Controversy over performance? The captain thought differently... Roh Si-hwan: "Results over process; regardless, we won the gold medal."

[Financial News] A tournament, and a final match at that, played in the national team uniform, is a ruthless stage where only 'results' matter.
The public outcry was cold as elite KBO first-team members, valued at tens of billions of won, struggled against Japanese amateur baseball. However, the single word from 'Captain' Roh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles), who deflected all that pressure with his whole body, was resolute.
The South Korean national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, defeated Japan 3-1 in the final of the '2026 Asian Games' held at Toyohashi Citizens Stadium in Aichi Prefecture on the 27th to claim the gold medal. With this victory, Korea has built a monumental record of five consecutive Asian Games titles, starting with the 2010 Guangzhou Games and continuing through the Nagoya Games.
However, the path to standing on the highest step of the podium was truly a thorny one. It was painful to suffer a crushing 0-5 defeat against the Japanese amateur team in the first game of the Super Round on the 25th, struggling with a lack of offense that yielded only four hits. It was the first humiliation in 20 years since professional participation was permitted. In the final game as well, despite a strong pitching performance by starting pitcher Gwak Been, they failed to capitalize on numerous chances and had to endure a nail-biting 1-1 tie until the late stages of the game.

Naturally, immediately after the tournament, sharp criticism was raised regarding the decline in Korean baseball's international competitiveness. However, Captain Roh Si-hwan was not shaken by these external assessments in the slightest.
After the game, when asked about concerns regarding the competitiveness of Korean baseball, Roh Si-hwan emphasized, "Honestly, I don't pay any attention to such talk," adding, "Anyway, we won the gold medal, didn't we?"
He then delivered a heavy blow to the critical public opinion, stating, "I think the result—a gold medal—is more important than the process. I do not dwell on such remarks." It was a display of unwavering pride in himself and his teammates for overcoming the grueling pressure and achieving the best result as the national team's cleanup hitter and captain.
His true worth shone even from the bench. In the top of the 8th inning, with the score tied 1-1 and runners on first and third with one out, pinch runner Kim Ji-chan was tagged out while running the bases, instantly freezing the atmosphere on the bench. It was a desperate crisis that could have completely shifted the momentum. That is when the captain stepped forward.

Roh Si-hwan recalled the tense situation in the 8th inning, saying, "We kept failing to capitalize on chances, so even though we were leading, the atmosphere felt like we were falling behind." He added, "Immediately after being caught stealing, I kept shouting to the bench, 'Let's calm down, let's relax.' I reassured my teammates, saying, 'The next batter, KIM Do-young, will definitely step up, so let's stay calm.'" And just as he predicted, KIM Do-young completely turned the tide by hitting a lightning-fast, game-winning grounder to third base.
Although he joined the national team as a wild card and even wore the captain's armband, he emphasized 'one team' instead of feeling pressure. Roh Si-hwan gave credit, saying, "We believed in ourselves regardless of who the opponent was, and we won the gold medal because we united as one team. I am very grateful to my teammates."
After putting an end to his five-game losing streak following many twists and turns, Roh Si-hwan now sets his sights on higher goals.
"I hope my juniors also win a gold medal and experience this incredible feeling. Korean baseball is strong. If we trust each other, we can definitely achieve a six-game winning streak," he said with a bright smile.

[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter