1. Early Life and Amateur Career
Oh Ju-won was born on March 31, 1985. His formative years and early baseball experiences laid the groundwork for his professional career, showcasing his talent from a young age.
1.1. High School and Junior National Team
While attending Cheongwon High School in Seoul, Oh Ju-won was widely recognized as one of the top left-handed high school pitching prospects in South Korea. His talent earned him a spot on the South Korea national junior baseball team in 2003. He competed in the 5th Asian Junior Baseball Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand, where the South Korean team achieved its second Asian Championship title by defeating Chinese Taipei in the final game.
2. Professional Career
Oh Ju-won's professional baseball career began in 2004, spanning several teams and roles, from a promising rookie starter to a veteran relief pitcher and closer.
2.1. Hyundai Unicorns (2004-2006)
Oh Ju-won's early professional years with the Hyundai Unicorns were marked by immediate success as a rookie, followed by struggles with injuries and performance, leading to mandatory military service.
2.1.1. Draft and Rookie Season
Upon graduating from Cheongwon High School, Oh Ju-won was drafted by the Hyundai Unicorns in the second round, 12th overall (or as the first pick of the second round for the Unicorns), in the 2004 KBO League Draft. He signed a contract with a signing bonus of 151.00 M KRW and an annual salary of 20.00 M KRW. In his rookie season in 2004, Oh immediately secured a spot in the Unicorns' starting rotation. He concluded his debut season with an impressive record of 10 wins and 9 losses, a ERA of 3.99, and 113 strikeouts over 149 innings pitched.
2.1.2. Rookie of the Year and Korean Series
Oh Ju-won's outstanding rookie performance significantly contributed to the Hyundai Unicorns' direct advancement to the 2004 Korean Series. He started Game 5 of the series against the Samsung Lions, where he earned a crucial victory by allowing only one run over 5.1 innings. This win played a major role in the Unicorns securing their second Korean Series victory, which would ultimately be the team's last championship. At the end of the season, Oh Ju-won was honored with the 2004 KBO Rookie of the Year Award, prevailing over Kwon Oh-joon in a competitive race.
2.1.3. Sophomore Slump, Injuries, and Military Service
In 2005, Oh Ju-won experienced a challenging "sophomore slump" marred by injuries and rehabilitation, which delayed his return to the first team until late May. He struggled with his control and finished the season with a dismal record of 1 win and 11 losses, alongside a 6.01 ERA. His difficulties continued into the 2006 season, where he again battled control issues and inconsistent performance. He was removed from the starting rotation after his April 28 game against the LG Twins, appearing in only four games for the season with a record of 1 win and 1 loss and a 4.61 ERA over 13.2 innings pitched. Following the 2006 season, in November, he enlisted for his two years of mandatory military service, joining the Sangmu Baseball Team. During his time in the military, he achieved success in the 2008 Futures League, leading the Northern League with 11 wins.
2.2. Nexen Heroes / Kiwoom Heroes (2009-2021)
After completing his military service, Oh Ju-won's career continued with the Heroes franchise, undergoing various role changes, battling injuries, and eventually becoming a prominent closer before his retirement.
2.2.1. Return from Military Service and Relief Pitcher Role
Oh Ju-won returned to professional baseball in 2009 after completing his military duty. Due to the dissolution of the Hyundai Unicorns during his service, he joined the newly formed Heroes franchise. His comeback season was modest, with a record of 1 win and 2 losses, 5 holds, and a 4.08 ERA as a relief pitcher. From 2009 onwards, he primarily served as a left-handed specialist in the bullpen. In 2010, he played a vital role in the Heroes' bullpen, leading the team with 69 appearances, which was the fourth-highest in the league. He significantly lowered his ERA to 2.38 and recorded 9 holds with a 1 win and 0 loss record. In 2011, Oh Ju-won had his best season as a setup man, achieving a career-high 20 holds, ranking him third in the league behind Jung Woo-ram (25 holds) and Jung Hyun-wook (24 holds). He was the only Heroes relief pitcher to appear in over 60 games for two consecutive seasons.
2.2.2. Injuries, Role Changes, and Name Change
The 2012 season saw Oh Ju-won struggle, with reduced appearances (26 games), a record of 1 win and 3 losses, 4 holds, 1 save, and an ERA over 5.00. In August of that year, he underwent elbow ligament reconstruction surgery, which ended his season prematurely. After rehabilitation, he returned to the team. In 2013, then-manager Yeom Kyung-yeop moved him back to a starting pitcher role. On August 22, 2013, Oh Ju-won made his first start in 2,672 days against the NC Dinos, securing his first starting win in 7 years (2,683 days) since April 18, 2006, against the Doosan Bears. He continued to make several starts in 2014 but struggled with consistency. However, his performance improved during the postseason. In mid-January 2015, he experienced hip joint pain, requiring rehabilitation. He returned mid-season but did not achieve satisfactory results, appearing in 9 games with an ERA over 9.00 and no wins. On August 11, 2016, he recorded his first save in 1.1 innings pitched against the Hanwha Eagles. Two days later, on August 13, 2016, he officially changed his name from Oh Jae-young to Oh Ju-won.
2.2.3. Later Career, Closer Role, and FA
In 2017, Oh Ju-won appeared in 57 games, recording 2 wins, 7 losses, 1 save, and 18 holds with an ERA in the 4.00s. His performance declined in 2018, with a 6.00s ERA, 3 wins, 6 losses, 1 save, and 15 holds in 61 appearances, marking two consecutive seasons of struggle. However, in the early part of the 2019 season, he took on a crucial role in the team's setup corps. When then-closer Jo Sang-woo was sidelined due to injury, Oh Ju-won stepped into the closer role. His strong performance, including 18 saves and an ERA in the 2.00s, led him to retain the closer position even after Jo Sang-woo's return. Following the 2019 season, he earned FA qualification for the first time in his career and re-signed with the Kiwoom Heroes on a two-year contract worth a total of 700.00 M KRW.
2.2.4. Retirement
After the 2021 KBO League season, Oh Ju-won announced his retirement from professional baseball on October 26, 2021. He was placed on waivers by the Kiwoom Heroes on October 28 and officially became a free agent on November 4, marking the end of his playing career.
3. Post-Retirement Career
Following his retirement as a player, Oh Ju-won transitioned into roles within baseball analysis and coaching. In 2022, he began working as a scout and power analyst for the Goyang Heroes, the Kiwoom Heroes' Futures League team. In 2024, he took on a new role as a pitching coach for the Goyang Heroes, specifically for the residual team (equivalent to a third-tier team).
4. Records
4.1. Yearly Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | ERA | G | CG | SHO | W | L | SV | H | WPCT | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | R | ER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Hyundai | 3.99 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.526 | 625 | 149 | 135 | 16 | 53 | 5 | 113 | 71 | 66 |
| 2005 | 6.01 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.083 | 327 | 70.1 | 79 | 5 | 44 | 2 | 37 | 57 | 47 | |
| 2006 | 4.61 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 58 | 13.2 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 7 | |
| 2009 | Heroes | 4.08 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0.333 | 167 | 39.2 | 39 | 3 | 17 | 1 | 25 | 18 | 18 |
| 2010 | Nexen | 2.38 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0.500 | 187 | 45.1 | 39 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 28 | 15 | 12 |
| 2011 | 3.53 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0.500 | 178 | 43.1 | 38 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 17 | |
| 2012 | 5.19 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 113 | 26 | 26 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 15 | 15 | |
| 2013 | 2.40 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 169 | 41.1 | 28 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 31 | 13 | 11 | |
| 2014 | 6.45 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.455 | 341 | 74 | 99 | 14 | 33 | 3 | 31 | 59 | 53 | |
| 2015 | 9.33 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 96 | 18.1 | 31 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 19 | 19 | |
| 2016 | 4.41 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.600 | 220 | 51 | 50 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 40 | 25 | 25 | |
| 2017 | 4.76 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 18 | 0.222 | 329 | 73.2 | 96 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 56 | 44 | 39 | |
| 2018 | 6.19 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 0.333 | 226 | 52.1 | 61 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 36 | 37 | 36 | |
| 2019 | Kiwoom | 2.32 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 0.500 | 223 | 54.1 | 54 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 41 | 17 | 14 |
| 2020 | 5.40 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.750 | 78 | 18.1 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 11 | |
| 2021 | 9.31 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 94 | 19.1 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 20 | 20 | |
| Career Total | 16 seasons | 4.67 | 584 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 57 | 25 | 84 | 0.418 | 3431 | 790 | 841 | 88 | 289 | 28 | 525 | 448 | 410 |
4.2. Uniform Numbers
Oh Ju-won wore the following uniform numbers during his professional career:
- 59 (2004-2006, Hyundai Unicorns)
- 15 (2009-2021, Heroes / Nexen / Kiwoom)
- 86 (2024, Goyang Heroes)