Hwang Jae-kyun: "Everyone opposed my retirement... I didn't want to be pushed out in a shabby way" [Knowing Bros][★Night TV]

*This content was translated by AI.

Former baseball player Hwang Jae-kyun spoke about his retirement.

On the the 5th broadcast of JTBC's variety program 'Knowing Bros', Han Seok-jun, Jang Young-ran, Shin Gil-roo, and Hwang Jae-kyun appeared as guests.

That day, Hwang Jae-kyun explained his nickname "Il-hoo" (Illusion Hwang): "This happened recently. As a senior player on the team, I tried to lead the atmosphere by clearing the bench. After the game ended, the opposing pitcher performed an over-the-top action. In a situation with a large score difference, that was not proper etiquette. We had discussed this the day before, but he did it again, so after watching him, as soon as the game ended, I said, 'Come here, you Illusion.' That's how the nickname 'Il-hoo' came to be."

He added, "It was a negative meme that I tried to hide, but while working as a commentator, it somehow became a source of comedy. Fortunately, fans also liked it."

Kim Shin-young said, "Jae-kyun retired at such an early age," expressing regret. Hwang Jae-kyun replied, "Everyone opposed my retirement."

Hwang Jae-kyun recalled: "I finished a season as a regular starter in the first division. Honestly, during that season, they told me early on that they wouldn't use me because I was getting older. My pride was deeply hurt. I felt like the same thing would repeat next year. If I played one more year, I thought I'd end up retiring in a shabby way, pushed aside by younger players."

He continued, "I immediately told my parents about this. They said, 'Don't embarrass yourself anywhere else. Retire.' So we cried together, and I called them right away to say I was quitting."

Seo Jang-hoon asked, "Did you start growing your hair from that time?" Hwang Jae-kyun replied, "I started growing it after retiring. My mother makes a comment every time she sees my hair," conveying his mother's harsh reaction.

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*This content was translated by AI.