Celebrities excited ahead of Hanwha Eagles’ first Korean Series game in 19 years

From left, Jo In-sung, Park Bo-young and In Gyo-jin / Xportsnews

As the Hanwha Eagles gear up to face the LG Twins in Game 1 of the Korean Series on Sunday, some of Korea’s biggest celebrities are reeling from joy.

Longtime Eagles fans Jo In-sung, Park Bo-young and In Gyo-jin have all expressed heartfelt excitement online after Hanwha secured a historic return to the championship stage — its first in 19 years.

Hanwha clinched its long-awaited Korean Series ticket on Friday, defeating the Samsung Lions 11–2 in Game 5 of the KBO playoffs at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon. The victory sent the team to the finals for the first time since 2006, setting up a best-of-seven showdown with regular-season leader LG.

Jo, one of Hanwha’s most devoted celebrity supporters, marked the win with a brief but emotional Instagram post that read, “It’s Jamsil time!”—a reference to Seoul’s Jamsil Stadium, where the finals will be held.

Known for his unwavering passion for the team, Jo once said, “When I don’t have a schedule, I make sure to finish everything by 6:30 p.m. so I can watch the game. When it rains and the match is canceled, I honestly don’t know what to do with myself.”

Park, another proud Hanwha fan, shared a screenshot of the live broadcast with the caption, “I am happy. Go Hanwha!” She has been spotted at Eagles games multiple times over the years, earning her a reputation as one of the team’s most loyal celebrity supporters.

In Gyo-jin, left, and So Yi-hyun / Xportsnews

So Yi-hyun, the wife of actor In Gyo-jin — perhaps the most famous of Hanwha’s “superfans” — also shared her husband’s tearful reaction online, writing, “Congratulations! Off to Jamsil! In Gyo-jin, stop crying already!”

Comedian Kang Jae-jun added to the celebration, posting a photo from the stadium and calling it “the best game of my life as a lucky charm of victory.”

Founded in 1986, the Hanwha Eagles have long been considered one of the most passionately supported teams in Korean baseball, despite years of underdog struggles. Their 19-year gap between Korean Series appearances has made this comeback an emotional moment not only for players but also for generations of fans who’ve stuck with the team through decades of disappointment.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.