“Both the manager and GM replaced”—Lotte’s bold move: a sweeping overhaul under Lee Dong-wook and Lee Taek-geun

[Financial News] The move Lotte Giants made went far beyond simply changing managers. The club abandoned the superficial fix of replacing one manager to refresh the atmosphere and opted for a comprehensive overhaul, replacing the entire control center of its operations. At the heart of the bold move are new manager Lee Dong-wook and new general manager Lee Taek-geun.
On the 26th, Lotte appointed Lee Dong-wook as its 22nd manager, offering him a substantial three-year deal worth 2 billion won (a 500 million won signing bonus and an annual salary of 500 million won). At the same time, it made a surprise choice by appointing Lee Taek-geun, who had been serving on the KBO Power Enhancement Committee, as its new general manager. The Giants, hungry for postseason baseball and a championship, declared they would build a new ecosystem by replacing both pillars of the club at once: on-field leadership and team operations.
What draws the most attention is manager Lee Dong-wook’s return to Sajik. After making his professional debut as a Lotte draft pick in 1997, he has returned to his hometown team with the reputation of a “master tactician” who led NC Dinos to an integrated championship in 2020. Lotte’s real reasons for turning to Lee are not vague leadership qualities but his clear “championship experience” and “defensive expertise.”
Lee, who honed his craft over many years as a defensive coach, is the right person to overhaul Lotte’s trademark brand of fragile, disjointed baseball—a team that relies on flashy offense but can crumble after a single routine error. In his first remarks as manager, Lee also emphasized “data, trust and fundamentals,” declaring smart, defense-first baseball the team’s new identity.



But the truly bold move in this round of appointments is the selection of new general manager Lee Taek-geun. A former national-team outfielder who spent 18 years on the field, he is taking on a professional club’s general manager role for the first time. Lotte made clear its intention to eliminate the chronic communication breakdown between the front office and coaching staff by appointing a former player who understands the realities on the field better than anyone.
The priorities Lee Taek-geun has put forward are “tailored player development” and “building roster depth.” No team can endure the long, 144-game season with just nine regular starters. Deep roster depth to cover for the loss of key players is essential for a strong team. Lee announced plans to scrap the one-size-fits-all development system and build a comprehensive, strategic structure spanning everything from scouting to deploying players at the first-team level.
The manager has been tasked with leading the team on the field using rigorous data analysis, while the general manager is responsible for building the roster depth and systematic player development needed to support those tactics. It is both a perfect division of labor on two tracks and an organically coordinated partnership.
Of course, a high-profile announcement of new appointments does not guarantee immediate results. Both are facing a formidable test: manager Lee Dong-wook must recreate the magic of an integrated championship in Lotte’s difficult circumstances, while general manager Lee Taek-geun must prove his player-development philosophy in his first role leading a front office. The inauguration ceremony for new manager Lee Dong-wook, marking the start of a new era for Lotte, will be held at 2 p.m. on the 31st at Lotte Hotel Busan.


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