The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has addressed the controversy surrounding WINNER’s Seunghoon, who was accused of “disrupting”a baseball game, following a civil complaint that was submitted.
On September 11th, the National Archives of Korea (NAK), a government agency, released a response to the civil complaint filed against the K-pop idol through the KBO.
Lee Seunghoon, known as Hoony, attended the game between the Lotte Giants and Hanwha Eagles at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on August 28th.
As a representative of Busan, his hometown, Seunghoon threw the ceremonial first pitch and generated excitement by performing a ceremonial dance before delivering the ball, energizing the venue.
He also shared a clip of his dance pitch on social media, expressing his enjoyment.
However, the 18-second dance led to a civil complaint as some baseball fans deemed it “unnecessary”and viewed it as a mere “nuisance.”
Many locals called on the KBO to “immediately send an official letter to each team to prevent inappropriate first pitches by celebrities that disrupt the flow of the game and to devise thorough countermeasures.”
About two weeks after the incident was reported to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the KBO released its position through NAK, stating:
“We appreciate your concern regarding the controversy surrounding Lee Seunghoon’s first pitch.
KBO prioritizes the seamless progression of the game, the safety of the players, and the satisfaction of the fans.
We will continue to consult with each team to prevent excessive disruptions to the game’s flow during first-pitch events in the future.”
While the male idol aimed to make his first pitch a memorable experience, it ultimately resulted in criticism, as it came to be known as a “first pitch that disrupts the flow of the game.”
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