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| 2025 Choi Kang Baseball poster / Photo: JTBC |
[Sports Today reporter Song O-jung] ‘Choi Kang Baseball’ is facing turmoil on and off the field. A coach-turned-manager leaving midseason and the production company’s push to press ahead with a legally contested second season of ‘Fire Baseball’ have created unwelcome distractions during what was supposed to be a regrouping period.
On the 6th, Lee Jong Beom appeared on MBC SPORTS+’s ‘Be-Behind,’ taking time to explain his side and share his feelings about ‘Choi Kang Baseball.’ He said taking on the show did not go smoothly, called the decision short-sighted and expressed regret over the controversy that followed his acceptance of the manager role.
At the time, Lee Jong Beom was a coach on a professional team and chose to leave midseason to become the manager of the popular baseball variety show. The move disappointed both his club and baseball fans.
Lee also revealed the stress from the episode led to a health issue — vitiligo — and said he had hoped the program would succeed but it ended. He added that had he known the outcome, he would not have made that choice, and that he is still exploring ways to return to the field.
His admission of regret reopened wounds among fans of the show and followers of the KBO. Critics questioned whether anyone would enter a project without understanding the stakes and asked whether he would have apologized if the program had been a success. Many labeled his actions disrespectful to both his team and ‘Choi Kang Baseball,’ arguing that his behavior was irresponsible for someone in a leadership position.
Lee’s comments left JTBC’s ‘Choi Kang Baseball’ in a difficult spot. When the network announced the show’s end in January, cancellation rumors surfaced; JTBC said it was considering a retooling and that cancellation was not the immediate next step. Still, credibility took a hit when a former leader associated with the show’s breakaway described his choice as a regret, turning an internal setback into a public blow.
To make matters worse, JTBC is already entangled in a legal dispute with production company Studio C1. Although a court dismissed Studio C1’s objection to JTBC’s injunction seeking to stop alleged copyright infringement and unfair competition on the 3rd, the production company appears to be moving forward with ‘Fire Baseball’ Season 2. The result is misaligned efforts on the field, an ongoing legal battle off it, and more damage than the planned regrouping was meant to repair.
[Sports Today reporter Song O-jung ent@stoo.com]
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