(All characters, places, companies,)
(and incidents in this drama are fictitious.)
It's a team that plays the worst and doesn't have a future.
They might continue to be the losers...
for over 10 years even if you form a new team.
I'm speechless. What a lunatic.
How much does he think he knows about baseball?
This is Baek Seung Soo, your new general manager.
I was able to bring victory to a handball team,
wrestling team, and a hockey team.
I don't know much about baseball,
but I'll learn as I go.
He's really strange.
I'd like to trade Lim Dong Gyu off.
But he's the outfielder...
and the fifth hitter on the national team.
Do you walk out of your house when your maid tells you to?
Why does he want to sell a good player like Lim Dong Gyu?
Someone with a 0.330 batting average has fewer game-winners...
than someone with a 0.270 average?
Dong Gyu is surprisingly not the star player here.
You think the fans will watch it happen?
Do you want to see the club's bus on fire?
Why would they set the bus on fire?
Everyone was happy when they heard Kang Doo Ki is returning our team.
Kang Doo Ki?
He is the first on the list of national athletes. Is this possible?
Dreams,
I'm back!
Do you feel bad that I did something impossible?
Why do you think I chose you?
The championship, then disbandment.
The championship,
then once again... Please do as you've done.
So please, go ahead with your grand scheme for next year.
Who gets to choose the 10 new players for the team...
every year?
I think that's what I should be looking into.
You've been poking at the biggest figures on the team.
The biggest figures are the most popular ones.
We have the first picks,
yet we haven't chosen the best rookie of the year.
That hurts.
Do you trust Mr. Ko?
- Yes I do. - Is that really giving trust?
You're just turning a blind eye.
You do know Mr. Ko Se Hyuk, don't you?
How would I know someone like that?
How much did you pay Manager Ko?
I don't know anything. Leave!
Say that I do something that defames the Dreams.
I have something to report to you.
The unprecedented corruption...
of a professional team scouting, in the worst case.
And as for you, you're fired.
If you're a fan of the Dreams,
this news may shock you.
Andy Gordon, the ace player of three years...
Mr. Baek, you watched the news about Andy, right?
We won't be keeping Andy.
I'll arrange a business trip. Let's go.
All right, Miles. Let's show them what you've got.
146km per hour.
149km per hour.
Now, you know that that's still not 100 percent.
I don't think Andy compares to this guy.
He's insane.
I thought I was watching Doo Ki just now.
But I'm afraid I've got some news for you.
It seems, his price jumped up just a bit overnight.
He's saying that Miles' price jumped up from yesterday.
Let's see.
What was the original offer? It was 500,000 dollars, right?
Why don't we double that?
152km per hour.
Double? Just overnight? No way.
All of a sudden? She thinks it's ridiculous.
Ridiculous?
You see that ball speed...
and you come at us with an offer of just 500,000 dollars?
Now, little Miss,
that, that is ridiculous.
It's too sudden. This is unacceptable.
155km per hour.
All right, then.
No contract.
- Which team is it? - Which team?
I'm sorry. I don't have to tell you anything.
He says he's not entitled to answer you.
Tell him we'll reconsider the terms again.
We'll reconsider the contract's conditions.
Tell him it'd be better if he tells us...
what the other team offered.
If you can tell us what conditions you were offered,
- that would be great. - I don't think so.
You get us that offer by the end of the day.
All right, Sam. Let's go.
- How could he? - What is this?
(Episode 5)
Hello, Mr. Kim Jong Mu.
Did you contact Miles by any chance?
No?
All right.
Keep looking for good players, and I'll see you in Korea.
Okay.
So?
How much do you need?
A million dollars? That's a lot of money.
That's too much.
Is he that great a pitcher?
All right.
I have to discuss it with Mr. Kwon first.
Okay. Bye.
Please go ahead and eat.
Okay. We should eat and get energized so we can...
make Miles sign the contract by force if anything. Right?
Well...
Come on, lighten up the mood.
Okay. Let's eat.
Excuse me.
Are you Korean? What is it?
- Gosh, hello. - Are you well, Ms. Lee?
(Pelicans' General Manager, Oh Sa Hun)
Nice to meet you.
I'm General Manager Oh Sa Hun of the Pelicans.
Hello.
Can we join you?
It's a little tight.
You're the one who contacted Miles, right?
Yes.
I think I might get an upset stomach...
if I eat with someone who made Miles' price double.
No, you're being egocentric.
If I may say it from my perspective,
I'd say we're scouting Miles for a reasonable price.
You don't have to pay for Miles anyway.
We're the ones scouting Miles.
Gosh.
He hasn't signed anything yet.
You're a fighter who won't give up. It's a good attitude.
But how did you know about Miles anyway?
I never imagined having a competitor.
We would've lost him had we taken our time.
Mr. Oh.
- Do people on the field like you? - What?
How do you scout your players?
Do you search for players for the positions you need,
or...
do you just look for good players regardless of their positions?
I just do as I see fit.
Your starter pitcher Cho Byung Yoon is right-handed,
and so is Dave who is second.
Your 4th and 5th pitchers are all right-handed.
Miles is a right-handed pitcher too.
You'll be in trouble if we recruit Miles, right?
Mr. Oh, do you want to make a bet?
Let's see who will be smiling on their way home.
I'm someone...
who knocks on every bridge even if it's made out of stone.
Well,
we'll be taking Miles anyway.
Let's go ahead and make the bet.
Your general manager is Oh Sa Hun, right?
How much is your team spending on recruiting a new pitcher?
Okay.
You think I'm going to use this information against you?
Nonsense. Bye now.
Let's...
support them when we can.
Let's go big and give 900,000 dollars.
Yes sir, I'll call them right away.
It seems like I shouldn't be here when you pick this call up.
We were actually talking...
to see if we could scout Doo Ki into our team.
I've been meaning to meet you in person.
Enjoy your meal.
Hello? Yes.
Yes. Yes sir.
Let's eat.
What happened?
A million dollars is too much.
Mr. Kwon,
you know how you approved up to 900,000 dollars for spending?
Don't you think Mr. Baek will be able to...
scout the mercenary if you allow a million dollars of funding?
Mister,
don't you say that.
You're saying that as if...
we're trying to set up...
for Mr. Baek's failure.
We're...
supporting Mr. Baek...
by spending much more on the team than we need to.
You're right.
You're right indeed.
He's just a mercenary.
You think 100,000 dollars won't make a difference, do you?
But money is everything when scouting a mercenary.
For sure.
Should we contact Griffin?
Ms. Lee,
if another team contacted you, would you move to that team?
What? No.
Even if they offer you better pay?
Of course not. To me, the Dreams is...
- Gosh. - That's right.
Money isn't everything.
But we don't have special personal or academic relations,
so won't money mean everything when scouting a mercenary for our team?
That's only when there's a big jump guaranteed for the pay.
Apparently, we have up to 900,000 dollars for funding.
I'll get in touch with Miles again.
(Yoo Min Ho)
Press your back foot deeper into the plate.
And keep your posture straight.
The power...
The power from your hips is connected to your pitch.
Try another pitch.
I'm going to take this call, so keep practicing.
Yes sir.
Don't kick your plate.
That won't make your pitches straighter.
And keep your head in the right direction.
I'm just worried that you might hurt yourself again.
What do you think you're doing?
- What? - I corrected his posture,
so why are you giving him other corrections?
What?
Are you the pitching coach?
Why don't you just become one then? I'll take over your spot.
I'm more educated than you are...
and I was the pitching coach for longer than you were.
You're the bench coach now, so mind your own business.
Or just switch positions with me.
What does he think he's doing?
You! Come over here!
(Kang Doo Ki)
Jang Jin Woo's pitches are too messy to practice to.
He hasn't pitched the winning pitch, not even once this year.
- Yes. - Kim Dae Chun...
the starting pitcher for the national team said that.
A fastball doesn't make it a good pitch.
There are balls that go faster...
than the batter expects them to,
making them miss the ball.
There are also pitches that the batter is sure he can hit,
but barely hit and end up as a ground ball.
Doo Ki can strike out the first batter,
then you can block the next.
You can't possibly pitch faster balls than Doo Ki,
so what kind of pitches do you need to pitch to throw batters off?
Coach,
make Chul Min the pitching coach...
and me into the bench coach.
I think he wants to become a pitching coach.
Is it not time for you two to start getting along yet?
Everyone has their own roles.
Where's Mr. Baek?
We need to scout the pitcher that'll pitch the day after Doo Ki.
A pitcher?
Do you think we have enough funding for that?
Seems like Mr. Baek only knows how to make radical changes.
Let's get going.
- Really nice. If you actually... - No, no.
You would've had to find that.
But I liked her.
But she hasn't known you for long.
Rich.
- Let me borrow some money. - Can you buy me a new car?
- Right. - You're rich?
Everybody is happy.
Miles, can we talk?
Guys, give me a second.
Are you going to be okay?
Guys, it's all good. Don't worry.
We'll take off.
Miles,
the maximum offer we can make is 900,000 dollars.
That's 100,000 dollars lower than what you've been offered.
We'll offer you 900,000 dollars.
It's 100,000 dollars less than the other offer.
Mr. Baek, look, I'm not stupid.
I know I'm not favorable to you...
because I've only had a triple A career.
But listen, I know what I can do out there.
This is a good chance for you to catch me...
for just a million dollars.
In fact, to be honest, a million is not even enough.
It's just enough to show me that you're serious.
That's the part that pisses me off right there.
To you, a million is your upper limit.
He says that although he only has...
a triple A career,
a million dollars is still very little for what he can do.
Did you know that the Pelicans replaced their mercenaries...
twice last year?
The Pelicans replaced the mercenaries twice last year.
Keep talking.
Meanwhile, the Dreams has...
never replaced our mercenary, not once in the last three years.
This proves that we provide enough time for you.
If you'd like, we'll add this clause to the contract.
Why? Do you not have enough money?
It's not about the money here,
it's about the impact we can have on your career.
You think I might get replaced?
I don't know.
The well-known Mac Miller...
had a great career in Major League,
yet in our league,
he got replaced in four months and returned to the US.
And other teams...
don't hesitate in placing the confused foreign players...
later in their pitching orders.
It's not about the money, it's about you.
Don't be silly just over 100,000 dollars.
Can you guarantee me on my contract...
that I'll be the starting pitcher?
Absolutely.
The Korean laws outline that a million dollars is the maximum,
but that becomes invalid once the foreign player signs again.
If you just last this one season,
even Japan will begin to recognize what a player you are.
Japan has many teams that have a lot of money to offer.
I think you can use your one year being on our team...
as a time to showcase your talent to more people.
Earning 100,000 dollars more now...
won't be much if you think about what you could get later on.
How much do you bet on my success?
100 percent.
That's...
only under the circumstance that you get to play the whole season.
Again, you're talking in your favor.
You can call up and ask...
your mates who are playing in Korea.
We strictly encourage...
a training system that is individually catered,
but the Pelicans is different.
All their players must partake...
in their group training, and mercenaries are no exception.
Our team has different training programs,
depending on the player's condition.
But the Pelicans? They're the opposite.
All right. Still, you're offering me 100,000 dollars less.
I believe the things that I just listed...
are enough to offset the difference of 100,000 dollars.
Am I wrong?
What on earth is happening here?
You're talking to my player without me?
Hey, calm down.
You've got some nerve.
What are you doing here?
We just came here for beer and bumped into him.
That's a darn lie.
Wait outside.
You have a good interpreter.
It would've been nice if you'd kept it courteous.
It's not like we're strangers, you know.
There was nothing discourteous about it.
I must say, you're a hardworking man.
Let's go.
No wonder I got a sudden urge to sign the contract at this late hour.
What did Mr. Baek say?
He offered me 900,000 dollars.
- Then I won, right? - Let's do it.
All right.
Mr. Baek.
I see that you really did your best with that one.
The terms that you offered him seemed pretty good,
so I told Miles that we'd put the same terms on his contract.
But can you guarantee that the head coach would agree to...
an individually-catered training program?
- Mr. Baek. - Can you?
Whether it's true or not,
isn't it our problem if Miles decides to put his trust in us?
I mean, think about it.
Why do you think he said he has to think about your offer...
when he said okay to me right away?
I bet it's a dual contract that pays better.
We can't waste time worrying about money and not get things done.
Consider this advice a gesture of good will.
You should probably look for another mercenary quickly.
They threw in an ad deal and promised him more money.
What?
That means he admitted to offering over a million dollars.
That's a dual contract. Let's report him right away.
It'll be pointless.
Why? Why is that?
There are no rules that state...
players can't be paid through ads or commercials.
We made a mistake by simply thinking that the 100,000 dollars...
is the only thing we need to offset.
It was a game that we couldn't win to begin with.
"We lost because we didn't have enough money."
"I couldn't go to college because I never had a tutor."
"I lost because I was ill."
Everyone's situation is different,
and we all fight with the resources that are available to us.
If we start listing excuses, we'll lose again in the same situation.
We didn't lose to Oh Sa Hun.
We were defeated by the situation that was given to us.
Why don't we just watch a video of Griffin?
I wouldn't say he's an eye-catching player.
Rather, he's the type to enjoy battles of wits,
so I expect that he'll adjust quickly.
And considering that,
we really can't say that Miles is better than him.
The more I watch his videos,
the more I think he's mentally strong.
- See you tomorrow. - See you tomorrow.
Robert.
- Yes. - Thanks for your help today.
I look forward to working with you.
Go! Go for it!
- Go! - Go!
- You got this! - Go!
Hey.
Hey!
He sure is a pro.
I think he's already established his own training routine.
His corner work is good too.
(Corner work: Throwing the ball toward the strike zone's corners)
Mr. Baek Seung Soo?
Mr. Kim.
What brings you here?
I told you that I was going to California.
Who are you here for?
Pass.
Is it Griffin?
Darn it.
Mr. Baek.
I've only known you for a little while,
but I'll be honest with you because we should help each other out.
You should go find yourself another mercenary.
I'm not trying to say I laid my eyes on him first.
It's just that we don't have plan B if we don't get him,
so we must get him no matter what.
Anyway, I'm just letting you know how determined we are.
- Okay, understood. - You should've told me.
Then you wouldn't have had to waste your time like this.
Why didn't you tell me?
All right. I'll see you in Korea.
Vikings will try to get Griffin no matter what.
Still, we're going to leave without even meeting him?
He basically said,
"You guys can't afford him," in the nicest and most roundabout way.
Why confuse a player whom we can't get anyway?
So you no longer think the difference is only 100,000 dollars?
Are you giving up?
No, his pitch is weaker than I thought.
The strikeout we saw in the video...
definitely won't happen often.
Even if there are no strikeouts...
I know he can make a groundout happen by throwing a cutter,
but our infield defense is quite weak.
(Cutter: A hard-to-hit fastball)
Vikings' infield defense is strong,
so they don't need to worry about things like that.
I'm sure Mr. Kim Jong Mu knows that too.
All right, let's call it a day.
Hey.
You're getting cold chills? Did you take any medicine?
Right, you can't take medicine.
I'm sorry.
Things aren't looking too good now.
Okay.
It's about time you became weak-willed.
No, not at all.
They say you get tougher when things are tough.
I'll be vicious.
I still have so much energy.
All right. I'm glad.
By the way, what are we doing for dinner today?
There's a restaurant I saw.
What kind of restaurant?
- Mexican. - Let's have Korean food.
Okay, I saw a Korean restaurant in the area as well.
- They specialize in stews. - I don't want stew.
Well...
You know.
- What? - You know.
What is this about? Is he here to write restaurant reviews?
You must be exhausted from all the driving.
No, I'm fine.
Thank you.
So where are we going for dinner?
Well, what do you want to eat?
Well, something spicy that people usually make at home.
- You mean, ramyeon? - Goodness.
Gosh, where can we go...
My place isn't too far from here.
What are you doing? You're not even feeling well.
I fiddled with it for a few minutes to forget my pain.
We have guests. They're outside now.
Now?
My gosh, thank you. Thank you very much.
You must be tired.
Here you go.
- Why don't you join us? - No, it's okay.
Thank you for this.
You have to take a picture, don't you?
Yes, right.
There's a chip. Hold on.
No, it's okay.
It won't get in the way of me eating.
Let's eat together.
I don't think we have to meet with Hubbert.
The thing is,
we have lower expectations for the remaining players.
Okay. Let's get going.
Is there a problem?
It's the gas.
I think the car will stop soon.
What?
That's okay. It could happen.
Nothing's working out today.
Where are we?
What are we going to do?
Mr. Baek.
(Remaining distance)
No contract.
(Three days ago)
Gosh.
We didn't get the chance in Korea, but we finally get to go on a date.
Who is this Korean punk?
- Get lost. - I mean...
You shouldn't be out alone. It's dangerous.
Aren't you tired?
Why aren't you resting?
How can I sleep?
Maybe we should've persuaded Andy not to go.
It was Mr. Baek's decision to let him go.
It'd be a problem if Mr. Baek was thinking the same.
There are a million things he needs to look after right now.
- What? - Nothing.
That Robert Kill guy... He seems to really like baseball.
What are you saying?
He was friendly with Miles when they met up yesterday.
Don't you know Kill Chang Ju?
Robert is Chang Ju.
What?
You have a long way to go.
I only forgot for a moment.
Of course I know Kill Chang Ju.
If you're trying to go over and act like you know him,
just go inside to sleep.
Why?
He hasn't retired yet.
I think he's practicing so he could return as a player.
Don't bother him.
Aren't you tired? Why are you still up?
Mr. Baek.
Are you taking a walk too?
Yes. I couldn't sleep, so I came out.
I see.
- Hey... - Yes.
I agree with you.
(Kill Chang Ju)
("A Lonely Fall for the Man Who Turned His Back Against Homeland")
(A nine-winner pitcher Kill Chang Ju was discharged from Major League.)
(After the national youth finals in 2008, he received surgery...)
(He was in 2 youth teams, participated in 2 WBCs, and was...)
He's good.
Out of the pitches we've seen on our trip...
Let me make a quick trip to my room.
Hey, where are you going?
Did you know this from the beginning?
I considered telling you,
but I feel like it doesn't really have anything to do with you.
How did you know?
Well,
it's the way he was analyzing.
He knew too much for someone who's not a player.
So I asked to shake his hands and he had pitcher's hands.
Hey!
Make sure to pitch with all your might.
You're going too far.
It's okay, I've got good equipment.
I don't think that's a good idea.
I'll be fine.
I'm ready.
This is nice to see.
Are you all right?
Are you sure you can take another one?
No.
Sorry we interrupted your practice.
It's fine.
How's your elbow?
- What? - Your elbow ligament surgery.
Well,
I pitch every night because I'm scared.
I just want to make sure that the doctor is right.
I'm fine.
That's good to hear.
You're a hard worker.
This is all I have.
My hands don't lie.
You know how I took Miles' pitch a few days ago, right?
Thank you.
And this wasn't your full-on pitch, was it?
It was.
I don't think you'd throw a full-on pitch to a rookie like me.
Hold on.
You can't retire like this.
You could play in an American team or even a Korean one.
Hey!
What?
That's very kind of you,
but I'm an American citizen.
Why can't you just become a naturalized Korean?
That's a complicated process...
and even if I can return, the league will punish me...
so that I can't play for any team.
What team would want to take someone like me?
Punish you?
I...
didn't end on a good note in Korea when I moved to the US.
I didn't know,
but my team didn't do a background check on me...
and the contract I signed in grade 10 was invalid.
I'm currently permanently banned from playing in Korea.
Why didn't you request an appeal when you were playing here?
If you wanted to return to Korea...
Even if I sort that out,
I'll...
still be someone who fled from military conscription.
You've finally become a rookie pitcher...
that's loved in Major League,
so enlisting probably isn't appealing at all.
But people...
have said that they'd understand if you decide to return to Korea.
To tell you the truth,
my wife was quite ill back then.
She had a tumor in her heart and needed a transplant,
but the waitlist in Korea was far too long.
I couldn't possibly leave my ill wife behind...
and return to Korea to enlist in the army.
Had I returned to Korea then,
my wife wouldn't be here with me now.
Why did you never even explain yourself to the press?
It was my choice to be with my wife,
so I didn't want people to criticize my wife for my choice.
Thankfully, my wife is a lot healthier now,
so I have no regrets. I'll just have to bear with the hate.
It must've looked like I was being so selfish.
No, I am selfish.
I don't expect Koreans to forgive me.
I shouldn't even say that I'll make up for that with baseball.
Making up for my actions that upset so many...
by doing something I love?
That doesn't make any sense.
Then do you plan on playing baseball in the US...
and never ask for forgiveness?
You know how Korean players...
in Major League say...
that they'd like to retire in Korea?
But I don't even deserve to say that.
A man can dream.
It wasn't just your injury, you were going downhill before that too.
But I'm...
not giving up on myself.
My wife is pregnant.
I have one more family to take care of now.
Although that makes me feel pressure,
I have to do it for my wife, who has trusted me unconditionally,
and the baby that's going to be born soon.
The thought of those two cheers me up.
You should've told me.
Then you wouldn't have had to waste your time like this.
I'll see you in Korea.
Okay. I'm sorry.
It's fine.
No need to be sorry.
I don't think we have to meet with Hubbert.
Let's get going.
Maybe it's bad that we watched Chang Ju's pitch that night.
Our standards are too high now.
We won't take a player that doesn't meet our standards.
So that wasn't bad at all.
So where are we going for dinner?
Well, what do you want to eat?
Well, something spicy...
that people usually make at home.
You mean, ramyeon?
My gosh, thank you. Thank you very much.
Why don't you join us?
No, it's okay.
Thank you for this.
(According to last year's Foreign Player Recruitment Rules...)
I've looked over last year's Foreign Player...
Recruitment Rules,
and I didn't see anything that'd hold us back.
Yes, so I'd like to request the ban on the player...
from playing on the field to be lifted.
Mr. Baek...
There's a gas station in 5km thankfully.
Really? What a relief.
I'll go fetch some gas. You can sit and rest over there meanwhile.
You're going alone?
That sounded like you're telling me to go with him.
No, why don't I just run the 5km instead?
I'll go.
I'll feel bad if you can't keep up,
so I'll just be quick.
I'm athletic enough for people to think that I'm a player too.
Let's get going.
He's a hard worker.
I guess when men get married,
they become infinitely responsible like him.
Some men do, some men don't.
Right.
Married or not,
the weaker I get, the harder it gets for people around me.
He probably accepted the fact that he's no superhero long ago.
He just hopes that he can be someone...
who can at least protect his loved ones near him.
Is that Mr. Ko?
No.
Then who is it?
Yes, this is General Manager Baek speaking.
Yes.
Really?
Yes sir.
Bye.
Let's get to work.
He'd like to receive feedback on the pitch as soon as possible.
As soon as you watch it.
Miles? We can take him in as long as he's not injured.
What? Who's that?
It's Kill Chang Ju.
Why did he send that to us?
He's for our number two starting pitcher.
I thought we were recruiting a foreign player.
He's American.
But how is this possible?
The baseball association has lifted the suspension.
Even so,
morally speaking... The most basic moral rules make up the law.
I agree with you for a change. This is wrong!
The posture from his prime is back.
And he can now shift weight very naturally.
His pitches look pretty strong.
But there's no guarantee that he'll adjust well.
I mean, he's pitching without a batter.
Do you want people to speak ill of us the whole season?
Is the general manager insane or what?
Are you not afraid of being criticized for being an inept team?
- What did you just say? - Look.
Let's stop putting up with the criticism that we're inept.
I'd much rather be criticized for something else other than baseball.
Yong Gu and Chul Min.
- Yes, sir. - Watch carefully.
Can we really find a better mercenary?
Even for a million dollars?
I...
don't think we can.
I'm sorry I took too long.
We'll use this for the time being and head over...
to the nearest gas station.
It's okay. We're not really in a rush.
We have a long way ahead of us though.
Chang Ju, I'm curious about something.
- What is it? - Did you know...
that the association lifted the suspension eight years ago?
No, I did not.
I only found out about it just now myself.
I perused Article 9 and 10 as well as...
Chapter 9 and 10 of the Foreign Player Recruitment Rules...
and didn't see any problems,
so I asked them to lift the suspension.
But why...
I'd like to make a proposition.
(Foreign Player Contract)
We're offering you 500,000 dollars.
There are many reasons. First off,
you haven't received any other offers.
I know I'll sound like a jerk,
but the one who has less to offer should sacrifice.
The second reason.
If we recruit you,
we'll face criticism.
Once the season begins,
everyone will understand why we recruited you.
But there's too much time left until we get to that point.
We can justify our decision if we can tell people...
that we recruited you for 500,000 dollars.
The third reason.
We were going to recruit a player who can give us 15 wins...
for 500,000 dollars.
We'd like to achieve that goal and return home.
I...
I'm...
I'm not sure what to say.
I can't believe this is happening, so I don't know if I can say this,
but I'm afraid I'm hesitant to sign the contract.
Is the amount I'm offering too little?
"What will those who served in the military..."
"and their families think of me?"
I wondered that every time...
I wanted to go back to Korea, and it helped me hold out until now.
But now that the thought has been ingrained in my head,
I really don't think I can go back.
If I return to Korea as a mercenary,
I'll have to throw pitches as Robert Kill.
I can't do that to my parents.
People will think I came back because I failed.
That's what I fear the most.
My goodness.
Then why have you been training so hard? What for?
For the sole goal of returning to the Major League?
If I manage...
to score well in the Major League,
then people will welcome me back...
Do you think they hate you...
because of low scores?
You're wrong.
It's because you didn't fulfill your military duties,
not because of your scores or abilities.
If you still don't want to be hated by anyone,
then I'm not sure if you're truly desperate for a comeback.
You see,
I made the proposition, thinking and hoping that your desperation...
will help you with your pitches.
Do you think I made the decision rashly?
Chang Ju.
Do you really have no reason to be desperate?
What's wrong? What happened?
I can play baseball again.
The general manager wants me on his team.
I was so scared thinking that you might have to...
give up baseball for good because of me.
Ladies and gentlemen.
We have arrived at Incheon International Airport.
Please remain seated until the airplane...
comes to a complete stop...
and the seat belt sign has been turned off.
Please use caution when opening...
the overhead bins, as heavy articles may fall off.
We will continue to do our best to always ensure...
your safe, comfortable flights. Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen.
We have arrived at Incheon International Airport.
Please remain seated...
until the captain turns off the seat belt sign.
Kill Chang Ju is here.
- Mr. Kill. - A comment, please!
- Get photos. - How do you feel to be back?
Why did you choose the Dreams?
- How do you feel? - Say a few words!
- What was the offer? - A comment, please!
- Why did you... - Look at the camera!
I said we should make a bet.
I told you we'd smile first.
Do you think the reporters are here with flowers to welcome him?
They're ready to bite and chew you guys to pieces...
as soon as you say something wrong.
That is why I already scheduled a press conference,
so you should head out first.
So you like to cause a stir to get attention.
- A comment, please. - Make way.
- Coming through. - Look at the camera!
How do you feel to be back in Korea as a foreign player?
You haven't stood on the mount for years.
Do you think you can make a comeback as a pitcher?
- Why did you... - Hold your head up high.
Didn't you decide to come back to throw pitches on the mound...
in front of tens of thousands of people?
It's nothing.
Let's go.
Please look here!
Please look this way!
How does it feel like to be back in Korea?
(2019 Robert Kill's Press Conference on Joining Dreams)
I'm Reporter Kim Jung Kook of Tuesday Nation.
I'll make it short and bold.
Why Kill Chang Ju?
He can pitch a speedy ball in the direction we want.
That's the type of a player Chang Ju is.
I'm Reporter Lee Jin Soo of Jonghap News.
The newbie foreign player sets the tone for the year.
I'd like to know if you believe that this was your best choice.
I believe so, among the choices that we had.
Have you considered how the general public may feel?
We recruited the best pitcher we could,
not someone who had a perfect past.
Does that mean that you don't care about the past...
as long as he's good at playing baseball?
I obviously signed him because I believe he'll be good.
And...
nothing matters as long as he's a good player?
Does anybody actually believe that?
I'm Lee Se Young and I'm the Operations Manager.
I've watched Chang Ju closely for the past few days...
and he's a responsible leader of his family...
that isn't stuck in his glorious past.
He's a man who regrets and is embarrassed about his past.
The reason he stuck through his difficult life in the US...
instead of returning to Korea was for that same exact reason.
We were the ones who convinced him to return.
I'm Reporter Jung Seung Geun of Jungdong News.
Chang Ju, who unlawfully avoided military enlistment,
is returning to Korea and playing baseball again.
Have you thought about how other lawfully-enlisted men would feel?
Jungdong News, you say?
I will not deny that Chang Ju could have angered...
some Korean men because they enlisted and he didn't.
I know...
and so does Chang Ju himself.
He's going to have to...
bear more hate than the son of a CEO of a news press,
who avoided enlistment with supposedly high blood pressure,
or another man who avoided enlistment...
by being the son of a politician.
However, there was a player who had a bright future.
He was the ace pitcher in Korea's national youth team...
and pitched in four games, including the preliminary ones.
He pitched the winning pitches in the semi-finals...
but was the supporting pitcher in the finals.
The team won,
but the kid injured his elbow ligament.
He went to the US...
to recover from the injury,
which he did, then he soars...
and finally gets his talent recognized.
But it's time for him to enlist in the military service,
although he just became Major League's best rookie pitcher.
Around that time, according to a public survey,
70 percent of people responded that they'd understand if he returns.
Are you saying that it justifies his naturalization?
I'm probably giving this very long response...
because I know that this won't justify the naturalization.
What is he talking about?
Perhaps it's because he believed in that survey too much.
So he made the choice to return to Korea,
only to have his elbow ligaments get bad again.
So he got kicked out of the team...
and his baseball career came to a stop.
Are you saying that he sacrificed his elbow ligaments for the country?
You sound like you're saying that Korea should make up for him.
No, I'm saying that after all of this happening,
this man still wants to keep playing baseball.
He wants to keep playing, even as a foreign player.
Do you think that'll be enough to convince the fans?
Even if you win gold in Asian Games,
even if you were just on the national team once,
you're exempted from enlistment and can continue playing your sport.
The National Assembly recently began...
talking about possibly turning this...
into a mileage system instead.
Chang Ju here played for the national youth team twice,
then twice at WBC.
That means he represented our country four times.
Are you belittling the gold medallists of Asian Games?
Miles, Griffin.
Foreigners who have never even been to Korea before...
will be playing on our fields as foreign players.
I hope that you will allow Chang Ju here...
to play as one of them, under the same conditions as them,
though he has represented our country four times.
It's not Kill Chang Ju.
It's Robert Kill we'll have playing on our fields.
May I ask one last question?
I'm Kim Young Chae of Baseball Life.
Don't you think there's a way to have your apology accepted?
What do you think about enlisting now?
(Hot Stove League)
Did we bring in a foreign player with issues?
You think a good player would join our team for 500,000 dollars?
The reporters probably don't like him either.
I have a lot of questions.
Yes, he ran away.
They think asking a rude question is journalism.
Why did you take me in?
Who helps who?
Just do your job.
You crossed the line earlier.
If I were in his shoes, could I have told myself that it's not my fault?
You're a smart guy, we're surely related.
How could you do this without proper reasons?
Just in case you're wondering why a smart guy is asking again.
I'm speaking on behalf of our company,
who's wondering if you really have to do this.