Lee Jung-hoo: ‘My father in media spotlight again thanks to me’

Lee Jung-hoo, a Kiwoom Heroes outfielder, has become the first top batters of father and son in the KBO League, a title that has never existed even in the U.S. and Japan.

Lee who joined Nexen (currently Kiwoom) in 2017 through the first round recruitment, has posted an overall batting average of 0.360 (167 hits from 464 times at bat) in this season to become the No. 1 batter as individual. He and his father, coach Lee Jong-beom (51) of the LG Twins, have thus earned the title of the first top batters of father and son in the league. The senior Lee was atop in battering with a batting average of 0.393 in the 1994 season, the second year after his debut.

There is no father and son who have become the top batters even in the U.S. Major League Baseball or the Japanese league which have longer histories than Korea’s. “My father is in media spotlight again thanks to me,” the 24-year-old outfielder said. “I was able to achieve this milestone due to my father’s advice to always follow the laws of nature. It enabled me to play baseball in my own name instead of my father’s name.”

His father openly expressed his sense of pride. “I believe my son would have felt burden due to the barrier of his father, and as the father, I am very grateful to him because he has earned the title of “top batters” of father and son,” senior Lee said. “As he has achieved his goal despite injury in this season, I think he has laid the foundation by himself to emerge as a superstar.”


leper@donga.com