"Big Boy" Lee Dae-ho, the main character of the Lotte Giants batter's permanent absence for the first time in professional baseball, said, "Let me stretch my shoulders" over "must-win duo" Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min. 스포츠토토

Lee played in 1971 KBO games and had a batting average of 399 (2,199 hits in 7,118 times at bat) with 374 homers, 1425 RBIs, 972 runs and 11 steals. Lee became the seven-time batting champion in 2010, winning the MVP title of the regular season. 

He has also won the Golden Glove seven times in his career. He was named the best first baseman in 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2017 and became the star of the Golden Glove in the third baseman category in 2010. He received the Golden Glove in the designated hitter category in 2018 and 2022. Although he had the best performance, he has never won a single championship ring and has never experienced the Korean Series. 

Lee Dae-ho stressed to Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min, who appeared on his YouTube channel "Lee Dae-ho [RE:DAEHO]," that they should do better than now. Kim Won-joong made a total of 132 saves, including 25 saves this season, while Koo Seung-min had only four holds in the first half but achieved double-digit holds for five consecutive years with nine holds in the second half. 

Regarding Koo, Lee said, "If you're in your position, 20 holds should be the default. Fans say 20 holds is the default, but if you fail, you will be criticized. That's inevitable for fans. You have to do better than last year."

"Fans including myself believe that if Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min take the mound, they will win, but if they lose, the disappointment will be tremendous. We have to do our best with each and every ball. We have to make 40 saves and 40 holds next year. Until when will we be able to make 20 saves and 20 holds. Don't you have to make 30 or 40 to win the championship?" 

"Please let me go to the ballpark and cheer for you and walk around with my shoulders open," Lee said. "I heard that you don't have a championship ring when I go on TV. But I don't need one. Please let me go watch the Korean Series."

Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min, who earned free agency status after the end of this season, chose to stay at Lotte. Kim signed a four-year contract worth 5.4 billion won, while Koo signed a two-plus-year contract worth 2.1 billion won. "I could have received more if I went to another club, but I rejected all temptations and chose Lotte," Kim said, while Koo expressed his affection saying, "There is something in Busan that cannot be converted into money."