Kim Tae-kyun (43), a legend of the Hanwha Eagles whose jersey number has been retired and currently active as a baseball commentator at KBS N, appeared in San Francisco. He threw a ceremonial first pitch at the home game of the San Francisco Giants, energizing Lee Jung-hoo (27).
Kim Tae-kyun was invited as the pitcher for the game between the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco held at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on the 23rd (Korean time) and received a warm welcome from the crowd.
That day was 'Jung Hoo Lee Hooded Jersey Day Presented by LIFEPLUS,' part of a brand day event organized through a sponsorship agreement between Hanwha Life and LIFEPLUS to increase brand recognition in the U.S. financial market. The legendary player Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles was invited as a special pitcher, and he had a meeting with Lee Jung-hoo.
The LIFEPLUS brand day, which began with Kim Tae-kyun's first pitch, was filled with various K-support content. A card section event utilizing Lee Jung-hoo's number 51 and the LIFEPLUS logo was held, and 20,000 audience members received hooded jerseys featuring the brand logo on a first-come, first-served basis.
The cheers during Lee Jung-hoo's at-bats were a version of 'Chuisaengmongsah' re-recorded by the band Crying Nut, leaving a strong impression on local fans as the fan club 'Hooligans' and the audience sang together. During the subsequent 'sing-along time,' all audience members sang along with the cheering song, sharing the heat of K-support.
Hanwha Life noted, "We are connecting the world under the name of 'Korean corporations' and sharing sports culture with global fans. Previously, on the 18th, we held the Hanwha Life eSports Fan Fest in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, garnering a hot response locally," and added, "This U.S. event also provided local fans with a fresh experience through the support culture centered around Lee Jung-hoo, contributing to raising the brand value of Korean corporations."
After completing the ceremonial first pitch, Kim Tae-kyun, who hugged and encouraged Lee Jung-hoo, said, "I was deeply moved to experience the passionate energy of Korean fans and the power of K-support culture directly at the scene," and expressed his overwhelming feelings by saying, "The support from fans around the world for Lee Jung-hoo is raising the status of Korean baseball even higher."
Meanwhile, since retiring from playing, Kim Tae-kyun has been actively engaged in baseball commentary, content production, and youth development, consistently working to expand the base of baseball.
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