Jamsil's Legendary Pitchers Take the Stage at the KBO All-Star Game

The 2026 All-Star game of South Korea's professional baseball league, the KBO, will feature an unforgettable ceremony to commemorate the final All-Star game to be held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The legendary players of two fierce rivals sharing the Jamsil region of Seoul, the Doosan Bears and LG Twins clubs, will come together on this special day. The former pitcher-catcher duos, who led the two clubs to legendary championships, will take to the field to recreate historic moments. This event stands out as a major sporting occasion that unites rival team fans within a shared framework of nostalgia and respect. The coming together of the stars of the past offers a great opportunity to pass down the moments that left a mark on the league's history to the new generation of fans.

Park Chul-soon, the undisputed greatest legend of the Doosan Bears, was one of the club's founding members and its iconic ace pitcher. In the inaugural year of the KBO, established in 1982, he led his team to the championship and won the regular season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. In particular, his streak of '22 consecutive wins in a single season' achieved that year is still remembered today as a unique and rarely seen record in league history. Despite battling numerous injuries, the athlete never gave up and played a key role in securing his team's second championship in 1995, earning the nickname 'Phoenix'. As a result of his outstanding services and perseverance, his number 21 jersey was added to the list of jerseys permanently retired by the club.

On the other hand, Kim Yong-soo, who is among the foremost legends of the LG Twins, is a historic pitcher who achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first in KBO history to surpass the '100 wins - 200 saves' mark. The star player, who earned the league's saves king title in three different seasons, masterfully took on the roles of both starting pitcher and closer. Accordingly, he played the lead role in leading his team to the top in 1990 and 1994, being selected as the Korea Series MVP in both years. With his consistent performance throughout his career, he was known by the nickname 'Song-Song', meaning 'Old Pine Tree', and secured a place in the hearts of LG fans. He is remembered as a legend who could never leave the baseball fields, despite his professionalism on the field and his turbulent years in his coaching career.

The figures who will accompany Jamsil's legendary pitchers will be their former teammates and the legendary catchers of those eras, Kim Kyung-moon and Kim Dong-soo. Kim Kyung-moon developed fantastic chemistry with Park Chul-soon on the road to their first championship in 1982, and in his coaching career, he led the South Korean National Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, displaying an undefeated tournament run and winning the gold medal. Kim Kyung-moon, who continues his on-field success today as the manager of the Hanwha Eagles, continues to be one of the most respected figures in Korean baseball with his rich experience. Alongside him, Kim Dong-soo, who led the golden age of the LG Twins in the 1990s and played a major role in two championships, is remembered for the perfect duo he formed with the legendary pitcher Kim Yong-soo. This successful catcher, who won the Golden Glove award seven times during his career, currently continues to train young baseball players at his former high school.

This massive organization, which will take place on July 11, will not be limited to just commemorating former stars, but will also begin with a tremendous visual spectacle. Park Jung-hyun (Lena Park), one of South Korea's most beloved R&B vocalists, will take the stage to perform the national anthem at an All-Star game for the first time since 2011. Following the anthem to be performed by the famous artist with her powerful and soulful voice, the 'Black Eagles', a special display team belonging to the South Korean Air Force, will put on a breathtaking air show in the sky. This unforgettable opening ceremony of the All-Star game, which will be the last for Jamsil Stadium, is in itself a visual festival even before the competition begins. All these details serve as a deep gesture of respect for both the future and the proud days of the past for KBO fans.