Geum Seong-muk Delivers Right Out the Gate
The Sejong Tournament semifinals were underway at the Jeonju Hanok Dome.
Today, the stadium buzzed with fans from both teams.
Today’s Sejong Tournament semifinal is about to kick off! The dome is already electric with baseball fans’ excitement. Can’t wait to see how this game unfolds!
Challenger’s grit vs. powerhouse tradition! Keep your eyes on that matchup—it’ll make for a thrilling watch.
Baekro High starts with ace pitcher Lee Tae-bin! The super ace with a sub-1.00 ERA takes the mound as their surefire game-winner against Munhyeok High!
Lee Tae-bin warmed up on the mound, his intensity palpable.
Shwoosh!
1. Choi Adam SS
2. Do Dojin 2B
3. Seok Un-gang C
4. Geum Seong-muk CF
5. Takahina Ryuji 3B
6. Ji Suyong RF
7. Ri Donghyeok DH
8. Seo Kyungsu LF
9. Lee Tae-gyeong 1B
Seok Un-gang moves up to the 3-hole, swapping spots with Takahina Ryuji!
Looks like they’re giving their righty power bat extra looks against the lefty ace Lee Tae-bin.
Also, Geum Seong-muk starts in center for the first time in the tournament!
He impressed in the outfield once during this international event. With Jeonju Dome’s massive outfield, we’re excited to see what he does today!
Shwoosh!
1. Han Ju-won CF
2. Je Yun-chan SS
3. Na Geon-woo 1B
4. Walter Jaeger DH
5. Cheon Woo-young 3B
6. An Jin-ho RF
7. Hwang In-jun C
8. Jeon Seo-jun LF
9. Bae Young-jin 2B
Takes your breath away just reading it. Loaded with national team-level hitters at the top—opposing pitchers must feel the pressure!
Baekro High’s fielders swarmed the diamond chaotically.
On the mound stood their ace, Lee Tae-bin, radiating overwhelming presence.
Umpire’s hand goes up!
“Play ball…!!”
The game kicked off.
For the single ticket to the Sejong Tournament finals, Munhyeok High and Baekro High launched into a brutal bloodbath.
“Huff, huff…!!”
“Damn it, are we always late?!”
Two male students sprinted into the stadium, plagued yet again by transportation woes. They already had a track record—twice now—and suffered from chronic tardiness trauma.
“Shit, every time we’re late, it’s always…”
“The games explode from the get-go!”
In the Daegwallyeong High game, Hassan got shelled early. Against Cheolwon First High, Park Chan-jun took a beating right away. Sure, they mounted comebacks thanks to hot bats, but the fear lingered.
“No way we give up a bunch of runs today!”
“Lee Tae-bin—that monster—never gave up more than 2 runs in three years, right?”
The boys shivered at the opposing ace’s terror.
Entering Jeonju Dome, the full field came into view.
“Whoa, this is Jeonju Dome!!”
“Scoreboard, scoreboard!”
They scanned the scoreboard eagerly.
The top score made them jump—in a good way.
“Oh, 0-0!”
“Never thought I’d be this pumped for a scoreless tie!”
Early innings, sure, but starting from 0-0 felt like a win. Still, dark clouds loomed; it wasn’t smooth sailing.
“Damn, bases loaded, no outs? That’s gotta mean runs.”
“At least one or two, right?”
Runners piled up via walks and Seo Kyungsu’s error.
The boys clutched their heads.
But Hassan didn’t flinch in the crisis.
“Hoo.”
Heh heh, need my help? Entrust your body to me, and crises like this vanish easily…
“Shut up, you fake.”
Grahhh, I’m not a fake!!
Hassan muted the fake Allah’s voice in his head and steadied his breath. One thought dominated: Coach Ma’s watching. I’ll shut this down no matter what…!!
Without Ma Deok-su, Hassan might’ve been a puppet to fake Allah forever. Ma had reshaped him into a real man—his lifelong benefactor.
Hassan burned hotter than ever.
Thwack!!
“Strike!”
“…!”
Batter flinches! Couldn’t even swing!
Name: Hassan Iqbal
Nationality: Pakistan
Age: 17
Height: 186 cm
Skill / Allah's Apostle (S+)
: On possession, control and velocity rise one rank.
Stamina: A (*A+)
Control: B+ → A
Fastball: S (*S+)
Velocity: A → A+ (*S)
Breaking Balls: B+ (*A)
├ Two-Seam: A+
└ Splitter: B+
Hassan’s stats now rivaled any national prospect. He’d leaped forward before Cheolwon, but now he’d stepped up even more.
Whoosh!
“Strike out!”
Thwack!!
“Strike out!!”
“Hoo.”
Hassan caught his breath, opened his calm eyes, and unleashed relentlessly on the next batter.
Thwack!!
“Strike oooout!!”
That showed his true potential. And get this—he’s still a freshman! The future’s bright; can’t help but hype next year and beyond!!
The announcers raved about Hassan.
Goya Gallery buzzed the same way.
Lee Tae-bin returned to the mound, impressed by Hassan’s stuff.
“Huh, not just a pushover, eh?”
He dusted the rosin bag with a smirk.
Up next: No. 7, Ri Donghyeok.
Name: Lee Tae-bin
Nationality: USA
Age: 19 (Sr)
Height: 186 cm
Affiliation: Baekro High School
Skill / The Snake (S+)
: Breaking ball movement rises in jams.
Potential Keyword:Heavenly Pitcher Body (EX+)
Stamina: A+
Control: S (*S+)
Fastball: A
Velocity: A+ (*S)
Breaking Balls: S (*S+)
├ Changeup: S
├ Knuckle Curve: S
└ Cutter: S
Lee Tae-bin stretched tall, wound up big—right leg twisting like a corkscrew inward.
His coiled left arm whipped like a lash.
Paang!!
“Strike!!”
“…!”
Fastball jammed inside. Board clocked 153 km/h, but it felt way faster.
As a fellow pitcher, Ri Donghyeok saluted the perfect control from such a funky delivery. Lee Tae-bin’s scariest trait? That fastball was his weakest pitch.
Whoosh!
“Strike!!”
Shrick!
“Strike out!!”
“Tch.”
Ri Donghyeok grimaced.
Pitch 2: Sinking changeup.
Pitch 3: Massive knuckle curve.
Pitch 4: Diving cutter inside.
With three S-grade breakers, Lee Tae-bin held the edge in matchups. Hitters drowned in options and self-destructed.
Without Seo Hui-geon, he’d be undisputed national No. 1 pitcher. No hype—pure skill.
Whoosh!
“Strike out!”
Shrick!!
“Strike oooout!!”
Veteran pitching. Hard to believe he’s only 19!!
Baekro High’s turn again.
Order turned over—leadoff Han Ju-won.
National team outfielder—not a pushover.
Name: Han Ju-won
Age: 19
Height: 182 cm
Skill / Quick Throw (S)
Outfield starts boost throw speed massively.
Power: B
Contact: A+ (*A+)
Speed: S+ (*S+)
Eye: A+ (A+)
Defense: S (*S+)
Arm: A+ (*A+)
‘Han Ju-won’s grown a ton,’ Seong-muk noted.
Upgraded massively since team time. His bat was vicious.
Crack!
“Damn, that’s way deep!”
“Uwoooaaah!!”
The drive rocketed far.
Seong-muk and Suyong charged madly.
Miss it? Triple minimum. Late? Inside-the-park homer.
Ball incoming, Seong-muk gambled.
‘Fuck it, go big or go home!!’
Shwoop!!
Full dive forward.
Miss here? Disaster.
But heaven favored Munhyeok High.
Face-down, Seong-muk thrust his glove skyward.
A pristine baseball nestled inside.
Han Ju-won sighs in regret, trudges back to dugout!
Goya Gallery flooded with Geum Seong-muk praise as usual.
Still sprawled, Seong-muk stared wondrously at the ball in his glove.
“Damn, caught it?”
“Kaaaah, hyungnim! Insane play!!”
Seong-muk grabbed Ji Suyong’s hand, rose, dusted grass from his uniform, and jogged back.
“Seong-muk hyung, nice catch!!”
Hassan flashed a thumbs-up.
Seong-muk waved back.
‘Got Han Ju-won, but mountains behind mountains.’
Next: High school’s top shortstop, Je Yun-chan.
Could Hassan tame the complete five-tool player?
Seong-muk braced in the field, half-excited, half-worried.