Kim Joo-won (21-NC) was a key part of the Korean team's gold medal run at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, batting .288 with two home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored in six games between left and right field. He homered against Thailand in the group stage and China in the Super Round, and hit a sacrifice fly in the final against Chinese Taipei to seal the gold medal. It was the birth of the next generation of Korean shortstops, following in the footsteps of Kim Jae-ho (Doosan), Kang Jung-ho (retired), Oh Ji-hwan (LG) and Kim Ha-seong (San Diego).

When we met in his room on the 12th, Kim said, "I still have the afterglow of the championship. "Looking back, I remember the leadoff hit against China and the sacrifice fly against Taiwan the most. They felt different because they were important points. At first, I was very nervous and my heart was beating fast, but as I concentrated, it disappeared," he said about his experience at the Asian Games.

"My brothers first congratulated me on my military exemption," he said, adding, "(Lee) told me before I went to Hangzhou, 'When you win a gold medal, you will be so happy and feel like you have the world. You should feel it,' and it resonated with me, so as soon as I got there, I told him I knew what he was feeling." Lee Jae-hak is a gold medalist at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Kim Joo-won is a highly touted prospect who was drafted sixth overall in the 2021 NC Secondary First Round out of Yushin High School. He was on a fast track to double-digit home runs and stolen bases for the second straight year, but the Asian Games reminded him that he was a "frog in a well.

"I realized that there are a lot of people in the world who are good at baseball, and I felt like I had to work harder, and I wanted to try again," he said of his learning experience. 안전토토사이트

During the tournament, Kim also received special defensive instruction from Ryu Jung-il, a former legendary shortstop in the KBO League. "I asked Park Sung-hwan and Kim Joo-won how many errors they made this year, and they said 19 and 29," Ryu told reporters at the Gocheok Dome. That's too many. When I saw them fielding, they were quick to catch before throwing. I can't throw accurately because I can't gather my leg strength," he lamented.

Kim Joo-won said, "Coach Ryu Jung-il told me a lot that I should make fewer mistakes as an infielder. I also learned a lot from being close to (Kim) Hye-sung, (Park) Sung-han, and (Noh) Si-hwan," he said.

After a successful Asian Games, Kim's next goal is to win his first championship ring. At the time of the 2020 NC title, Kim was a senior in high school.

"I think winning the Asian Games will be memorable. It's similar to the joy of being drafted into the pros. But if I win a championship in fall baseball this year, that will be my number one memory," he said. To fulfill that dream, however, they'll have to fight their way through an intense late-season standings battle. With four games left in the season, NC is in fourth place, half a game behind third-place SSG, and looking for a direct semi-playoff berth.

"It's unfortunate that the standings aren't finalized yet, but since I came back with a gold medal, I want to pass that energy on to the team and finish with a good result," said Kim Joo-won. "It's been a long time since we've played fall baseball since 2020, so we want to win."

"I think the Asian Games experience will really help us. I think I'll be able to play my game without nerves in the fall baseball because I've been through such an important tournament," he said.