[Sportschosun reporter Jo Yoon-sun] Actor Ha Ji-won became the first Korean actor to take the mound at Major League Baseball (MLB)'s Fenway Park and successfully completed her ceremonial first pitch.
Ha Ji-won served as the first-pitch thrower for the MLB regular-season game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, at 1 p.m. local time on the 22nd. The pitch had originally been scheduled for the 21st, but the game was postponed by a day after rain forced a cancellation. Her appearance on the mound as the first Korean actor to throw a first pitch at Fenway Park carried added meaning as part of MLB's ongoing global efforts to connect with fans around the world through the meeting of sports and entertainment.
That day, Ha Ji-won arrived at the stadium with Byung-hyun Kim, a Korean baseball legend and former Boston Red Sox pitcher. Wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform, she confidently stepped onto the mound in front of a packed Fenway Park crowd. After exchanging signals with Kim, who was behind the plate, she delivered a polished pitching motion and calmly fired the ball into the strike zone, drawing cheers from the crowd. After the pitch, Ha Ji-won showed her delight at landing a strike and later watched the game in person, experiencing the energy of MLB firsthand.
After completing the pitch, Ha Ji-won shared photos from the scene and said, "I prepared hard to become the first Korean actor to throw a pitch at the historic Fenway Park. A sudden situation arose when the game was delayed by a day, so I was very nervous, but I am relieved and proud that I was able to finish safely." She added, "I hope this pitch gave strength to Korean residents living here as well, and it was an honor to watch top-level baseball from MLB in person."
Meanwhile, Ha Ji-won is currently appearing in the web variety show "26th Cohort Jiwon," where she has enrolled at Kyung Hee University and interacts freely with Gen Z college students. She has been receiving an enthusiastic response for a range of challenges, including a special "home run" stage, cheerleading, and a first pitch. She is also set to meet audiences through the film "Portrait of a Family" on Sept. 2.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
