1. Early life and education
Oh Jeong-bok's early life and educational background laid the foundation for his professional career in baseball.
1.1. Birth and childhood
Oh Jeong-bok was born on October 13, 1986, in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea.
q=Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do|position=right
1.2. Education
Oh Jeong-bok received his primary education at Kimhae Samsung Elementary School, followed by Naedong Middle School in Gyeongsangnam-do. He then attended Masan Yongma High School before pursuing higher education at Inha University.
2. Professional career
Oh Jeong-bok's professional baseball career spanned several teams within the KBO League, progressing from his debut with the Samsung Lions, transitioning to the NC Dinos, serving in the Police Baseball Team, and ultimately concluding his career with the KT Wiz.
2.1. Samsung Lions
Oh Jeong-bok joined the Samsung Lions in 2009. His debut in the first team was more substantial in 2010, where he quickly made an impact. On May 2, 2010, against the Hanwha Eagles, he achieved his first career home run and a significant extra-inning home run in the same game, marking a strong presence. He played 100 games that year, making considerable progress in securing a spot in the outfield alongside teammates like Park Han-yi and Choi Hyeong-woo. However, his season was cut short by an ankle injury just before the 2010 KBO League postseason, which prevented his participation. In 2011, his playing opportunities significantly decreased. This was partly due to the strong performance of rookie teammate and fellow outfielder Bae Young-seop, who was named the Rookie of the Year. Additionally, the emergence of Jeong Hyeong-sik during the 2011 Asia Series and the return of Woo Dong-gyun from the Police Baseball Team further saturated the outfield roster. Oh Jeong-bok also struggled with base running, which placed him behind players like Bae Young-seop and Lee Young-wook. Consequently, he appeared in only 24 games that season.
2.2. Police Baseball Team
Following his time with the Samsung Lions, Oh Jeong-bok's military enlistment was confirmed in late 2011. On November 22, 2011, he was transferred to the NC Dinos, his regional team, through the 2nd Draft. From 2012 to 2013, he fulfilled his mandatory military service by playing for the Police Baseball Team. Upon his discharge on September 28, 2013, he immediately departed for Arizona, United States, on September 30, following the instructions of then-NC Dinos manager Kim Kyung-moon, to join the education league team there.
2.3. NC Dinos
After completing his military service, Oh Jeong-bok officially rejoined the NC Dinos for the 2014 season. His return marked a notable milestone as he became the first player in the club's history to rejoin the team after fulfilling military duty.
2.3.1. 2014 KBO Semifinal
Oh Jeong-bok participated in the 2014 KBO Semifinal. He appeared in one game during the series, recording one at-bat with no hits.
| AVG | Games | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | HBP | SO | DP | SLG | OBP | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0 |
2.4. KT Wiz
Oh Jeong-bok moved to the KT Wiz on June 21, 2015, as part of a 2-for-1 trade. He and Hong Seong-yong from the NC Dinos were traded to the KT Wiz in exchange for Yong Deok-han. His impact was immediate; in his first game with the KT Wiz on June 23 against the LG Twins, he hit a go-ahead three-run home run against pitcher Henry Sosa, making a strong impression. He became a key batter for the team in the latter half of the 2015 season. He remained with the KT Wiz until July 21, 2018, when he was placed on waiver public announcement along with Kim Dong-wook.
3. Playing style and characteristics
Oh Jeong-bok was known for his contributions as an outfielder. While with the KT Wiz, his cheering song was based on Nobuaki Kakuda's "Yossha Otoko Uta," a song also used by Shogo Nakamura of the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan. His base running ability was noted as being relatively less developed compared to his peers.
4. Controversy
Oh Jeong-bok's professional career was marked by a significant controversy in 2016. On the night of March 12, 2016, while in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, he was apprehended for drunk driving after consuming alcohol with an acquaintance. His blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.103%, which is above the threshold for license revocation in South Korea.
q=Suwon, Gyeonggi-do|position=right
Following the incident, the KT Wiz held a disciplinary committee meeting and imposed a 10-game suspension for the season and a fine of 3.00 M KRW on him. The KBO, the governing body of professional baseball in South Korea, also convened a disciplinary committee. The KBO's ruling included a 15-game suspension from official games starting in April and a requirement of 120 hours of volunteer service in youth baseball. This incident highlighted the importance of accountability for professional athletes and the strict enforcement of rules against such behavior.
5. Retirement and later activities
Oh Jeong-bok's professional baseball career concluded with his retirement, after which he transitioned into new endeavors related to the sport.
5.1. Retirement
Oh Jeong-bok officially retired from professional baseball on July 21, 2018. On this date, he and fellow player Kim Dong-wook were placed on waiver public announcement by the KT Wiz, marking the end of his playing career.
5.2. Post-retirement activities
In November 2018, following his retirement, Oh Jeong-bok opened a baseball academy in Suwon specifically for students, focusing on youth baseball development.
6. Records and statistics
Oh Jeong-bok's professional baseball career is documented through various records and statistics, including his comprehensive playing performance, uniform numbers, and annual salary figures.
6.1. Career statistics
| Year | Team | AVG | Games | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | Total Bases | RBI | SB | CS | BB | HBP | SO | DP | SLG | OBP | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Samsung | .125 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | .125 | .250 |
| 2010 | Samsung | .271 | 100 | 221 | 39 | 60 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 93 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 40 | 4 | .421 | .350 | .771 |
| 2011 | Samsung | .192 | 24 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | .231 | .222 | .453 |
| 2012 | Military Service | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Military Service | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | NC | .232 | 47 | 69 | 9 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 2 | .290 | .304 | .594 |
| 2015 | KT | .259 | 66 | 239 | 34 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 90 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 3 | 26 | 3 | .377 | .355 | .732 |
| 2016 | KT | .304 | 96 | 306 | 45 | 93 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 123 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 32 | 5 | .402 | .358 | .760 |
| 2017 | KT | .354 | 81 | 195 | 24 | 69 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 5 | .451 | .395 | .846 |
| 2018 | KT | .000 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
| Career: 8 years | .286 | 425 | 1070 | 155 | 306 | 50 | 4 | 19 | 421 | 127 | 7 | 8 | 103 | 13 | 138 | 18 | .393 | .352 | .745 | |
6.2. Uniform numbers
Oh Jeong-bok wore several uniform numbers throughout his professional career:
- 53 (2009-2011)
- 7 (2014)
- 52 (2015, until mid-season)
- 27 (2015, mid-season - 2018, mid-season)
6.3. Annual salary
Oh Jeong-bok's annual salary varied during his professional baseball career, reflecting his performance and contract negotiations.
| Year | Salary | Increase Rate (%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 24.00 M KRW | 0 | |
| 2010 | 26.00 M KRW | 8.3 | |
| 2011 | 53.00 M KRW | 103.8 | |
| 2012 | Military service | ||
| 2013 | Military service | ||
| 2014 | 53.00 M KRW | 0 | |
| 2015 | 50.00 M KRW | -5.7 |