"5.4 billion won salary, Korea suffers humiliating defeat against Japanese amateurs" — Taiwan also highlighted as disappointment expressed by Korean team regarding "fighting for draft exemption..."

*This content was translated by AI.

The painful memory of the Doha Asian Games from 20 years ago, remembered as a "disaster" in people's minds, has resurfaced. That past heartbreak had previously enabled Korea to achieve four consecutive tournament victories, but this time it was hindered by another crushing defeat — especially on the day of Chuseok, the nation’s most significant traditional holiday.

On the 25th, the South Korean baseball national team lost 0-5 to Japan in the first match of the Super Round at Toyohashi Municipal Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, during the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games.

Although Korea advanced to the Super Round with a win over Taiwan, the loss to Japan made advancement to the finals uncertain. On the 26th, they must defeat China without fail to reach the final round.

While advancing to the finals remains realistically possible, the result was still shocking. Both rival nations — Japan and Taiwan — reported on Korea’s decisive defeat.

Japanese media primarily focused on reactions within South Korea, while Taiwan's Nownews also conveyed that this painful loss could significantly impact players who were competing for military service exemptions.

Nownews stated, "South Korea suffered its first defeat in 20 years since the 2006 Doha Asian Games against a Japanese national team composed entirely of amateur players," and noted that Korean media referred to this as the "Toyohashi Disaster."

The report also detailed why reactions within South Korea have been cold. Nownews explained, "Although South Korea still has a high probability of advancing to the gold medal match, the result is hard for the public to accept. The reason is simple: South Korea is the only one among Asia’s top three baseball powers whose entire team consists of professional players. Their sole objective is to win the gold medal and secure draft exemptions; winning all games and claiming the championship is considered the baseline expectation."

It also reported that So Hyoung-jun, Jo Byung-hyun, and Park Young-hyun allowed runs in succession, Kim Do-young went hitless in four at-bats, and Noh Si-hwan recorded two double plays.

Nownews added, "This defeat is a massive shock for the South Korean national team. It carries meaning far beyond mere elimination or failure to reach the gold medal match. Since neither Japan nor Taiwan fielded all-professional rosters, achieving an undefeated record and winning the gold medal was essentially a prerequisite for Korea."

Nevertheless, the report also pointed out that South Korea remains in a more favorable position than Taiwan regarding advancement to the finals. "Under current conditions, Taiwan must not only defeat Japan but win by at least six runs to secure progression to the next round. Therefore, South Korea holds a significant advantage in TQB," it clarified.

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*This content was translated by AI.