9 months after the dizzying car accident, Hwang Dong-ha confessed honestly, "KIA fans, I missed you a lot, too" [Okinawa Station]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I missed you a lot, too."

KIA Tigers' Hwang Dong-ha (24) finally expressed his affection for the fans he faced.

Hwang Dong-ha said ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) practice game at Kadena Baseball Stadium in Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on the 24th, "I'm in really good physical condition." I'm not sick anywhere and I'm preparing for the season healthy. I love the process I prepared for 2025, so I'm doing the same as then," he said.

Hwang Dong-ha, who graduated from Jinbuk Elementary School, Jeolla Middle School, and Impression High School, is a right-hander who joined KIA as the 65th in the 7th round of the 2nd round of the 2022 KBO Rookie Draft. He is being nurtured as a starting candidate early on by using various breaking balls along with a fastball with a good tip.

He started in 2025 after showing his potential with a 4.44 ERA in 25 games last year, his third year. However, he was in a car accident while crossing a crosswalk at an away accommodation in May and effectively lost the season. It was a sudden accident in the middle of the day and the injury was worse than I thought. Contrary to the findings of the six-week preposition, back pain rarely went away, and he finally returned in September.

Hwang Dong-ha said, "It happened anyway and there is no turning back. I don't feel sorry because I think it's a process of growing up. On the contrary, I think I was able to develop further," he said calmly. "It was a little difficult when I was staying in the hospital. After I was discharged from the hospital, I gradually became motivated as I watched my friends still play baseball and went to cheer. My family, relatives, and friends came to help me a lot, which helped me a lot, he added.

The aftermath of the dizzying traffic accident has yet to be ignored. Hwang Dong-ha said, "I'm not a Ping-gye, but I still have something that I cringe without realizing, maybe because I've been in an accident once. The coach also said that even if I do the same movement, my body is stiff unlike before, so I'm focusing on mobility training."

This year, KIA held its first spring camp in an unfamiliar place called Amami-Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Because of outsiders, there were few fans visiting the site, and the players also spent some leisurely days fishing on holidays. The harsh environment rather helped Hwang Dong-ha, whose rest is important.

Hwang Dong-ha said, "I graduated from a rural school (Impression High School in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do) and that's when I remembered. It was good to think of school because it was an environment where you could only exercise without anything else." "On the eve of rest, I slept late, woke up late, and went to a sauna. Then, it was good that the day was almost over and I could only concentrate on resting," he added.

One thing that is regrettable is that the reunion with the fans has been delayed a little. Until now, the camp where KIA was located was crowded with fans wearing Tigers uniforms, but this year, they could barely face each other only after entering the country two days ago. On this day, KIA fans visited the practice game with the national team, and Hwang Dong-ha's gaze on them was full of longing.

Hwang Dong-ha said, "I think it's my first time seeing our fans in Okinawa. I didn't have enough time to communicate with my fans because I didn't even do social media," he said. "I wanted to see our fans a lot, maybe because it's been a long time since the last season ended. I can't wait to see you at the ballpark," he said, looking forward to the reunion.

"I'm not in a position to say how I want to spend the season yet. This year, I'm a player who should compete and aim to enter the opening game entry. We will show good performances from spring camp to practice games and exhibition games, so we will definitely greet you in the opening game," he said with strength.

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*This content was translated by AI.