Koo Ja-wook wins first Korean Series ring, named MVP

Samsung Lions captain Koo Ja-wook, 33, finally has his first Korean Series championship ring. Playing through a thigh injury, Koo swung a blazing bat throughout the series and was named its Most Valuable Player, cementing his place as the central figure in the Lions' first title in 12 years.

Koo went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in Game 5 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korean Series against the KT Wiz at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on Sunday. Samsung won 12-1 to clinch the series four games to one, and Koo was voted MVP in the balloting that followed.

Across all five games of the series, Koo hit safely in every contest, finishing with a .500 average (10-for-20), one home run, six RBIs, five runs scored, three walks and an OPS of 1.415. He had already led the league in batting average (.371) and on-base percentage (.458) during the regular season, and he carried that form straight into the postseason.

His bat proved decisive again in the title-clinching game. With Samsung trailing 0-1 in the bottom of the third, two outs and a runner on first, Koo laced a tying RBI double down the right-field line off KT starter Davis Daniel.

He then scored the go-ahead run in the same inning, racing home from second base on an RBI single by Lewin Diaz despite his ailing leg. In the bottom of the fifth, Koo sparked a big rally with a single with no outs and a runner on first — Samsung plated eight runs in the inning to put the game away. He added a center-field single in the eighth to complete a three-hit night.

Koo's bat was hot from the very first game. In Game 1 in Suwon on Tuesday, with Samsung down 0-8, he launched a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to spark a comeback. Samsung lost 7-8 but then won four straight to claim the title.

In Game 2, a 3-2 Samsung victory in 12 innings, Koo recorded two hits. In Game 3 in Daegu on Friday, he crushed a two-RBI triple with two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the second inning with Samsung ahead 2-1. In Game 4 on Saturday, he went 2-for-4 with an RBI, including a go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.

This championship carries special meaning for Koo. A graduate of Daegu High School, he joined Samsung in 2012 but spent his first season in the minor leagues before completing his mandatory military service with the Sangmu team over the following two years. Samsung won three consecutive Korean Series titles from 2012 to 2014, but Koo was not there to share in those celebrations.

When Koo made his first-team debut in 2015, he hit .349 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs to win the Rookie of the Year award and helped the team claim the regular-season pennant. But in the Korean Series, Samsung fell to the Doosan Bears four games to one, and Koo had to settle for a runner-up finish.

Samsung then endured a prolonged slump, and a championship opportunity rarely came Koo's way. When the Lions returned to the Korean Series in 2024, he tore a knee ligament during the playoff round and was left off the roster entirely.

Misfortune struck again this year on the eve of the postseason. Koo felt pain in his left hamstring in a game against the Hanwha Eagles on Sept. 30, and a detailed examination revealed a tendon injury. At the time, his participation in the postseason was very much in doubt.

Koo threw himself into his recovery. He resumed batting practice two weeks after the injury and made the playoff roster, though he was limited to designated hitter duties because fielding remained too difficult. The adjustment meant veteran Choi Hyeong-woo had to take over in left field.

Against the KIA Tigers in the playoff round, Koo batted just .150 (3-for-20), but he delivered a crucial go-ahead RBI hit in Game 2 that helped send Samsung to the Korean Series.

In the Korean Series itself, his timing returned in full. Particularly memorable was a moment in Game 3 when, after driving a ball to right field, he pushed through the pain to sprint all the way to third base — a sight that left a strong impression on his teammates.

Park Seung-gyu spoke about the fighting spirit shown by injured veterans on the team. "There are a lot of sunbae who aren't in good shape, but watching them grit their teeth and take the field to win is really moving," Park said. "It makes me want to run even harder for the sunbae who want this so badly."

Koo joined Samsung at the tail end of the Lions' dynasty, able only to watch others celebrate. He has now put behind him the heartbreak of the 2015 runner-up finish and the 2024 injury absence to stand at the very top. Adding a Korean Series MVP award to his first championship ring, he has set a new milestone in his baseball career.