JTBC's entertainment program <Choi Kang Baseball 2025> has finalised its player roster ahead of its first broadcast in August. <Choi Kang Baseball> is a variety show where retired professional baseball players come together to form a team and challenge themselves to play baseball again on the field. Led by the legendary manager Lee Jong-beom of the KIA Tigers, the roster includes franchise star Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles, four-time pitching champion Yoon Suk-min, base-stealing king Lee Dae-hyung of the LG Twins, and Na Ji-wan, the hero of the walk-off home run in Game 7 of the Korean Series. The pitching staff will feature playing coach Shim Soo-chang, along with Yoon Gil-hyun and Yoon Hee-sang, who led the SK Wyverns dynasty, Lee Hyun-seung, the closer for the Doosan Bears, and Oh Joo-won, a left-handed rookie of the Hyundai Unicorns who left <Choi Kang Baseball> and has now rejoined. As for the batting lineup, it includes the legendary Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles, multi-player Na Joo-hwan, the genius shortstop Lee Hak-joo, and the power hitter Choi Jin-haeng, who was the fourth batter for the Hanwha Eagles, along with Heo Do-hwan, the catcher who retired from LG last year.
JTBC's entertainment show <Choi Kang Baseball> was very popular until Season 3, but ahead of Season 4, conflicts arose between the broadcasting company JTBC and the production company led by PD Jang Si-won, resulting in the departure of the existing cast and crew and the formation of a new cast and crew. In April, JTBC filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement and criminally charged PD Jang Si-won and Studio C1. Subsequently, PD Jang Si-won continued the program under the name <Fire Baseball> through a YouTube channel with existing cast members including manager Kim Sung-keun, Lee Dae-ho, Park Yong-taek, and Yoo Hee-kwan. In response, JTBC requested a halt to the production, and all <Fire Baseball> videos were deleted, with the program currently being released through its own website. Meanwhile, manager Lee Jong-beom faced backlash from fans when he decided to step down from his coaching position at KT Wiz mid-season to take on the role of manager for <Choi Kang Baseball>. It will be interesting to see how the newly launched <Choi Kang Baseball> with its changed cast and structure will be received.
