"I'll Pay It All Back" Captain Roh Si-hwan, Seething After 0-5 Loss, Declares War on Japan [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] "Just who I wanted to see: Japan."
Anger boiling deep within and a burning desire for revenge pierced the night sky over Toyohashi. Roh Si-hwan of the Hanwha Eagles, captain of the South Korea national baseball team, issued a powerful vow of revenge against archrival Japan.
The South Korea national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, routed China 9-2 in the second super-round game of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Toyohashi Citizen Stadium in Aichi Prefecture on the 26th. With a 2-1 record in the super round, South Korea advanced to the final in second place behind Japan, which has three wins. The two teams will meet again on the 27th in a decisive rematch for the gold medal.
After the game against China, captain Roh Si-hwan's face showed not relief but a cold determination as he spoke about the team's resolve. He had not forgotten the 0-5 shutout loss to Japan the previous day, a team made up of corporate-league players. As the KBO League's representative cleanup hitter, he was weighed down by the painful fact that South Korea had failed to score even a single run.
Roh Si-hwan said, "After losing yesterday's game, every player on the national team—not just me—was unbearably frustrated," adding, "Deep down, I prayed that we would meet Japan again in the final. I finally feel relieved. I will enter tomorrow's final with this same fierce determination."

A perfect revenge scenario has already taken shape in his mind. It is a repeat of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
South Korea was pushed to the brink after losing to Taiwan in the preliminary round, but the teams met again in the final, where South Korea staged a complete revenge victory and won the gold medal. Roh Si-hwan vowed, "Didn't we avenge that loss in the final after losing our opening game at the Hangzhou Asian Games? We will definitely get our revenge on Japan in this tournament. We will pay back everything they did to us."
The captain's bat finally found its range as well. After struggling early in the tournament because of a slump at the plate, Roh started as the No. 5 hitter and third baseman and went 2-for-5 against China, helping break open the heart of South Korea's lineup. It was the most welcome sign of his recovery ahead of the final.
Off the field, Roh Si-hwan has also been serving as the heart of the national team.
Just before the team left for Japan, he gathered the entire squad in Seoul and personally paid for a team dinner to strengthen their resolve.
Roh Si-hwan laughed heartily as he said, "I was honestly startled because the bill was much higher than expected," but he emphasized, "I didn't regret spending a single penny. Our national team is more united than ever. I am confident that we will win tomorrow's final no matter what."
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter