Choi Jeong ties Lee Seung-yuop’s homer record
SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong tied the all-time South Korean baseball home run record Tuesday.
Choi blasted a solo home run off Kia Tigers closer Jung Hai-young in the bottom of the ninth inning of the teams’ Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular-season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon.
With his 467th home run, Choi pulled into a tie with former Samsung Lions star Lee Seung-yuop atop the career home run list.
Choi’s homer was also significant for the Landers, as it tied the score at 4-4 with two outs in the bottom ninth.
Lee, currently manager of the Doosan Bears, finished with 467 home runs after playing 1,906 games. This was Choi’s 2,183rd game.
Choi and Lee are the only two players with at least 400 home runs in the KBO.
Choi, 37, has spent his entire career with the Landers franchise. He made his debut in 2005 when the team was called the SK Wyverns under different corporate ownership. After hitting just one home run in 45 games as an 18-year-old rookie, Choi had 12 homers in 92 games in 2006.
And Choi reached double figures in home runs every year from 2006 to 2023, the longest such streak in league history. He now has nine homers and sits one away from extending his record streak to 19 seasons this year.
Now that he is a home run away from making Korean baseball history, Choi Jeong would love nothing more than to set the record as soon as he can.
It’s just a matter of time before Choi becomes the new home run king in Korea.
“I’m not really thinking about breaking the record. I just want this situation to be over as quickly as possible,” the reticent Choi said with a smile.
He had also said in a pregame media scrum Tuesday that he could live without the media attention accompanying his record chase.
“I went through some nervous moments before tying the record. And once is enough for me,” Choi added. “Until the day I retire, I will just try to reach double figures in home runs every year.”
Choi said he wouldn’t want to celebrate his record-breaking home run when the Landers are trailing.
“That’s what I am most worried about. I don’t want to celebrate my home run when we’re losing. I’d feel terrible doing that,” Choi said. “I’d be happy if I can avoid that situation.”