Oh Jae-won

1. Early Life and Education

Oh Jae-won was born on February 9, 1985, in Seoul, South Korea. He attended Seoul Hakdong Elementary School and Kyungwon Middle School in Seoul before continuing his education at Yatap High School. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Department of Physical Education at Kyung Hee University. Although he was initially selected by the Doosan Bears in the 2003 draft, he chose to attend college first, joining the team after his graduation in 2007.

2. Professional Baseball Career

Oh Jae-won spent his entire professional baseball career with the Doosan Bears in the KBO League, establishing himself as a versatile infielder known for his aggressive base running, strong defensive plays, and at times, controversial on-field demeanor.

2.1. Doosan Bears (2007-2022)

Oh Jae-won's career with the Doosan Bears spanned 16 seasons, marked by consistent performance, leadership roles, and a distinctive playing style that often made him a central figure in key moments.

2.1.1. Early Years and Development (2007-2009)

Oh Jae-won made his professional debut on June 13, 2007, with the Doosan Bears. In his first year, he was primarily utilized as a pinch-runner and a late-game substitute. By his second year, in 2008, he began to establish himself more firmly, appearing in 100 games and starting to become a core player for the team. He gradually increased his presence on the field over these early years.

2.1.2. Establishment as a Key Player and Major Achievements (2010-2014)

The period from 2010 to 2014 saw Oh Jae-won solidify his position as a central figure for the Doosan Bears. In 2010, he often played as a first baseman alongside Choi Jun-seok, but later displaced Go Young-min at second base. While his initial defense at second base was shaky, it steadily improved, showing excellent plays in the latter half of the season and throughout the postseason. He also demonstrated versatility by playing third base due to Lee Won-seok's injury, acting as a utility infielder. That season, he played in 123 games, recording a batting average in the .200s and 35 stolen bases, firmly establishing himself as the team's number two hitter.

On April 2, 2011, he started as a first baseman on opening day for the first time in his career. On April 5, he hit his first career home run against Kim Seong-tae of the Nexen Heroes. He went on to hit five more home runs that season, finishing with six, and led the league with 46 stolen bases, earning him the Stolen Base King title. In 2012, he started as a first baseman for the second consecutive year. However, his performance was initially quiet, and he suffered an injury on April 14 in a game against the Lotte Giants, colliding with Kang Min-ho, leading to his removal from the roster. He returned in late May but was subsequently removed again due to a recurring injury.

In 2013, he started on opening day for the third consecutive year. Batting as a first baseman, he hit a grand slam against Bae Young-soo, marking his first home run and RBI of the season. This early success set a strong tone, and he showed exceptional performance with the bases loaded throughout the year. In Game 5 of the KBO League Semi-Playoffs, he hit a three-run home run against Lee Jung-hoon, significantly contributing to the team's advance to the KBO League Playoffs.

The 2014 season saw him hit a home run against the LG Twins and maintain strong hitting performance from the start of the season. On May 23, in a game against the Hanwha Eagles, he achieved the 16th cycle in KBO history. In September of the same year, he was selected to the South Korean baseball national team for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. His team's gold medal victory at the event granted him military exemption, a significant career achievement for Korean professional athletes. He played in 110 games, achieving a batting average over .300, over 100 hits, 5 home runs, and 40 RBIs.

2.1.3. Captaincy, International Appearances, and Later Career (2015-2022)

In 2015, Oh Jae-won was appointed as the new captain of the Doosan Bears. On July 26, he hit a home run against Zach Stewart of the NC Dinos, marking his first season with double-digit home runs. Later that year, he was selected for the 2015 WBSC Premier12 national team. In the semi-finals against Japan, he came in as a pinch-hitter for Hur Kyoung-min, who had been struggling against Japanese pitchers, and hit a crucial left-field single off Takahiro Norimoto, sparking a comeback. Following the season, he became a free agent for the first time and re-signed with Doosan on a four-year contract worth a total of 3.80 B KRW.

In 2017, he was selected for the South Korean national team for the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March before the start of the season. He continued to play as the starting second baseman until 2018, but faced increasing competition from younger players. In 2019, despite serving as captain, his batting average dropped to the .100s, and he failed to reach the plate appearance requirement for the first time in seven years.

After the 2019 season, he applied for free agency for the second time and re-signed with Doosan on a three-year contract worth up to 1.90 B KRW. He continued to serve as the Doosan captain in 2020. On July 1, 2020, in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes, he hit a bases-clearing double off Han Hyun-hee in the second inning, achieving his 500th career RBI, becoming the 96th player in KBO history to do so. However, he subsequently experienced a severe slump in performance and resigned from his captaincy in August, with Oh Jae-il taking over as interim captain. In 2021, his batting average further declined, and he played in only 45 games.

In 2022, Oh Jae-won participated in a career-low 18 games, leading him to announce his retirement from active play. His retirement ceremony was held on October 8, 2022, at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

3. Playing Style and Characteristics

Oh Jae-won was known for his extremely strong competitive drive and expressive emotions on the field. This intensity, while admired by some for his passion, also led to criticism for actions deemed contrary to fair play and sportsmanship. He was frequently involved in dangerous plays. For example, in a game on May 23, 2013, with runners on first and third, he attempted a stolen base. When the second baseman fumbled the ball, Oh Jae-won deliberately kicked the ball further away to allow the runner on third, Lee Jong-wook, to advance. On August 7, 2014, when fielding a slow ground ball, instead of making an easy throw to first, he deliberately ran towards the runner, Moon Woo-ram, attempting to draw an interference call. The very next day, he was seen making a malicious slide towards the second baseman's foot to break up a double play. Most notably, on June 7, 2015, he ran to first base with a broken, sharpened bat, appearing to intentionally threaten opposing fielders, drawing widespread condemnation. All these specific incidents occurred in games against the Nexen Heroes.

Another distinctive and often controversial aspect of his playing style was his dramatic bat flips. He was observed performing elaborate bat flips regardless of the outcome of his hit - whether a foul ball, a single, an extra-base hit, or a home run - seemingly to demoralize opponents. A notable instance occurred in the semi-finals of the 2015 WBSC Premier12, where he executed a bat flip after hitting a fly ball to center field in the ninth inning with two outs and the bases loaded.

4. Controversies

Oh Jae-won's career was marked by several controversies and incidents, both on and off the field, which drew significant public attention and criticism.

5. Post-retirement Career

Following his retirement from professional baseball in October 2022, Oh Jae-won began a new career as a baseball commentator. Starting in 2023, he worked as a baseball analyst for SPOTV, providing insights and commentary on KBO League games. However, his commentary career was interrupted due to controversies, including his public criticism of Park Chan-ho and later, his arrest on drug-related charges.

6. Honors and Achievements

Oh Jae-won's career included notable individual accolades and significant contributions as a member of the South Korean national baseball team.

7. Nicknames

Throughout his career, Oh Jae-won accumulated several nicknames from fans, reflecting his distinctive playing style and public perception:

• Oh Sik-bbang (오식빵_Osikppang^Korean) or Sik-bbang-man (식빵맨_{Sik-bbang-man}^Korean): Derived from a slang term for cursing (similar to "f---"), this nickname came about after he was caught on camera swearing and being ejected from the batter's box during a game.
• Urihyeom (우리혐_Urihyeom^Korean): A portmanteau of the Korean words for "our side" (우리) and "dislike" (혐오, referring to a perceived resemblance to Cristiano Ronaldo's nickname "Our Ronaldo," implying a player who is frustrating when on the opposing team but reliable when on one's own team). This nickname acknowledges his strong competitive drive, which could be frustrating to opponents but reassuring to his teammates and fans, especially in international games where he represented the national team.
• Oh Yeolsa (오열사_Oyeolsa^Korean): This nickname, roughly translating to "Oh the Patriot" or "Oh the Heroic Martyr," was given after his dramatic bat flip in the final game of the 2015 WBSC Premier12, a moment perceived by many as a powerful display of national pride and defiance.
• Oh Jae-il (오재1): A playful nickname used in conjunction with teammate Oh Jae-il, often to distinguish them as "Oh Jae-won" and "Oh Jae-il."

8. Personal Life and Other Ventures

Beyond his baseball career, Oh Jae-won has ventured into business. He owns and operates a cafe called "TRYST" in Apgujeong, a fashionable area of Seoul. The cafe is known to be frequented by various celebrities.

9. Career Statistics

10. Uniform Numbers

Oh Jae-won wore several uniform numbers during his career with the Doosan Bears:

• 48 (2007)
• 7 (2008-2009)
• 53 (2010-2012)
• 97 (2013)
• 17 (2014-2015)
• 24 (2016-2022)