Thought he refused to sign... Why did Lee Jung-hoo return after 40 minutes?

"Felt Sorry Signing Autographs While Being Treated Like a Star
In Front of Friends Who Quit Playing Baseball Together"

The heartwarming story of Lee Jung-hoo, who signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB), has recently come to light and is becoming a hot topic.

A commemorative photo of player Lee Jung-hoo's visit hanging in a sashimi restaurant located in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Online Community]

Recently, a post titled "Lee Jung-hoo's heartwarming story posted on the Kiwoom Gallery" has been actively shared on online communities and social networking services (SNS). Author A, who said they heard directly from the owner of a sashimi restaurant located in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, that Lee Jung-hoo gave an autograph, said, "I visited the sashimi restaurant to hold a regular meeting with Kiwoom Heroes fans," and added, "I found a photo of Lee Jung-hoo at the sashimi restaurant. The owner told me stories about the time Lee Jung-hoo visited."

According to the sashimi restaurant owner, Lee Jung-hoo visited the restaurant with his friends. The owner recognized Lee Jung-hoo and asked for an autograph, to which Lee Jung-hoo replied, "I'll do it later," and left the restaurant. However, about 40 minutes later, Lee Jung-hoo returned, saying, "I sent my friends off in a taxi and came back," and gave the autograph. He also added, "They were friends who had quit playing baseball, so I couldn't sign in front of them."

Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "He is a truly perfect player in both skill and character," "Lee Jong-beom really raised a great son," "Someone I always want to support," "If Japan has Ohtani, Korea has Lee Jung-hoo," and "Not only is he handsome, but he also has a great personality."

Meanwhile, Lee Jung-hoo signed a six-year player contract with the San Francisco Giants last December. The signing bonus totaled $113 million (approximately 150.3 billion KRW), making him the highest-paid Korean player to debut in MLB through posting (private competitive bidding). The contract also includes a groundbreaking "opt-out" clause that allows him to terminate the remaining contract and seek a new destination after fulfilling the four-year contract period from the 2024 season through the 2027 season, raising expectations among Giants fans.

Lee Jung-hoo is scheduled to depart for the United States on the 1st of next month, complete personal training, and then officially join the team for spring camp. He will make his official MLB debut during the opening four-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on March 29.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.