Players of Harim's PBA professional billiards team, Harim Odd Grocer, gathered Wednesday to share a meal of samgyetang — a traditional Korean chicken soup — on the first of the three "bok" heat days, reaffirming their team spirit and pledging strong results in the ongoing 2026-2027 PBA Team League.
Founded in June last year, Harim Odd Grocer fields eight players: Kim Jun-tae, Kim Young-won, Kim Sang-a, Park Jeong-hyeon, Jeong Bo-yun, Tran Duc Minh (Vietnam), Nguyen Phuong Linh (Vietnam) and Im Wan-seop. With most members in their 20s and 30s, the squad has the lowest average age among the 10 clubs in the league, and is known for its energetic atmosphere and close-knit camaraderie.
That chemistry paid off early: in their first full season, the team finished as runner-up in Round 1 of the PBA Team League, held July 5-13, making a strong start just one year after the club's founding.
On Tuesday, the day before the first bok holiday, six players gathered at the PBA Lounge Open House in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to cook and eat Harim samgyetang together, reflecting on Round 1 and setting their sights on Round 2. Tran Duc Minh and Nguyen Phuong Linh were absent, having traveled to Vietnam for family vacations.
Team captain Kim Jun-tae said billiards demands sustained concentration over long periods, so the players are careful about their diet year-round, favoring protein-rich chicken. "Particularly in summer, when physical fatigue runs high, players often turn to samgyetang as a restorative meal," he said. "Getting together for a hearty boost like this makes me feel we can go into Round 2 with even sharper focus."
After a brief rest, the team plans to turn its full attention to preparing for Round 2, which begins Aug. 12.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
