Home > Entertainment > Television

Actor takes ceremonial pitch too seriously, throws fastball to child batter

Published: 12 Oct. 2025, 12:59 Updated: 12 Oct. 2025, 17:31

Actor Choi Hyun-wook throws the ceremonial first pitch ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO semi-playoffs between the Samsung Lions and SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Oct. 9. [NEWS1]

Actor Choi Hyun-wook apologized for throwing a fastball toward a child batter during a ceremonial pitch.

Choi threw the first pitch during Game 1 of the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO postseason semi-playoffs — a best-of-five series — held at 2 p.m. on Thursday at SSG Landers Field in Incheon.

A former high school baseball player, Choi threw a fastball toward a child batter during the event. The ball flew near the child’s head, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

“I was extremely nervous and the ball slipped out of my hand during the pitch yesterday,” wrote Choi on fan communication platform bubble on Friday. “I’m planning to reach out to the child and the parents today or tomorrow to offer my apology.”

Actor Choi Hyun-wook [NEWS1]

“I support Samsung [Lions] and all the other teams too,” he added. “I was just excited to watch a game in person for the first time in a while. Since a young child was standing there, I should have gently tossed the ball from a closer distance, but I was too nervous to think clearly. I am sincerely sorry.”

Choi was also criticized by some baseball fans for bowing only to the catcher after the pitch and leaving the field without acknowledging the child batter, as well as the fact he chose to keep his sunglasses on during the pitch.

He added, “I don’t mind people criticizing me or my fashion, but please refrain from attacking other teams, the club I support or other individuals.”

Choi previously played on a high school baseball team but reportedly gave up the sport after an injury in his first year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]