Area Sports Round-Up: Baseball – Soccer – Volleyball, November 2025

By Zhang Jiuzhou (Julius)

Tigers’ Season Ends in Disappointment

The Kia Tigers’ 2025 KBO League campaign has come to a close with a disappointing record of 65 wins, 75 losses, and 4 draws, a .464 winning percentage that few could have predicted at the start of the season. Most experts had tipped the Tigers to dominate the league after their aggressive offseason signings.

Kia entered the year with high hopes, carefully preparing to recapture the form that had earned them unified championships in 2009 and 2017. The word “dynasty” was almost taboo inside the clubhouse, but management made clear that strong reinforcements were key to defending their title. Yet by season’s end, the Tigers had fallen even below their fifth-place finishes in 2010 and 2018.

Poor injury management, cracks in both the starting rotation and bullpen, and slumps from key pitchers Cho Sang-woo and Jung Hai-young all derailed their campaign. Offensively, the lineup cohesion seen last season never materialized, and defensive errors continued to plague the team. By June, the “Hampyeong Tigers” could climb no higher, eventually sliding to eighth place.

The club now faces a crucial offseason. With several key free agents expected to depart, Kia must prepare as if replacing them all. As one insider admitted, “This year, we painfully realized that the word ‘dynasty’ should never be taken lightly.” Manager Lee Bum-ho repeatedly apologized to fans and urged his players to use the winter to reflect calmly on their shortcomings.

Franchise legend Yang Hyeon-jong finished the season with a 5.00 ERA – his worst since 2012. Despite surpassing 150 innings and 100 strikeouts for the 11th consecutive year, Yang’s form has visibly declined. Over 30 starts and 153 innings, he went 7–9 with an opponent batting average of .312 and a 1.52 WHIP.

Yang, now eligible for free agency once again, faces an uncertain future. Will Kia retain their long-time ace for symbolic reasons, or move on in pursuit of a new generation?

City Support for Gwangju FC Amid Sustainability Debate

As the 2025 K League 1 season nears its conclusion, the Gwangju  Metropolitan Government has confirmed it will extend its financial support package for Gwangju FC over the next three years.

The revised ordinance includes approximately 11 billion won in next year’s city budget – a 10% increase from the previous year. Founded in 2010 as a citizen-owned club, Gwangju FC has relied heavily on municipal funding since its inception. The club faced financial collapse within three years of formation, resorting to debt financing and even delaying player salaries in 2016. To stay afloat, it frequently sold promising players to wealthier teams.

Although city subsidies increased to 10 billion won in 2020, spending inefficiencies persisted. The K League even sanctioned the club for breaching financial soundness regulations. Talks of privatizing or selling the club have surfaced repeatedly, but with no buyers in sight, the idea has always fallen through.

Observers note that Gwangju FC’s struggles epitomize the sustainability challenges facing Korea’s citizen clubs. Despite being branded as “community-owned,” such teams remain financially dependent on local governments. With Gwangju FC recently securing a spot in the Korea Cup final, the city’s continued backing could prove vital – both for their competitive future and their financial survival.

AI Peppers Seek Fresh Start After 12th Straight KOVO Cup Defeat

The AI Peppers’ KOVO Cup drought continues, as the team failed to record a single win once again in the 2025 Yeosu NH Cup. On September 25, the Peppers fell to Hyundai E&C 2–3 (25–22, 20–25, 19–25, 25–21, 11–15), marking their 12th consecutive KOVO Cup loss since the club’s founding. The Peppers also lost to GS Caltex and Heungkuk Life, but managed to take two matches to five sets – a small sign of progress.

Last V-League season, the Peppers finished 11– 25 (35 points), last in the standings for the fourth straight year. Still, the gap with sixth-place GS Caltex was just four points, signaling a gradual rise under Head Coach Chang So-yun. Their goal this season: to finally climb out of last place for the first time in team history.

To address their weakest area – reception – the club signed veteran Go Ye-rim in free agency for 370 million won. Though her scoring output has declined (169 points over the past two seasons), her reliable serve-receive and wealth of experience are expected to stabilize the young roster.

Team captain Park Jeong-ah remains central to the Peppers’ hopes after scoring 468 and 484 points in her two seasons with the club. However, her 12.84% and 13.47% reception efficiency remain far below league averages for an outside hitter. Unless she can overcome her receiving struggles, opponents will continue targeting her with aggressive serves.

The arrivals of foreign players Zoe Weatherington and Shimamura Haruyo, a two-time Olympian from Japan, could mark a turning point. If the pair adapt quickly, the AI Peppers may finally have the balance and resilience needed to shed their long-standing reputation as the league’s underdogs.

Cover Photo: Go Ye-rim celebrates a point with her teammate. (KOVO)