"As expected, the national team's No. 1 starter" Kwak Bin's magnificent finale: "I put all my regrets to rest; I'd give myself 100 points at these Asian Games" [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] Three years ago at Hangzhou, he received a gold medal despite not taking the mound even once. It was a source of glory for some, but for him, it was a heavy "emotional burden" that weighed on him for three years. Three years later, however, he scattered 111 pitches and completely broke with the past.
Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) completed the Republic of Korea's fifth consecutive Asian Games baseball gold medal with a magnificent redemption performance. On the 27th, he started against Japan in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games baseball final at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and delivered a dominant outing: 61⁄3 innings, four hits, two combined walks and hit batters, nine strikeouts and one run allowed.
It was an effort born of sheer grit in difficult conditions. With a razor-thin 1-0 lead holding, the cold rain kept his velocity down early in the game and gave him trouble. But Kwak threw 111 pitches with everything he had and held Japan's lineup scoreless through six innings. When Jo Byeong-hyeon (SSG Landers) took over with one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh, he extinguished the threat with consecutive strikeouts. Kwak's one-run gem became a crucial foundation for the gold-medal victory.

Kwak Bin's record at this tournament was truly "untouchable." After producing a storybook performance of six no-hit innings, 10 strikeouts and no runs allowed in the opening game of the group stage against Taiwan—the biggest turning point on the road to the title—he finished the tournament with one run allowed and 19 strikeouts over 111⁄3 innings in two games. By reputation and results alike, he was South Korean baseball's national-team No. 1 starter.
After the game, with a gold medal around his neck, Kwak Bin spoke first about his memories of Hangzhou three years earlier. He had been unable to pitch in a single game because of muscle-spasm symptoms, then faced a wave of criticism after receiving military-service exemption benefits. Kwak smiled bitterly yet with relief, saying, "It feels like I've finally finished the homework I had put off."
He thought of his younger teammate Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha Eagles), who had carried the heavy burden of starting against Taiwan in his place at the time.
Kwak Bin said, "I felt truly sorry for Dong-ju at Hangzhou. Now that I've carried that burden myself this time, I realize how heavy a burden he had to bear at such a young age, which made me feel even sorrier. By handling that heavy role well this time, I was able to put the regret that had remained in my heart to rest. I'd give myself 100 points for this tournament."

Kwak Bin laughed and said, "The younger players tried to take care of everything for me, from A to Z, to the point that it was almost overwhelming." He also offered a request befitting the team's eldest player: "These young players have tremendous potential, so I ask people to encourage rather than criticize them."
After completely conquering the Asian stage, he is now looking higher. Having demonstrated his competitiveness on the international stage at this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) and Asian Games, Kwak Bin declared his resolve to reach Major League Baseball (MLB): "It has been my dream to challenge myself on the American stage since I started playing baseball. That dream has not changed. I will shore up what I lack and take on the challenge in the best possible condition."
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter