Professional baseball SSG Landers' Choi Jeong (38) aims for 600 home runs after surpassing 500 home runs.
Choi performed well on the 13th as the third designated hitter in the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League' game against the NC Dinos at Incheon SSG Landers Field, contributing 2 hits, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and 1 run in 4 at-bats. He excited fans with a dramatic two-run home run in the 6th inning. With this home run, Choi became the first player in the KBO League to achieve 500 home runs. SSG secured a comeback victory with a score of 6-3, marking their third consecutive win.
In a post-game interview, Choi noted, "I feel relieved and happy that the home run came quickly. My hitting was okay, so I was able to get hits, but I would have felt stressed if home runs hadn’t come. However, I didn’t feel any stress regarding home runs since my hitting felt off. I was really craving hits, so I was thrilled that it turned into a home run. It feels twice as good to celebrate with the team after a win."
When asked about the joy of breaking the KBO League's all-time home run record (468 home runs) last year and hitting 500 home runs, Choi said, "Today is better. 500 is such a round number, so it feels better. Last year, hitting a home run at Sajik Stadium was embarrassing. It felt like I interrupted the flow of the game in someone else's home. I said I would hit a home run in front of the Incheon fans, and I am really happy to have done so."
Choi Jeong, who recorded 495 home runs until last year, needed to hit just 5 more home runs this year to reach 500. However, he suffered a hamstring injury during defensive training in the exhibition season, missing the opening game and starting the season late. Nonetheless, after returning in a game against LG on the 2nd, he managed to hit 5 home runs in just 10 games, successfully achieving the milestone of 500 home runs.
Choi stated, "I was unable to participate in the opening game due to injury, and there was a gap. If I hadn’t hit 500 home runs from the opening game until now, I think I would have felt pressured. Still, personally, it only feels like the season just started, so it feels quicker than I expected. I’ve let go of a lot regarding the record. I want to make up for the time I couldn’t play, so I wanted to play every game without injury."
Choi, who recorded 5 home runs in 10 games, emphasized that his hitting form was still not good. He said, "Even if I only had 1 hit and 1 home run like today with a tying home run or a go-ahead home run, I would have felt good. But it felt like I had a lot of home runs that didn’t help the team. The process of making outs was very poor. It felt like I was either hitting home runs or double plays since returning. While it’s great to hit home runs, I felt embarrassed to hit so many double plays. It was surprising how many home runs I hit."
Park Seong-han said, "Congratulations to senior Choi Jeong on his 500th home run. I am really happy to be playing baseball with a legend who needs no words. I hope he continues to hit until reaching 600 home runs and eventually retires." SSG fan Jo Sang-hyeon, who caught Choi's 500th home run ball, also expressed hope that Choi would hit 600 and 700 home runs, saying, "I hope other fans can enjoy the joy and thrill I felt then."
Choi mentioned, "I don’t have a desire for 600 home runs, but it is a record I want to achieve. It shouldn’t be like this year where I get injured and have a lot of time off. Even if I’m not doing well, I need to keep playing for opportunities to come. I realized I need to manage my body more diligently. I should consistently hit 30 or 20 home runs until I retire. I want to hit 600 home runs."
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