"I imagine pulling off an upset in Gwangju," Park Chan-ho is also honest! 'Home team' KIA and autumn baseball, so eagerly awaited

*This content was translated by AI.

"I often imagine pulling off an upset in Gwangju."

Doosan Bears infielder Park Chan-ho (31) once again made the press corps laugh with his bold and cheerful remarks.

On the 22nd, during a road game against Kiwoom Heroes at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, Park Chan-ho led the team's lineup with five at-bats, two hits, and two RBIs. As the regular season draws to a close and the contours of postseason qualification become clearer, his eyes, having boosted his batting form with powerful hits, are already set on autumn baseball, specifically on 'Gwangju,' the home field of his former team KIA Tigers, currently in fourth place.

Doosan is currently ranked fifth. If the regular season ended as it stands, fifth-ranked Doosan would have to win two games at KIA's home stadium in the Wild Card deciding series against fourth-ranked KIA. Park Chan-ho also seemed to be waiting for this moment. He joined KIA in the 2014 season and played there until the 2025 season. Ahead of the 2026 season, he signed a free agent (FA) contract and moved to Doosan.

After the match on the 22nd, when asked about his thoughts on the approaching autumn baseball, Park Chan-ho met with reporters on-site and opened up about his true feelings, mixing in his characteristic charm. He smiled broadly, saying, "For about a week now, I've been imagining things before falling asleep. Imagining pulling off an upset in Gwangju." Even though he knows that there has only been one instance in KBO League Wild Card deciding series history where a fifth-ranked team pulled off an upset against a fourth-ranked team, he did not hide his bold ambition, adding, "I know it's difficult, but it would be so much fun."

He also openly shared anecdotes about his former teammates, including Kim Do-young (23). Park Chan-ho said, "(Kim) Do-young and the KIA players laugh at me when I joke, 'I'll go to Gwangju and pull off an upset for you,' but I'm already starting to look into transportation and accommodation for my family's trip to Gwangju." When asked if he expected a fiery reaction from fans of his former team if this interview article were published, he revealed his cool competitive spirit: "Actually, once I step onto the baseball field, any team is just an opponent that must be beaten. There may be sentimental feelings after the game ends, but the match is the match."

Having held the starting shortstop position for Doosan this season, he placed greater significance on the team's autumn baseball experience itself rather than his personal statistics. Park Chan-ho, who appeared in 132 of Doosan's 133 games this season, emphasized, "People often say 'fifth place or Wild Card doesn't matter,' but if you are a member of our team, it is absolutely necessary to gain autumn baseball experience, even if we play one game and lose. I view maintaining the current ranking itself very positively."

Park Chan-ho, dreaming of a cheerful rebellion against his former team and lost in happy fantasies, clearly conveyed his desire to meet his former team in autumn baseball. It is quite intriguing to wonder what conclusion his firm resolve hidden behind his cheerful provocation and his fiery bat on the field will reach on the upcoming autumn stage.

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*This content was translated by AI.