Releasing his 39-year-old friend → Hwang Jae-gyun was also moved by the dramatic extension of his active career, leaving him with the last page of the modern dynasty "I came alive like a Buddhist... "Please do your best until the end"

*This content was translated by AI.

Hwang Jae-gyun (39), who recently announced his retirement, sincerely supported his friend Jang Si-hwan (39, LG Twins), who chose the opposite path.

Hwang Jae-gyun attended a youth clinic co-hosted by the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) Secretariat and the San Francisco Giants at LG Champions Park in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do on the 7th.

It was meant to be in the 2017 season. Hwang Jae-gyun, who finished the 2016 season and became the first FA, entered the Major League by signing a split contract with San Francisco. He started the 2017 season in the minor leagues, but he was dramatically called up to the major leagues and became the 21st Korean major leaguer. His Major League performance was 0.154 (8 hits in 52 times at bat), one homer, five RBIs and two runs, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.459 in 18 games.

It was also a baseball uniform that I wore for the first time in a long time. Hwang Jae-gyun ended negotiations with his original team KT Wiz on the 19th of last month and announced his retirement from active duty. It was the first time in 20 years since he joined the Hyundai Unicorns as the 24th in the second round of the 2006 KBO Rookie Draft. The KBO's career record is 0.285 batting average (2266 hits in 7,937 at-bats), 227 home runs, 1121 RBIs, 1172 runs and 235 steals, and a 0.349 slugging percentage.

Along with Hwang Jae-gyun, even Jung Hoon (39), who joined as a nurturing player in 2006, announced his retirement from active duty last month, leaving no fielders from Hyundai in the KBO league. It was considered more unexpected because Hwang Jae-gyun, who was more thorough in managing his body than anyone else and was actually performing unageingly.

Jang Si-hwan, who signed a dramatic contract with LG in December after being released from Hanwha Eagles last year, said, "[Hwang] Jae-gyun said that he will do it for a long time (in his career)," adding, "I will remain the last legacy." "I'm released and Jae-gyun is a FA, but since the probability of renewing the contract is higher, I thought Jae-gyun would do it, but he suddenly retired. After that, I signed with LG, so I became the last legacy. This is all because of Jae-gyun," he laughed in vain.

At that time, Jang Si-hwan, named Jang Hyo-hoon, joined the rookie draft in 2007 as the second runner-up in the second round. And he is also the last remaining modern member of the team as of January 2026. Jang Si-hwan, who was also contemplating retirement in the middle of last year, decided to support his wife and retire Hwang Jae-gyun.

Jang Si-hwan said, "There are many people from Hyundai at LG's front desk, but whenever they see me, they say 'the last legacy'. So I think I need to hear this sound for another two to three years. "As soon as it becomes the last legacy, it shouldn't disappear," he said.

This is Hwang Jae-gyun, who heard from reporters about his friend's affectionate resentment. Hwang Jae-gyun said, "I don't think every player thought I'd quit this soon. He said, "I'm not sick, so I think I'll do it until I'm 45 or 50 years old."

At the same time, he hoped that Jang Si-hwan would finish the last page of the modern dynasty well at his will. Hwang Jae-gyun said, "I came down on my own. In fact, I thought I would be the last legacy of the modern era. But (Jang) Si-hwan survived like a phoenix. Call Sihwan, too. 'You're the last one, so wrap it up well. I asked him to work hard until the end," he said with a smile.

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*This content was translated by AI.