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Hanwha Eagles skipper vows to come back stronger next season after Korean Series defeat

Published: 02 Nov. 2025, 15:44 Updated: 02 Nov. 2025, 17:31

Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon watches Game 5 of the Korean Series against LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Oct. 31. [YONHAP]

DAEJEON — Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon vowed to come back stronger next season after his team lost the best-of-seven Korean Series 4-1 to the LG Twins on Friday.

The Eagles dropped the first two games to regular‑season champions Twins, but they responded with a comeback win in Game 3 at home. The Daejeon team, however, failed to carry the momentum into Games 4 and 5 and ceded the title to the Twins.

“Second place always leaves a lot of regret,” Kim said after Game 5 on Friday. “First, we must congratulate the Twins on their title, and we must prepare a lot so we can do better next year. The players worked very hard all season. Although second place hurts, I want to tell everyone ‘well done’.”

Kim Kyung-moon, who previously managed the Doosan Bears, finished runners-up three times in 2005, 2007 and 2008, before another runner-up finish with the NC Dinos in 2016.

He is now the manager with the second-most runner-up finishes at five in KBO history after Kim Young‑duk at six. Kim Young-duk also coached the Binggrae Eagles, now called the Hanwha Eagles.

“We could’ve built some momentum in Game 4, but giving up six runs in the ninth and losing the lead gave the edge back to the Twins,” Kim Kyung-moon said. “I think this was a valuable learning experience for our young players.

“Heading into the postseason, I worried a lot about the batting side, but our players performed better than expected; conversely, we found deficiencies in the pitching side. It does not help to talk too much after a loss. We will prepare better for next season.”

The Eagles still enjoyed a successful season this year, finishing runners-up in the regular season and reaching the Korean Series for the first time in 19 years. For the Twins, this year's run was a repeat of the 2023 season, during which they claimed both the regular season and Korean Series titles.

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 BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]