"I Bet My Baseball Life on Those Two Weeks" Ryu Ji-hyun, After Winning Five Straight, Names the 'True MVP' Himself [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] Managing a national team is a position that demands drinking from a poisoned chalice as much as it offers glory. After staking his entire baseball life on two weeks of high-stakes competition, Ryu Ji-hyun finally let out a deep sigh of relief after leading his team to an unprecedented fifth consecutive Asian Games title.
The South Korea national baseball team, managed by Ryu Ji-hyun, defeated archrival Japan 3-1 in the baseball final of the 2026 Asian Games at Toyohashi Civic Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 27 to win the gold medal.
With the victory, South Korean baseball won the Asian Games title for the fifth consecutive time, following the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, and the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, which were held in 2023. It was South Korea's seventh gold medal in the event overall.
After securing the championship, Ryu met with reporters in the mixed zone. His face showed deep fatigue and relief more than elation. "Winning a gold medal at a major event like the Asian Games never comes easily. I'm happy that we won the gold medal we were aiming for," he said. "The job of managing the national team is truly not easy. I took it on with a profound sense of duty."

The pressure was especially immense in the Japan-South Korea final, which took place just one day after South Korea suffered a crushing 5-0 loss to Japan's team of corporate-league players. "I most want to praise the players for overcoming the mental pressure and winning the gold medal. They must have felt tremendous pressure and stress from the expectation that they had to beat Japan, but I'm proud of them for bringing the tournament to a fitting conclusion," Ryu said, giving all the credit to his players.
The MVP Ryu selected himself was ace pitcher Kwak Bin (Doosan Group), who reliably held down the mound throughout the tournament. Looking fondly at Kwak Bin, who was being interviewed nearby, Ryu smiled and said, "The MVP is standing right next to me." He added, "Roh Si-hwan is the national team's captain, but Kwak Bin is the oldest and most experienced player by age. As the team's most senior player, he took on enormous responsibility and held his ground on the mound until the end."

Kwak Bin's performance was indeed outstanding. After delivering a dominant six-inning outing with no hits allowed, 10 strikeouts and no runs in the group-stage game against Taiwan, he continued to excel in the final, allowing four hits and one run while striking out nine over six innings. He became the biggest contributor to South Korea's championship.
Ryu stressed the team's unity as a single team, saying, "I never once used the term 'wild card' for Kwak Bin." He continued, "I believed that good results would come only when all 24 players became one. The veteran leaders, including Kwak Bin, led by example and guided their less-experienced younger teammates well both on and off the field."
Ryu endured countless crises and criticism throughout the tournament before ultimately reaching the summit. Asked about his plans, he said, "After the World Baseball Classic (WBC), I traveled around baseball stadiums across the country starting in April to prepare for this tournament." He added, "I truly staked my life on this over the past two weeks. When I return to South Korea, I want to take a good, long rest for a while."
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter