What contract did Ryu Ji-hyun receive from the Hanwha Eagles?

Ryu Ji-hyun received a three-year contract worth 2 billion won, or $1.48 million, to manage the Hanwha Eagles. The club said it selected him to help develop the team into a sustainable contender.

How successful was Ryu Ji-hyun as LG Twins manager?

Ryu managed the LG Twins from 2021 to 2022, when they posted a combined regular-season record of 159-113-16. That was the best regular-season record in the KBO during those two years, although LG did not advance deep into either postseason.

Why did the Hanwha Eagles struggle during the 2026 KBO season?

Hanwha struggled after losing its top two starting pitchers from 2025, Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss. The Eagles finished ninth among 10 KBO teams with a 57-83-4 record after reaching the Korean Series the previous year.

KBO's Hanwha Eagles name ex-nat'l team skipper Ryu Ji-hyun as new manager

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Summary

The Hanwha Eagles named former national team manager Ryu Ji-hyun as their new manager on Tuesday. Ryu signed a three-year, 2 billion won contract to develop the KBO club into a sustainable contender. He previously managed the LG Twins and led Korea to a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal and an Asian Games gold medal this year.

Key Facts

Ryu led the LG Twins to a 159-113-16 regular-season record from 2021 to 2022, the KBO’s best record over those two seasons.
The Eagles finished ninth in the 10-team KBO this year with a 57-83-4 record after losing their top two starting pitchers from 2025, Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss.
Hanwha reached the Korean Series last year for the first time since 2006 but lost to the LG Twins in five games.
Ryu plans to assemble his coaching staff before meeting the players on Friday.
Ryu has used advanced statistics and data analysis to scout and select players while managing the national team.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 13, 2026 1:38 pm KST

Ryu Ji-hyun, then manager of the Korean national baseball team, smiles during a team welcome ceremony at Incheon International Airport, Sept. 28, after returning from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with the gold medal. Yonhap

The Hanwha Eagles on Tuesday named former national team boss Ryu Ji-hyun as their new manager.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club gave Ryu, 55, a three-year contract worth 2 billion won ($1.48 million), saying he was the right person to develop the Eagles into a "sustainable contender."

This year, Ryu led Korea to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic in March and then to the gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September — the country's fifth consecutive Asiad title.

Ryu's previous KBO managerial stint came with the LG Twins from 2021 to 2022. On his watch, the Twins went 159-113-16 (wins-losses-ties) in the regular season, the best record in the KBO over those two years. However, they failed to mount a deep postseason run, getting knocked out of the first round in 2021 and then the second round in 2022.

The Eagles decided over the weekend not to bring back manager Kim Kyung-moon after his three-year deal expired. They went to the Korean Series last year, their first trip to the championship series since 2006, but lost to the Twins in five games.

This year, having lost their top two starters from 2025, Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss, the Eagles stumbled to ninth place in the 10-team KBO at 57-83-4.

Ryu thanked the Eagles for giving him the opportunity and said he was looking forward to fielding a great team in front of "the best fans" in the KBO.

"I will do my best to realize the club's vision of building a top contender," Ryu said. "I will try to put together my coaching staff before my first meeting with the players on Friday."

Ryu, an All-Star shortstop during his playing days, has built a reputation as a team manager who gets the most out of his players in defense. While with the national team, Ryu embraced the use of advanced statistics and data analysis to scout and select players.

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