KT Wiz slugger Rojas Jr. comes up one category shy of KBO Triple Crown

He gave it a good run, but Mel Rojas Jr. of the KT Wiz has ultimately come up short of winning a South Korean baseball batting Triple Crown. The 30-year-old outfielder led the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in the regular season with 47 home runs and 135 RBIs. He built such substantial leads in those two categories down the stretch that the only suspense was whether he would also win the batting title and take home the Triple Crown. The best Rojas Jr. can hope for now is to finish second i

BaseballOct. 31, 2020

Bears defeat Heroes in final KBO regular season game

Starter Raul Alcantara tossed eight shutout innings for his league-leading 20th win, as the Doosan Bears blanked the Kiwoom Heroes 2-0 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul to close out their Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season on Friday. Alcantara lost his perfect game bid with two outs in the sixth inning, while allowing just two hits and striking out five to finish the season at 20-2 with a 2.54 ERA. The Bears scored a run in each of the first two innings, and Alcantara made tha

BaseballOct. 30, 2020

S. Korean Olympic football team to play in Nov. friendly tournament in Egypt

The South Korean men's Olympic football team will play at a friendly tournament in Egypt next month. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Friday that the national under-23 squad, coached by Kim Hak-bum, will face Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the tournament taking place in Cairo. South Korea will first take on Egypt at 1 a.m. on Nov. 14 (Seoul time) and then Saudi Arabia at 1 a.m. three days later. All three countries have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. These matches fall during the N

SoccerOct. 30, 2020

KBO club manager resigns after health scares

A South Korean baseball club manager has resigned after experiencing health scares amid a disappointing season. The SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Friday that Youm Kyoung-youb has decided to step down after two seasons on the bench. The 52-year-old had one more year left in his contract. Youm fell ill and briefly lost consciousness during a game on June 25. Doctors later pointed to excessive stress, lack of sleep and poor diet as causes for Youm's health problems. Be

BaseballOct. 30, 2020

Retiring football legend says mental, not physical, issues pushed him into retirement

JEONJU -- Even at the age of 41, Lee Dong-gook has felt great physically in his 23rd professional football season. But the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors legend and K League's career scoring leader, in making his retirement official Wednesday, said he no longer has the mental toughness necessary to survive the grind. "I know a lot of people may assume that I am quitting because of my injury, but I am fully recovered and feeling great," Lee said at a press conference at Jeonju World Cup Stadi

SoccerOct. 28, 2020

Rays, Choi Ji-man bow out vs. Dodgers in World Series

The first trip to the World Series for the Tampa Bay Rays' South Korean first baseman Choi Ji-man has ended with a bitter defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Choi went 0-for-2 with a walk in the Rays' 3-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday (local time). The Dodgers took the best-of-seven series 4-2 to capture their first championship since 1988. The Rays, in their second trip to the World Series, came up short in trying to win t

BaseballOct. 28, 2020

Tottenham's Son Heung-min scores 8th goal, leads Premier League scoring

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has become the top scorer in the Premier League, with his league-leading eighth goal giving his team a tight 1-0 victory. In an away game against Burnley at Turf Moor in Burnley, Britain, on Monday (local time), Son headed in from close range after a headed pass from his English teammate Harry Kane in the 76th minute. The winner is Son's eighth goal in the league's 2020-21 season and helped him take the lead in the Premier League scoring table, outnumbering Do

SoccerOct. 27, 2020

KT Wiz manager signs 3-year extension after guiding club to 1st KBO postseason

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul has signed a three-year extension with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club after leading them to their first-ever postseason. The Wiz announced Monday that Lee has agreed to a new three-year deal worth 2 billion won ($1.78 million), with 500 million won in annual salary and a signing bonus of 500 million won. Lee's current deal was to run through 2021, but the Wiz wasted no time in giving him extra years. The Wiz, who joined the KBO in 2015, are enjoying th

BaseballOct. 26, 2020

S. Korean football's career leading scorer announces retirement

Lee Dong-gook, the career scoring leader in South Korean club football, announced his retirement on Monday. Lee's K League 1 club, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, said Lee, 41, will hold his retirement press conference on Thursday at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. Lee will make his final appearance in the club's final match of the season on Sunday -- against Daegu FC at Jeonju. The ageless wonder has scored 228 goals in his illustrious K League career, which include

SoccerOct. 26, 2020

Rays' Choi Ji-man pulled back from pinch-hitting duty in World Series loss

Tampa Bay Rays' Choi Ji-man watched as his club got pushed to the brink in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The South Korean first baseman was summoned for a pinch-hitting duty in the bottom eighth, only to be pulled back immediately against a new reliever, as the Rays fell to the Dodgers 4-2 in Game 5 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday (local time). The Dodgers lead the series 3-2 and can capture their first championship in 32 years in Game

BaseballOct. 26, 2020

Damwon Gaming and Suning to clash at LoL World Championship finals

South Korea’s Damwon Gaming took down Europe’s G2 Esports in a convincing 3-1 win at the League of Legend World Championship semifinals on Saturday. This is the first time a Korean team has made the finals in three years at the biggest esports event of the year. For the past two years, Chinese teams have played against European teams at the finals, including the 2018 finals in Incheon. Damwon looked unstoppable as they finished the last game of the series against G2 in just 19 min

More SportsOct. 26, 2020

KBO postseason games to be shown live on Lotte Cinema screens

Baseball fans who miss out on postseason tickets next month will be able to watch games live on select big screens across the country. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Monday that it has reached an agreement with Lotte Cinema, one of South Korea's top multiplex chains, to screen live postseason games at 10 locations nationwide. Websites and official apps for both the KBO and Lotte Cinema will provide further details on screening times and ticketing. The postseason begins Sunday

BaseballOct. 26, 2020

KBO clubs jostling for playoff position as regular season nears end

The 2020 regular season in South Korean baseball will wrap up this week, with four of the five postseason-bound clubs expected to jostle for position until the very end. The NC Dinos clinched the No. 1 seed in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason last Saturday. Four other teams -- the LG Twins, KT Wiz, Kiwoom Heroes and Doosan Bears -- have also secured playoff spots, but their final positions are still to be determined. The Dinos will advance directly to the Korean Series. The No.

BaseballOct. 26, 2020

As ex-IOC member, late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee also left mark on S. Korean sports

The giant for South Korea's economy as the head of Samsung Group, Lee Kun-hee, who passed away Sunday at age 78, also left an important mark on sports for his country. Lee was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1996 to 2017, serving on its Cultural Commission in 1997 and Finance Commission from 1998 to 1999. With Samsung also emerging as one of the IOC's most important corporate partners, Lee played an instrumental role in helping bring the 2018 Winter Olympics to the So

Olympic GamesOct. 25, 2020

Rays' Choi Ji-man draws 2 walks off the bench in wild World Series victory

Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays came off the bench to work two walks in his club's dramatic World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Choi also scored a run in his two trips to the plate, as the Rays walked off on the Dodgers 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday (local time). The best-of-seven series is now tied at 2-2. Game 5 is back at the same ballpark at 7:08 p.m. Sunday in Arlington, or 9:08 a.m. Monda

BaseballOct. 25, 2020

Side selection in LoL Worlds semifinals

The first game of the semifinals for the League of Legend World Championships will feature Korean top seed Damwon Gaming against European first seed G2 Esports on Saturday at 7 p.m. The match will decide which of the two regions will be knocked out of the tournament and which will head to the finals. Damwon Gaming went undefeated in the second round robin of the LoL Champions Korea Summer, going 9-0 in match score and losing only one set against Gen.G. They’ve dropped a single game o

More SportsOct. 23, 2020

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun sees room for improvement despite strong rookie campaign

At first glance, South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun enjoyed a solid first season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Following 13 largely successful years with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kim, who inked a two-year deal worth $8 million last December, was a perfect 3-0 with an excellent 1.62 ERA in eight appearances, including seven starts. But in a season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Kim admitted he wasn't even in his best shape. That he still managed to post t

BaseballOct. 23, 2020

Rays' Choi Ji-man gets 1st career World Series hit in win over Dodgers

Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays has become the first South Korean with a hit in the World Series, while also helping his team's victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers with some heads-up baserunning. Choi went 1-for-3 and scored twice as the Rays beat the Dodgers 6-4 in Game 2 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday (local time). The best-of-seven series is now even at 1-1, and the teams will be back at the same stadium for Game 3 at 7:08 p.m. Friday in Arlington, or 9:08 a.m. Satu

BaseballOct. 22, 2020

K League's top two clubs clash for last time with title at stake

So they meet again. Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the two best clubs in the K League 1 in 2020, will square off for the final time in the league this season Sunday. The match will kick off at 4:30 p.m. at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul. With two matches remaining, Ulsan and Jeonbuk are tied with the most points in the league at 54, and no other club has a chance to catch them. Ulsan remain ahead of Jeonbuk for now, thanks to their edge i

SoccerOct. 22, 2020

KBO veteran Kim Tae-kyun retires after 18 seasons with Hanwha Eagles

Kim Tae-kyun, one of the most productive hitters in South Korean baseball history, has decided to call it a career after 18 seasons with one franchise. The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Wednesday that Kim, 38, will retire at the end of the season. Kim is scheduled to hold a press conference before a home game against the Kia Tigers at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on Thursday. The regular season ends on Oct. 30. The team w

BaseballOct. 21, 2020