'3.4 billion won, highest re-signing deal': Lee Kang-cheol shares candid thoughts: "There's no way to escape this year" [KS1 On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I'm feeling quite tense this time."

Lee Kang-cheol (60), manager of the KT Wiz, shared his thoughts as he heads into his third Korea Series (KS). Unlike his previous experiences, he candidly revealed that the burden is heavy this year.

In an official interview ahead of Game 1 of the 2026 KBO League Korea Series against the Samsung Lions at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 3rd, Manager Lee said, "In previous Korea Series appearances, I had a mindset of trying to comfort myself by thinking, 'If we've raised this team to this level, that's enough.'" He added, "But this year, since I signed a re-contract and people around me have been saying a lot about how good the team is, there are no excuses or loopholes to escape through."

Manager Lee took over the KT in 2019. In his third season, 2021, after finishing first in the regular season following a tiebreaker against Samsung, he led the team to its first-ever Korea Series championship in franchise history. In 2023, he advanced to the Korea Series as the second-place team and finished as runner-up, losing to the LG Twins with a record of one win and four losses.

He also successfully signed a re-contract on October 19, immediately after finishing first in this year's regular season, securing what is considered the highest compensation for a KBO League manager in history: a three-year contract worth a total of 3.4 billion won (1 billion won signing bonus, 800 million won annual salary).

Manager Lee Kang-cheol candidly stated, "Whether as a player or a manager, when playing big games, I always try to maintain the same mindset as during the regular season and think positively. That's why, even when we played our first Korea Series, I tried to have a mindset of treating it literally as a 'bonus game.'" He continued, "But now that I've signed a re-contract, I need to perform accordingly, so there is real pressure this year to actually win."

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence and trust in his team, saying, "We have become a much stronger lineup than last year. This isn't a team driven by just one player; the players have truly done an excellent job fulfilling their respective roles, which is how we've gotten this far." He added, "I really wanted to say this to the players: I am sincerely grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original