The KBO League, officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most successful team, having won 11 of the 42 championships.
Lee Jong-beom is a former South Korean professional baseball player who played for the Kia Tigers in the KBO League and the Chunichi Dragons in Japan from 1993 to 2011. He is nicknamed "Son of the Wind" for his speed. Lee is widely considered one of the best five-tool players in Korean baseball history, and the best all-around KBO player of the 1990s.
Kia Tigers are a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982 and based in the southwestern city of Gwangju. Until 2001, they were known as the Haitai Tigers. The Tigers are a members of the KBO League and are the most successful team in Korean baseball, having won the national Korean Series championship 11 times with a perfect 11–0 record. Their home stadium is Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju.
Lee Seung-yuop 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 player in the world to hit 300 home runs. He formerly held the Asian home run record of 56 homers in a season, established in 2003 while playing for Samsung in the KBO. The record was broken by Wladimir Balentien of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, on September 15, 2013, when he hit his 56th and 57th Home Runs of the season against the Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He holds the KBO records for career home runs, runs scored, RBIs, total bases, and slugging percentage. Combined, across the KBO and NPB, Lee has also recorded more hits than any other native-born South Korean player.
Kim Tae-kyun is a South Korean first baseman who plays for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO League. He bats and throws right-handed. He is one of the top career hitters in the KBO, with a lifetime batting average over .320, and more than 300 career home runs and 1300 runs batted in.
Dae-ho Lee is a South Korean professional baseball player who played as a first baseman. During his career, he played for the Lotte Giants of the KBO League, Orix Buffaloes and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Son Seung-lak is a retired South Korean closer who played for the Hyundai Unicorns, the Nexen Heroes, and the Lotte Giants in the Korea Professional Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed.
Jung-ho Kang is a South Korean former professional baseball third baseman. He played in the KBO League for the Hyundai Unicorns and Nexen Heroes, as well as for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Kim Seong-hyun is a former South Korean pitcher who formerly played for the Nexen Heroes and the LG Twins in the KBO League. He batted and threw right-handed.
Byung-ho Park is a South Korean professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman for the KT Wiz of the KBO League. He previously played for the LG Twins and Kiwoom Heroes, and Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). In the KBO, Park had two consecutive seasons with 50 home runs (2014–2015) and was the home run title winner for four consecutive seasons (2012–2015). He holds the KBO record for runs batted in during a single season, with 146 RBI in 2015.
Ko Jong-wook is a South Korean outfielder for the SSG Landers in the Korea Baseball Organization. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Park Min-woo is a South Korean baseball infielder for the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Yang Eui-ji is a South Korean professional baseball catcher currently playing for the Doosan Bears of the KBO League. He has won the KBO League Golden Glove Award at catcher five times; three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016, and again back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. Yang won the Korean Series Most Valuable Player Award in 2016 and 2020.
Kim Seong-han is a retired South Korean professional baseball infielder and pitcher who played for the Haitai Tigers of the KBO League. Kim played all 14 seasons for the Tigers, winning the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award twice, in 1985 and 1988. He was the first KBO player to hit 30 home runs in a season. Kim was considered the best first basemen in the KBO from 1985 to 1991, winning the KBO League Golden Glove Award every year at that position. His Haitai Tigers won seven Korean Series titles with him as a player.
The KBO League Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player judged the most valuable player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League. The most recent winner is Erick Fedde of the NC Dinos.
Chei Byung-yong is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the SK Wyverns of the KBO League.
Ha-seong Kim is a South Korean professional baseball utility player for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Kim was drafted 41st overall by the Nexen Heroes in the 2014 Korea Baseball Organization Draft. He made his KBO debut with the Heroes in May 2014 and won the KBO Golden Glove Award in 2018, 2019 and 2020. In December 2020, Kim signed with the San Diego Padres, and made his MLB debut in 2021. In 2023, Kim became the first Korean-born player to win a Gold Glove Award.
Shin Jae-young is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League.
Jung-hoo Lee is a South Korean professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.
Kang Baek-ho is a South Korean professional baseball left fielder for the KT Wiz of the KBO League.
