Han Game Baduk = Han Chang-kyu reporter) Over the course of five months, 427 games were played in 96 matches, a significant increase from last season’s 360 games in 72 matches due to the increased number of teams. Three teams from the Nanga League and three teams from the Sudam League punched their tickets to the postseason as a result of the first-ever bilateral tournament.
After completing the regular season, the 2022-2023 KB Kookmin Bank Go League will begin the postseason on May 25. The six teams that qualified for the postseason include all of the top six ranked teams in Korea, with each team’s captain serving as a member of the team.
The regular season lasted five months, with 96 games and 427 moves.
The postseason is a five-player format, unlike the regular season, which has no ace decider and is more of a four-player format. It is curious to see how this difference from the regular league will play out.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, the Korea Baseball Organization held a postseason media day. Head coaches and representatives of the six teams attended the event to express their intentions and answer questions from the media. The goal of each team was the same: to win the championship.
The postseason is a step-ladder format, with each league’s semifinals and playoffs leading to a championship game to determine the winner and final standings. Each stage is a best-of-three series and each match is a best-of-five series.
The media day, which took place at the Kiwon Stadium in Korea, was attended by managers and representatives of the six teams in the postseason and lasted about 40 minutes.
In addition, the first round of the semi-finals will give the top teams an advantage, with the lower teams in the regular season having to disclose their order of one to five nations for the first round in advance, allowing the top teams to customize their order.
All matches will start simultaneously 안전놀이터 at 7pm for Games 1-3, and the score of the previous game will determine whether Games 4 and 5 will be continued. If it goes long, it’s expected to go past 1am. The prize money is 250 million won for the first place, 100 million won for the second place, 40 million won for the playoff elimination team, and 20 million won for the semi-playoff elimination team.
“The goal was to win the championship from the beginning of the season”
“We struggled at the beginning of the season, but as the players found their footing and won back-to-back games, it was easy to reach the top of the regular season. The goal was to win the championship from the beginning. We will prepare well for the postseason to achieve our goal.”
Byun Sang-il, 9th dan “All the teams are strong, so it’s hard to tell (which team will come up).”
“We don’t have a goal other than to win the championship.”
Coach Ko Geun-tae “We won last season, so of course we want to win again. It was harder than I thought, but I will definitely win with the players who have experienced the championship. I don’t have a goal other than winning.”
Park Jung-hwan, 9th dan “It’s a long way to the championship game, but objectively, I don’t think Korean price information will come from that nanga league.”
■ Ulsan Goryeong Aeon “We are starting the new season with a new mindset”
Coach Park Seung-hwa “I am satisfied and happy that we came out on top after a fierce battle until the end. I think the battle is just beginning. We will play with the mindset of starting a new season. The goal is to win.”
Hong Moo-jin, 6th Dan “I have a lot of sympathy for the hard work of the other side. I’m a big fan of Shin Shin-seo, so I’m hoping he can make it. I hope to play against him in the final and give him a runner-up finish.”
■ Korea Price Information “I’ll pick your pocket if you win”
Coach Park Jung-sang “I’m a top name, so I’ll protect my position. I came this far because I had a franchise star, Kang Dong-yoon, who has been playing for five years, and he helped me a lot from the sidelines. If I win, I’ll dig into my pockets and do something that the fans will like. I will cheer until the end.”
Kang Dong-yoon 9th dan “I feel a lot of sympathy for Jung Kwan-jang Cheon-nok, who dominated the regular season, but I still hope that Suryuhan Hapcheon will come up.”
■ Celltrion “I’ve been looking at the top of the mountain since the beginning”
Coach Baek Dae-hyun “We’ve been walking with our eyes on the top of the mountain since the beginning, and although it’s been a tough process, we’ve come this far by pushing and pulling each other. I will continue to work with the athletes to reach the top.”
Kim Myung-hoon 9th Dan “I think I will climb up because Jung Kwan-jang Chun-nok has good momentum, and I hope he will climb up because there are many opponents I am comfortable with.”
■ Kicks “I’ll play like I’ve died and been reborn”
Coach Kim Young-hwan “I didn’t expect such a dramatic rise. I was also worried that I wouldn’t be the coach who wouldn’t let Shin Shin-seo play in the postseason. I will approach the postseason as if I was born again from the dead.”
Shin Shin-seo, 9th dan “I feel like all three teams are strong, but I was so sick of Hapcheon last year, so I want to play against someone else this year. Jung Kwan Jang Cheon Nok has the best chance, but it would be fun to play against Byun Sang-il.”