"Don't blame yourself." Even after hitting the winning run, Kim Do-young kept his head down, but now with a gold medal around his neck, he says, "I came back proudly and confidently." [Incheon Airport]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), who struggled to feel satisfied with himself even after hitting the winning run, finally raised his head and stopped blaming himself only after a day had passed, despite others' pleas to stop.

After returning to Incheon International Airport on the 28th with the gold medal from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games around his neck, Kim Do-young shared his thoughts: "Actually, yesterday (the 27th), my feeling of self-blame was justified. But since many people told me not to blame myself, I have decided to stop doing so and return with my chest held high and confidently."

The two weeks leading up to this tournament were particularly long for Kim Do-young. On the 9th, during a game against NC Dinos, he attempted a surprise bunt but was hit in the face by a pitch, resulting in a diagnosis of a fractured fibula. He underwent surgery to set the fracture the following day. His participation in the Asian Games became uncertain, but he recovered faster than expected and returned to actual play within three days, rejoining the national team as planned.

Once he donned the Taegeuk mark, however, his bat did not perform as desired. Kim Do-young appeared in all six games of this tournament, recording a batting average of 0.250 (6 hits in 24 at-bats), 4 RBIs, 5 runs scored, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts, with an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.666. He recorded one hit each against Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand in the group stage, and one hit against China in the Super Round. However, in the Super Round match against Japan, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. South Korea lost to Japan 0-5 in that game.

Kim Do-young said, "Honestly, I didn't feel any pressure. But since the results didn't come through, if I were to say there was pressure, that would be the only reason." He added coldly, "It seems I still lack the skill to overcome such situations."

Nevertheless, in the most crucial moment, Kim Do-young ultimately delivered. In the final match against Japan two days later, he recorded 2 hits and 1 RBI in 4 at-bats. In the top of the first inning with one out and a runner on first base, he hit a ground ball single to right field against Shinichi Higuchi, who had held the South Korean lineup scoreless for seven innings during the Super Round.

In the top of the eighth inning with the score tied 1-1, two outs, and runners on first and third, he drove in a run with a sharp line drive for an RBI single, giving South Korea a 2-1 lead—the game-winning hit. With an additional RBI single from Moon Bo-kyung (26, LG Twins), South Korea defeated Japan 3-1, achieving five consecutive Asian Games titles. Even though Kim Do-young led his team to victory with the winning hit, he posted on his social media early that morning: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and thank you," expressing gratitude.

Although the tournament ended with a gold medal, Kim Do-young did not try to beautify the difficult times. He said, "Those were moments I wouldn't want to relive. Although it was a short period, I never want to experience such a slump again." However, he added, "Now that it's over, I believe it will become an opportunity for growth. So while I do feel regret, it's not entirely so."

He continued, "I learned many things about my shortcomings and how to prepare properly. Since I gained so much from this experience, my goal is to ensure such a failure never happens again."

Kim Do-young will return as Kim Do-young of KIA. The fourth-place KIA Tigers have 12 games remaining and are aiming for direct qualification to the playoffs, currently two games behind third-place LG Twins. Kim Do-young stated, "My physical condition is fine. My goal from the start has been to reset and quickly regain my form. I believe there will be enough time."

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*This content was translated by AI.