Choo Shin-soo's Emotional Farewell to SSG Landers Fans

Choo Shin-soo, the legendary Korean baseball player, is set to bid farewell to his fans at Incheon SSG Landers Field, a place he called home for four years. Despite not being able to have a proper goodbye in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Choo expressed his gratitude to the fans and the team for the retirement ceremony. The event was attended by a sellout crowd of 23,000, marking the Landers' 10th sellout of the season and a new franchise record.

Key Takeaways:

• Choo Shin-soo played for the SSG Landers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for four seasons, from 2021 to 2024.
• He is one of the most productive Asian-born hitters in MLB history, with 218 home runs and 782 career RBIs.
• In his KBO career, Choo had a .263/.388/.424 line with 54 home runs, 205 RBIs, and 51 steals.
• Choo helped the Landers win the Korean Series title in 2022.
• The team prepared a retirement ceremony for Choo, which included signing his favorite number 17 jersey and inviting his family to the event.
• Choo's former MLB teammates, Adrian Beltre and Cole Hamels, attended the game to celebrate his two decades in professional baseball.

Statistics:

• Choo played 1,652 games in MLB, with 218 home runs and 782 career RBIs.
• He had a .263/.388/.424 line in his KBO career, with 54 home runs, 205 RBIs, and 51 steals.
• The SSG Landers sold out 10 times in a season for the first time, with 23,000 fans attending the game vs. the Lotte Giants.
• Choo joined the 20-20 club in the KBO in 2021, becoming the oldest player to do so at 39 years old.

Sources:

• Yonhap News Agency (14 Jun 2025)
• Various MLB and KBO sources cited within the article.