baseball in South Korea Baseball is believed to have been introduced to Korea in 1905 by American missionaries during the Korean Empire, after which it gradually attained prominence. After the division of the Korean Peninsula into North Korea, backed by the Soviet U ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

bat flip In baseball, a bat flip is the throwing of a baseball bat in such a way that it rotates several times before landing. It is typically done by a batter to show off after hitting a home run. This is in contrast to the usual practice of dropping the ...

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words by hitters after stroking what they think will be a home run. In the KBO, the bat flipping tradition dates to the 1990s.

League structure

Regular season

Since the 2015 season, each team plays 144 games in the regular season, an increase from 128 games, along with the introduction of the KT Wiz to the league. Each team plays every other team 16 times. In general, Korean teams play six games a week, with every Monday off.

KBO All-Star Game

In mid-July of every season, the best players participate in the KBO All-Star Game. The franchises participating are divided into two sets of teams: "Dream All-Stars" (Doosan, KT, Lotte, Samsung, and SSG) and "Nanum All-Stars" (Kia, Hanwha, LG, NC and Kiwoom).

Post-season

The KBO League's season culminates in its championship series, known as the KBO Korean Series. Currently, the top five teams qualify for the post-season based on win–loss records. The lowest-qualifying teams face off in a step-ladder playoff system, where each winner then faces the next-highest team, culminating in the Korean Series against the top-ranked team. * ''KBO Wild Card Game'': fifth-place team vs. fourth-place team ::''Fourth-place team starts the series with a 1–0 lead and advances with one win or a tie, while the fifth-place team must win twice to advance.'' * ''KBO Semi-playoffs'': KBO Wild Card Game winner vs. third-place team ::''Best of five series.'' * ''KBO Playoffs'': KBO Semi-playoffs winner vs. second-place team ::''Best of five series.'' * ''KBO Korean Series'': KBO Playoffs winner vs. first-place team ::''Best of seven series.'' Any playoff games ending in an official tie are replayed, thereby raising the possibility of a close series containing more than the scheduled five or seven games.

Rules

The KBO League rules are essentially those of the American

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

(MLB). The

designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by t ...

rule is universal in KBO. Traditionally, South Korean professional baseball games have a maximum number of extra innings before a game is declared an official tie. The KBO abolished this limit for the 2008 season, but it was reinstated in 2009, with a 12-inning limit imposed during the regular season, and a 15-inning limit for playoff games.

History

Origins

The first game was played on March 27, 1982, between the Samsung Lions and the

MBC Chungyong MBC may refer to: Broadcasting * Major Broadcasting Cable Network, renamed to Black Family Channel * Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, a Malawian state-run radio company * Manila Broadcasting Company, in the Philippines * Mauritius Broadcasting ...

at

Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Seoul, South Korea. It was used mostly for baseball games. The stadium held 26,874 people. The stadium was built in 1959 and was demolished in 2007, along with the Dongdaemun Stadium. It ...

,

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

. Then-president Chun Doo-hwan threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The 1982 charter teams of its first season were: * Haitai Tigers, based in Gwangju * Lotte Giants, based in

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea ...

*

MBC Chungyong MBC may refer to: Broadcasting * Major Broadcasting Cable Network, renamed to Black Family Channel * Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, a Malawian state-run radio company * Manila Broadcasting Company, in the Philippines * Mauritius Broadcasting ...

, based in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

*

OB Bears The Doosan Bears ( ko, 두산 베어스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. Founded in 1982, they are a member of the KBO League. The Bears have won six Korean Series titles (1982, 1995, 2001, 2015, 2016, and 2019) and ...

, based in Daejeon * Sammi Superstars, based in Incheon * Samsung Lions, based in Daegu The first

Korean Series The Korean Series is the final championship series of the KBO League. It has been held since the KBO League's first season in and is the final series of the post-season play-offs. From to 2013, the winner of the Korean Series went on to play in ...

featured the Bears versus the Lions, with OB winning the championship 4-games-to-1, with a tie.

The 1980s

The Haitai Tigers dominated the 1980s, winning the Korean Series five times — in 1983, 1986, and 1987 through 1989. They were led by pitcher Sun Dong-yol and infielders Kim Seong-han and

Han Dae-hwa Han Dae-hwa (Hangul: 한대화, Hanja: 韓大化; born July 8, 1960 in Daejeon, South Korea) is a former South Korean third baseman and the former manager of the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization. Han played 17 years in the KBO L ...

. Other KBO stars whose careers took off in the 1980s were sluggers

Chang Jong-hoon Chang Jong-hoon (born April 10, 1968) is a retired former infielder in the KBO League. He spent his entire 20-year career with Binggrae/Hanwha Eagles. He is currently a coach with the team. Chang was a two-time KBO MVP, and led the league in h ...

and Lee Man-soo. From 1982 to 1988, the regular season was divided into two (a spring season and a fall season), with a first-half pennant winner and a latter-half pennant winner. The two pennant winners then played each other for the

Korean Series The Korean Series is the final championship series of the KBO League. It has been held since the KBO League's first season in and is the final series of the post-season play-offs. From to 2013, the winner of the Korean Series went on to play in ...

championship.Young Hoon Lee, Rodney Fort, editors. ''The Sports Business in The Pacific Rim: Economics and Policy'' (Springer, Oct 31, 2014
p. 178
The 1982 campaign featured an 80-game (in total) season, which expanded to 100 games from 1983 to 1984. Rosters for each team were small (sometimes as few as 14 players), and many players in the league both pitched and batted. Bang Soo-won of the Haitai Tigers pitched the first no-hitter in Korean professional baseball history, in 1984 against the Sammi Superstars.Kim Tae-jong
"No-hitter records in KBO history,"
''The Korea Times'' (2014-06-25). Mid-season 1985, the Sammi Superstars were sold and became known as the

Chungbo Pintos The Hyundai Unicorns () were a South Korean professional baseball team based in Suwon. They were a member of the KBO League. The Unicorns won the KBO championship four times (1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004). The Unicorns were dissolved after the 20 ...

, and the full season expanded to 110 games. Because the Samsung Lions won both half-season pennants (with a still single-season record .706 winning percentage), the Lions won the title outright so no

Korean Series The Korean Series is the final championship series of the KBO League. It has been held since the KBO League's first season in and is the final series of the post-season play-offs. From to 2013, the winner of the Korean Series went on to play in ...

was played that year. Because of the lack of a postseason in 1985, the next year saw some major changes, with the adoption of a playoff system, in which the top two teams from each half-season played for the right to get to the Korean Series. 1986 also saw the OB Bears moving from Daejeon to share

Jamsil Baseball Stadium Jamsil Baseball Stadium () is a baseball stadium located at 25 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The stadium holds 25,000 people and was built from April 1980 to July 1982. It makes up the Seoul Sports Complex along with the nearby Seou ...

with MBC Chungyong in Seoul. A new franchise, the

Binggrae Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...

, joined the league, replacing the vacancy in Daejeon made by OB's move, and expanding the league to seven teams. From 1986 to 1988, the regular season shrunk to a total of 108 games. 1988 saw the Cheongbo Pintos change ownership again, becoming the

Pacific Dolphins The Hyundai Unicorns () were a South Korean professional baseball team based in Suwon. They were a member of the KBO League. The Unicorns won the KBO championship four times (1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004). The Unicorns were dissolved after the 20 ...

. In 1989 the KBO eliminated the two half-season pennants, moving to a single season of 120 games.

The 1990s

In the 1990s the Tigers were again dominant, winning the championship four times in the decade — 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1997. The Tigers were led by hitting-machine Lee Jong-beom and slugger

Lee Ho-joon Lee Ho-Joon (born February 8, 1976 in Gwangju, South Korea) is a former South Korean professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman in the Korea Baseball Organization. He bats and throws right-handed. Lee ranks fourth all-time in t ...

. Other KBO players who starred in the 1990s were Eagles' pitcher Song Jin-woo, who eventually became the all-time KBO leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched; slugging catcher

Park Kyung-oan Park Kyung-oan (born July 11, 1972 in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea) is a former South Korean baseball catcher and former Olympic bronze medalist. A four-time Golden Glove winner, Park is considered by many to be one of the best catchers i ...

, the first catcher in KBO history to hit 300 home runs; and stolen base king Jeon Jun-ho. But probably the most notable hitters to emerge from the 1990s were the Lions'

Lee Seung-yuop Lee Seung-yuop (born 18 August 1976) is a retired baseball player and the current manager of the Doosan Bears. He spent most of his career with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League. At the age of 26, he became the youngest professional baseball p ...

and

Yang Joon-hyuk Yang Joon-hyuk is a South Korean retired professional baseball player. A left-handed hitter and outfielder, he spent most of his career with the Samsung Lions. He is known by the nickname "Yangshin" (양신, 梁神), or "God, Yang". He retired ...

, who between them now hold most of the KBO's career offensive records. In 1990, MBC Chungyong became the LG Twins and an eighth franchise was added, the

Ssangbangwool Raiders The Ssangbangwool Raiders () were a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 1990 and dissolved upon bankruptcy of the team's owner after the 1999 season. They were based in the North Jeolla Province and were members of the Korea Baseba ...

, who represented the

Jeollabuk-do North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southw ...

region. From 1991 to 1998, the season increased to 126 games. The Lotte Giants won the Korean Series championship in 1992; the team has not won it since. There was little other change during this period except for a few major sponsors: in 1993 the Binggrae Eagles became the

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...

, in 1996 the Pacific Dolphins became the Hyundai Unicorns, and in 1999 the OB Bears became the Doosan Bears. The 1998 Korean Series was won by the Hyundai Unicorns for the franchise's first championship in 16 years of existence. (The team would go on to win the championship in 2000, 2003, and 2004.) In 1999 the season was expanded to 132 games, and the KBO separated into two divisions — the Dream League and the Magic League. The 1999 Dream League consisted of the Doosan Bears, the Lotte Giants, the Haitai Tigers, and the Hyundai Unicorns; the 1999 Magic League consisted of the Hanwha Eagles, the LG Twins, the Samsung Lions, and the Ssangbangwool Raiders. That year the Eagles — in their 14th season — won their franchise's first (and only) Korean Series championship, after 14 years in the KBO.

The 2000s

Bigger changes were made in 2000 when the Hyundai Unicorns moved from Incheon to

Suwon Suwon (, ) is the capital and largest city of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea's most populous province which surrounds Seoul, the national capital. Suwon lies about south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety". With a popul ...

, and a new franchise, the SK Wyverns, took their place in Incheon. The

Ssangbangwool Raiders The Ssangbangwool Raiders () were a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 1990 and dissolved upon bankruptcy of the team's owner after the 1999 season. They were based in the North Jeolla Province and were members of the Korea Baseba ...

became defunct. The league's two-division structure slightly shifted as well, with SK taking Ssangbangwool's place in the Magic Division, and Lotte and Samsung switching divisions. Thus, the 2000 Dream League was composed of Doosan, Haitai, Hyundai, and Samsung; while the 2000 Magic League was composed of Hanwha, LG, Lotte, and SK. Parity ruled the 2000s, with the Unicorns and Lions each winning three titles, and the upstart Wyverns winning two. The hard-luck Doosan Bears appeared in the Korean Series five times in the decade but only won it once, in 2001. Stars who emerged in the 2000s include all-time KBO hit king

Park Yong-taik Park Yong-taik (Hangul: 박용택, Hanja: 朴龍澤) (born April 21, 1979) is a South Korean outfielder who has played his entire career for the LG Twins in the KBO League. With 2,504 career hits, he is the all-time career hit leader in the KBO. ...

, the Giants' first-baseman Dae-ho Lee, and the Eagles' first-baseman Kim Tae-kyun. Other notable players from the era include slugging third-basemen

Lee Bum-ho Lee Bum-ho (; Hanja: 李杋浩; born November 25, 1981) is a South Korean former third baseman who played primarily in the KBO League. He bats and throws right-handed. Lee is considered one of the best defensive third basemen in the KBO league ...

and Choi Jeong, the Bears' designated hitter Hong Sung-heon, and the Twins' long-time outfielder

Lee Byung-kyu Lee Byung-kyu (born October 25, 1974) is a South Korean retired baseball player who played 17 seasons for the LG Twins of the KBO League, as well as three seasons with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball. He also competed in th ...

. In 2001, the KBO returned to a single-division format. The Haitai Tigers became the Kia Tigers. From 2000 to 2012, the length of the regular season fluctuated between 126 and 133 games. Despite its string of championships in the early 2000s, the Hyundai Unicorns franchise was disbanded in 2008. It was re-founded as the

Woori Heroes The Kiwoom Heroes () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. They are a member of the KBO League. The Heroes play their home games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Gocheok-dong, a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of Seou ...

and moved to Mok-dong in Seoul. In 2010, the team's naming rights were sold to

Nexen Tire Nexen Tire Corporation ( Korean: ) is a tire manufacturer headquartered in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province and Seoul in South Korea. Established in 1942 under the name, Heung-A Tire Company, Nexen Tire Co. has served the industry for the past ...

and the team was renamed the

Nexen Heroes The Kiwoom Heroes () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. They are a member of the KBO League. The Heroes play their home games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Gocheok-dong, a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of Seo ...

until the end of the 2018 season, when its naming rights were sold to Kiwoom Securities.

The 2010s

The Samsung Lions were a powerful team in the 2010s, winning the championship four times during six straight appearances in the Korean Series (from 2010 to 2015). The Doosan Bears were also a powerhouse, appearing in the Korean Series six times in the decade (including five straight appearances from 2015 to 2019), winning it three times. Expansion resumed in the 2010s, with the addition of the NC Dinos, located in Changwon, which joined the league in 2013. It is the first team located in Changwon, the city having previously been the second home of the nearby Lotte Giants. The KBO played 128-game seasons in 2013–2014. In 2015, the KT Wiz became the league's tenth franchise. They play their home games in Suwon, which had not had a team since the Hyundai Unicorns' disbandment. Since 2015 the KBO has played a 144-game season each year, and has added a fifth team to the playoffs, with the introduction of the Wild Card game. In 2015 the league also increased the active roster size of each team, from 26 to 27 (of those, 25 may play in any one game). After a number of seasons of inflated offensive production, the KBO introduced a new " dejuiced" baseball before the 2019 season. The results showed in a significant decrease in runs per game and home runs per game.

The 2020s

The 2020 season was delayed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, but finally started play on May 5, 2020, with no fans in attendance. In response to the lack of live sports programming due to the pandemic,

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

and the KBO League entered into an agreement to broadcast six games weekly. The Opening Day game between the NC Dinos and Samsung Lions was broadcast as the first game under the agreement that night. Karl Ravech, Jason Benetti, Boog Sciambi,

Eduardo Perez Eduardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the male given name Edward. Another version is Duarte. It may refer to: Association football * Eduardo Bonvallet, Chilean football player and sports commentator * Eduardo Carvalho, Portuguese footbal ...

, and Jessica Mendoza, along with various guests, broadcast the game remotely via Internet from their homes.

Expatriate baseball players in the KBO

As with

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB), the KBO league places a cap on the number of foreign players allowed on club rosters. The foreign player limit is set at three (no more than two of them being pitchers),Reuter, Joel
"KBO for Dummies: An MLB Fan's Guide to the Korean Baseball League,"
''Bleacher Report'' (May 5, 2020). increased from two players from 2014. Foreign players can only sign single-season contracts, and they are restricted by a salary cap. Since 2019, the total compensation for a foreign player has been capped at $1 million. The foreign hitters on each team are expected to provide power in the middle of the order, while the foreign pitchers are expected to anchor the starting rotation. As with foreign players in the NPB, many of the most celebrated foreign players came to Korea after not finding success in the Major Leagues. The KBO first began allowing foreign players in 1998,Lee, Seung Chan
"Foreign Players in the KBO: What the Future Holds,"
''The Hardball Times'' (January 15, 2020). when each team was allowed to sign up to two imports. Traditionally, teams chose one hitter and one pitcher, although there were exceptions. (In 2001 and 2002, KBO teams were allowed three foreign-born players, but only two of them could be on the field at the same time.) By 2012, teams were using all their foreign-player allotments on pitchers, and there were no more foreign hitters in the KBO. After this happened again in 2013, the following season the KBO League raised the foreign-player limit to three for each team, but mandated that at least one foreign player had to be a hitter (again, with only two such players on the field at a time)."KBO clubs snatch up new foreign players following rule change,"
Yonhap News Agency (December 16, 2013). American Tyrone Woods was the first notable import. Debuting with the Doosan Bears in 1998, Woods was the first foreign player to hit a home run (as well as the first to be ejected from a game by an umpire). In his first year Woods set a then-KBO record with 42 homers and won the MVP award (becoming the first foreign player to win the award). In five years in Korea, Woods hit 174 homers, drove in 510 runs, and batted .294. (He later found additional success in

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

.) Woods left Korea with the longest career of any foreign player in KBO history, a record later eclipsed by hitter

Jay Davis Jay Davis (born October 3, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois) is a former professional baseball player. He played seven seasons as an outfielder with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. Davis had the longest career of a foreign playe ...

and pitcher

Dustin Nippert Dustin David Nippert (born May 6, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, and the Doosan Bears and KT Wiz of the KBO League. Nippert won the K ...

. Davis played seven seasons for Hanwha (1999–2002, 2004–2006), compiling a .313 batting average, 167 home runs, and 591 RBI during that span. Foreign pitchers with extended careers in the KBO include

Dustin Nippert Dustin David Nippert (born May 6, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, and the Doosan Bears and KT Wiz of the KBO League. Nippert won the K ...

, who compiled a win–loss record of 102–51 and 1,082 strikeouts in eight seasons (a foreign player record); and Danny Rios, who in six seasons was 90–59 with 807 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.01, which is the lowest career ERA of any foreign pitcher in the KBO. Josh Lindblom pitched in the KBO for five seasons, compiling a 63–34 record and 750 strikeouts. Rios was given the 2008 KBO League Most Valuable Player Award, Nippert was KBO MVP in 2016, and Lindblom won the award in 2019. American

Jerry Royster Jeron Kennis Royster (born October 18, 1952) is an American former Major League Baseball player and coach. He was a third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, and the New York Yankees. He was ...

was the first-ever non-Korean to take the helm of one of South Korea's professional baseball clubs when he was signed as manager of the Lotte Giants in 2007. (Royster served as the Giants' manager through the 2010 season.) Over the league's history, more than 200 Americans have played in the KBO; other countries which have produced many current and former KBO players include the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

(with more than 80 players), and

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

(with more than 20 players).

KBO players in Japan and the U.S.

Several Korean players have had successful careers in Japan's

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB), most notably Isao Harimoto (birth name ''Jang Hun''), who holds the record for most hits in the Japanese professional leagues (and is in the top ten in many other career lists). Harimoto played in the 1960s and 1970s, before the formation of the KBO. Similarly,

Baek In-chun Baek In-chun (born November 27, 1943) is a retired Korean baseball player. Baek spent most of his career playing in Nippon Professional Baseball. He finished his career in Korea with the KBO League and then got into managing. Baek holds the KBO r ...

played professionally in Japan from 1963 to 1981, compiling 209 home runs, 776 RBI, and 1,831 hits in the NPB. (He returned to Korea for his final three seasons as a player.)

Lee Seung-yuop Lee Seung-yuop (born 18 August 1976) is a retired baseball player and the current manager of the Doosan Bears. He spent most of his career with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League. At the age of 26, he became the youngest professional baseball p ...

, who holds the KBO records for career home runs, runs scored, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS, also played eight seasons in the NPB, accumulating an additional 159 home runs and 439 RBI. Other KBO hitters who had some success in the NPB include Kim Tae-kyun and Dae-ho Lee. Korean pitchers who have had an impact in the NPB include Sun Dong-yol, Lim Chang-yong, and

Seung-hwan Oh Seung-hwan Oh ( Hangul: ; ; ; born July 15, 1982) is a South Korean professional baseball relief pitcher for the Samsung Lions of the KBO League. He previously played for the Lions in South Korea, the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional B ...

(who led the NPB in saves in both 2014 and 2015). Several Korean players have also successfully transitioned from the KBO to American

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

, starting in 1994 with pitcher

Chan Ho Park Chan Ho Park (; ; born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, ...

. (Prior to Park, the South Korea-born Mexican pitcher Ernesto Carlos orn_as_Lee_Won-Kuk.html"_;"title="Lee_Won-Kuk.html"_;"title="orn_as_Lee_Won-Kuk">orn_as_Lee_Won-Kuk">Lee_Won-Kuk.html"_;"title="orn_as_Lee_Won-Kuk">orn_as_Lee_Won-Kukwas_signed_to_an_Minor_League_Baseball.html" ;"title="Lee_Won-Kuk">orn_as_Lee_Won-Kuk.html" ;"title="Lee_Won-Kuk.html" ;"title="orn as Lee Won-Kuk">orn as Lee Won-Kuk">Lee_Won-Kuk.html" ;"title="orn as Lee Won-Kuk">orn as Lee Won-Kukwas signed to an Minor League Baseball">American minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants' organization in 1968 after having found success in the NPB. Similarly, pitcher Park Chul-soon signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 1980. Neither Ernesto Carlos nor Park Chul-soon, however, made it to the Major Leagues.) Other Korean born players who have had lengthy MLB careers include outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and pitcher Byung-hyun Kim. In 2013,

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...

ace Hyun-jin Ryu became the first player from the KBO to join an MLB team through the posting system. Altogether, 23 South Korean players have made it to the MLB as of 2020.

Teams

League sponsorship

Broadcasters

Korea

Most of the games are currently aired by

KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, ...

, KBS N SPORTS, MBC, MBC Sports+, SBS, SBS Sports, and SPOTV.

Outside Korea

On 11 March 2020, the KBO tendered international media rights for the KBO League from 2020 through 2023. It was reported that there had been potential interest from American sports network

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

, due to the disruption of domestic sports (including

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

) due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. On 4 May, the KBO announced that ESPN had acquired U.S. and international media rights to the KBO League, airing a live game daily (largely falling during overnight and early-morning hours in the U.S.) during the regular season, along with coverage of the postseason and Korean Series. For Canada viewers, aired on TSN, as well as Fox Sports broadcast the league for Asia-Pacific viewers, as the part of

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

's ESPN International coverage. The broadcasts will feature existing

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

talent working from home.

Ballparks

In addition to these ballparks, the Lotte Giants play some games at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium, the Samsung Lions at Pohang Baseball Stadium and the

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series on ...

at

Cheongju Baseball Stadium Cheongju Baseball Stadium is a baseball park in Cheongju, South Korea. The stadium serves as a secondary home of the Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They a ...

.

Attendance figures

The league has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity, with increased attendance every year. In 2016 season, a new national record of over 8 million attendance figures was set. There was massive increase of 1 million compared with previous season. The record was smashed again in 2017 season with over 8.4 million fans to their games during the regular season. Bears, Twins, Giants and Tigers all attracted over 1 million fans. The average game attendance was above 11,600 fans. This increase in popularity has been accompanied by the building of larger and more modern ballparks to further enhance the fan experience and their expenditures during games, such as

Gwangju-Kia Champions Field The Gwangju-Kia Champions Field ( ko, 광주 KIA 챔피언스 필드) is a baseball stadium in Gwangju, South Korea. It has been the home of KBO club Kia Tigers since 2014. Records See also *Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium Gwangju Mu ...

(2014), Gocheok Sky Dome (2016),

Daegu Samsung Lions Park The Daegu Samsung Lions Park is a multi-use stadium in Daegu, South Korea. It is used mostly for baseball games and is the home stadium of KBO club Samsung Lions The Samsung Lions () are a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982 ...

(2016), and Changwon NC Park (2019).

Associations

KBO League players and coaches have formed a number of associations: * Korea Professional Baseball Players Association (KPBPA) * Korea Professional Baseball Alumni Association — retired players * Ilgoo Club — former and active coaches and managers

Post-season

Korean Series champions

Postseason results

;Legend * – Champions * – Runners-up * – Playoff loser * – Semi-playoff loser * – Wild card game loser * – Did not qualify * – Did not participate

Awards

:''See footnote'' ''and Baseball awards#South Korea'' * KBO League MVP Award * KBO League Rookie of the Year Award * KBO League Golden Glove Award *

Choi Dong-won Award The Choi Dong-won Award is baseball award in South Korea, bestowed upon the top starting pitcher in the KBO League each year. Winners See also * Choi Dong-won * Cy Young Award * Eiji Sawamura Award The , commonly known as the Sawamura Awa ...

* KBO League Korean Series MVP Award *KBO League All-Star Game MVP

Records

Batting

Pitching

No-hitters

Sources: "Korea Baseball Organization no-hitters,"
No-hitters.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.

References

External links

KBO League official website
* * * * {{Professional sports in South Korea Baseball leagues in Asia 1982 establishments in South Korea Sports leagues established in 1982 Annual events in South Korea Professional sports leagues in South Korea National championships in South Korea