"I intentionally got hit by the pitch... I've liked her since elementary school." KT's Choi Won-jun, who led the winning home run, declared himself a devoted fan of actress Ha Ji-won [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Choi Won-jun (29), who led KT to their first win in the second half, shared the amusing behind-the-scenes story of the ceremonial first pitch with his witty remarks.

On the 16th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, during the regular-season away game against LG Twins in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Choi recorded 4 at-bats with 1 hit (1 home run), 3 RBIs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 run scored, leading KT to a 4-3 victory. With this win, third-place KT, which had won four straight games including three consecutive wins in the first half, improved their record to 47 wins, 1 tie, and 35 losses, narrowing the gap with second-place LG (52 wins, 34 losses) by 2.5 games.

A single hit brought smiles to the team. Choi targeted the first pitch from Anders Tolhurst in the bottom of the second inning with two outs and runners on first and third while the score was tied 1-1. The ball cleared the right-field fence for a go-ahead three-run home run, and LG failed to catch up, securing the win for KT.

In the post-game interview with the hero player, Choi revealed the story behind the ceremonial first pitch with actress Ha Ji-won (48), turning the audience into a sea of laughter. Earlier in the day, Ha had thrown the ceremonial first pitch to wish LG victory. Choi, the leadoff hitter for KT, stepped up to the plate, and the ball thrown by Ha struck him squarely on the thigh.

At that moment, Choi walked toward the dugout without any special gesture, but his inner feelings were different. Choi confessed, "Actually, I could have dodged it. But I've really admired actress Ha Ji-won since elementary school."

Kim Do-young (23·KIA Tigers) was unexpectedly brought up as well. Choi laughed, saying, "Before, Kim Do-young once joked that when a female idol threw the ceremonial first pitch, he said, 'If you get hit, take responsibility.' I can't do that since I'm married, but I thought I'd try getting hit once, and she threw it right there."

When asked which of Ha Ji-won's works he had watched the most, Choi named "7 Light Mines" and declared himself a devoted fan. When the reporters asked if he had anything to say, he replied, "I requested to take a photo just before the game, so I thought she aimed at me on purpose. Being introverted, I couldn't tell her I was a fan then, but since the ball felt heavy and good, I want to convey that it hurt more than expected."

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*This content was translated by AI.