is unpredictable for both teams.
It's the top of the fourth
with the SSG Landers on offense.
The table setters are coming next.
-(mitt clonks)
-The second pitch.
He swings for the breaking ball.
ANALYST 2:
I'm sure he'll use another breaking...
ANALYST 1: Oh,
the pitch breaks really low.
Moon Dongju is using curveballs well
like you said to force a swing.
CARLOS (in English):
Definitely understanding himself better.
Understanding how to utilize
his secondary pitches,
and getting better with it.
DONGJU (in Korean):
I think as I play more games,
I become better in many aspects.
Before, I just pitched
the ball mindlessly.
But now, I think about
what pitch I'm going to throw
depending on the situation.
So I think I've improved in that aspect.
SSG
HANWHA
ANALYST 1: From the last inning,
Moon Dongju has increased
the number of breaking balls.
ANALYST 2: Including the curve,
he uses other pitches such as sliders,
which forced the hitters to swing.
If you look since the last inning,
the height of his pitches are quite good.
ANALYST 1: And he's a great pitcher
who is talented at learning other pitches.
One of my biggest strengths
is how fast I learn.
Since I can learn quickly,
I'll grow quickly too.
DONGJU:
That's what I want to show the fans too.
ANALYST 1: He finally meets the conditions
to become a winning pitcher.
Moon Dongju at Eagles Park.
AFTER MEETING THE CONDITIONS TO WIN,
HE WAS SWITCHED OUT
ANALYST 1: You can see that the pitches
linger a bit up in the air.
That's why he's having trouble
with the timing.
ANALYST 2: The count is two and two.
He's out with a strikeout.
This is the second out!
He hits the third pitch to the right,
and it travels very far.
The ball goes very deep
behind the right fielder!
He makes the catch
for the final out of the game!
This is a story of a prince
who saves the team from a crisis.
DONGJUN: After the game was over,
I finally felt that I had won the game.
I remember my friends,
my parents, my family,
and so many fans in the crowd that day.
It was a meaningful match for me.
That day was my last time
playing as a pitcher this season,
so I threw the ball thinking
that this may be my last chance.
And it makes me happy that I got
my first win in such a great atmosphere.
(inhales sharply)
It's an experience I'll never forget.
(indistinct chatter)
(crowd cheering and whooping)
-MAN: Moon Dongju.
-FANS (chanting): Moon Dongju!
Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
FEMALE FAN (shouts): Moon Dongju!
HYOSANG: A win for a pitcher is
very symbolic to the player.
The fact that he got his first win
in his debut year
means that he has no regrets.
We can say that he had a good season.
FANS (chanting): Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
Moon Dongju! Moon Dongju!
Your highest velocity today was 157 km/h.
(fans cheering)
Did you know?
I didn't know.
For your next season, do you have a goal
of increasing your velocity?
I'll go for 160 km/h.
(fans cheering)
MAN: That's an acrostic poem.
Everyone, say the first letter.
FANS: Moon!
The door opens.
FANS: Dong!
Dongju comes in.
FANS: Ju!
I'm the star!
(fans cheering and clapping)
Please give him a big round of applause.
(man chuckling)
Were you always this cheerful?
(laughter)
YONGTAIK: It didn't matter who it was,
as long as they play to Game 5
and move up.
SANGHOON: In the postseason,
-they need to become insane.
-(crowd cheering)
They need a few insane players
that the opposing team, their fans,
their bench, and their front office,
must start to hate them.
You need to make a player like that.
ANALYST 1: It goes deep!
ANALYST 2: He steps on the base
and throws it to first!
He misses the throw to first!
YONGTAIK: They were having fun
playing baseball in the postseason.
NEXT EPISODE
THE SEASON OF CRISIS