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Ryu Hyun-jin has pitched well since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, posting a 17-10 regular season record so far. / AFP-Yonhap |
Dodgers launch Korean-language broadcast
By Kim Young-jin
If there are more Koreans wearing Dodger blue in Los Angeles these days, it might have something to do with Ryu Hyun-jin, the big lefty from Incheon who's had a strong start since joining the club last year.
His emergence as a solid, front-of-the-rotation pitcher has naturally generated excitement in the city's Korean-American community, the largest in the United States.
But for some, especially first-generation immigrants, following the Boys in Blue hasn't been easy.
"They would mute (the television) and turn on the radio to listen in Korean," said broadcaster Yim Chong-ho, who has been calling Dodgers games in Korean for a decade. "But that's not really good because there's a delay between the screen and the radio."
Yim is part of a new initiative by SportsNet LA ― a network owned by the Dodgers and Time Warner Cable ― seeking to improve that experience by offering a Korean-language service for all its games.
The broadcast ― a partnership with Korean-American media company Radio Korea ― marks the first time that Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) has been offered in Korean for any Major League Baseball (MLB) team, according to the network.
SAP, an auxiliary channel that allows viewers to toggle between different audio tracks, provides Korean play-by-play from Yim and color commentary from Richard Choi at the touch of a button.
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Yim Chong-ho, right, and Richard Choi of Radio Korea have been calling Los Angeles Dodgers games in Korean this year for television network SportsNet LA. / Courtesy of Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers |
Yim says the pitcher has already had an uplifting impact on the community.
"Last year was a horrible time for the Korean-American community. Because of the economic downturn, a lot of Koreans were financially struggling and there wasn't much to enjoy. But Ryu came here and became kind of a big issue,'' he said.
"People didn't expect much because a lot of Korean players have come here, but only Park Chan-ho saw some success. But Ryu did really well and people started talking about his games the next day. People were really cheered up by Ryu."
The former Hanwha Eagles ace has won fans across Dodgers Nation with his poise under pressure and tantalizing four-pitch arsenal. This year, he's pitched well overall, posting a 3-2 record as he stands in as "ace" while franchise cornerstone Clayton Kershaw recovers from injury.
The Dodgers had the attention of the Korean community long before Ryu, however. The organization was also the home to Park, Korea's first major leaguer, and later first baseman Choi Hee-seop.
We spoke with Yim about the launch of the SAP and keys for the Dodgers this year.
Q: How has broadcasting with the Korean SAP been so far? Have you gotten much feedback from the community?
A: It's been really nice. People are starting to talk about it, saying, "Did you see the game last night? It's pretty cool to listen in Korean."
(The Dodgers) are starting to manufacture not only Ryu fans, but also Dodger fans. Eventually Koreans will try to watch every game regardless of who's on the mound, whether it's Ryu, Kershaw or Josh Beckett.
Q: What have been the biggest factors in Ryu's early season success?
A: He's gotten used to the league and feels more comfortable. He knows how to prepare for the season and for games. Whenever the people around you recognize you ― praise you ― you usually do better.
And one thing's for sure ― the curve is much better. Angle-wise and control-wise, it's much improved.
The credit for that has to go to Sandy Koufax, who taught him how to throw the curve last year; and also (Korean pitching legend) Koo Dae-sung…who told him how to grip the curveball.
Q: What is Ryu like in the clubhouse?
A: He gets along with others really well. I think that's due to his personality, which is really optimistic and about enjoying what he's doing right now.
The funny thing is Yasiel Puig, Juan Uribe and Ryu are really good friends. But Ryu and Puig can't speak English, Ryu can't speak Spanish and Uribe can't speak Korean. So there is a language barrier, but they still get along. When you have good teammates, language doesn't matter; baseball is a universal language.
Q: Who are the leaders in the clubhouse?
A: Other than (manager Don Mattingly), Uribe is the team leader right now. He's a veteran, has a nice personality and is a fun guy. As far as pitchers, it's Clayton Kershaw, even though he's younger than Ryu. He's the ace of the organization and he does a lot of good (charity) stuff during the offseason.
Q: What are the biggest areas of concern for the Dodgers this season?
A: At this moment, the bullpen is a bit of a concern. Our setup-man and closer are shaky at the moment. Brian Wilson ― maybe it's his elbow, or his mechanics, or that he has too big a contract ― he's not like he was before. With Kenley Jansen, his velocity is the same, so I think he needs to have more confidence.
Another problem is the outfielders. They have so many good outfielders but they have to play only three guys each game. Mattingly now uses a platoon system, but the players are losing balance because of that. You have to play more often, every game, to keep balance.
Q: Can you talk a bit more about the challenges Korean-Americans face in L.A. and what Radio Korea does in the community?
A: Some people, for instance, have language problems. The first generation, they just got here and as parents, they have kids who speak English ― they have communication problems. Radio Korea provides Korean-language programs so they don't feel homesick and they don't feel far away from home.
At the same time, we provide useful information on how to achieve a better life in the U.S. That's our role, as well as providing entertainment such as Dodgers games.
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