Hwang Jae-gyun: 'Baseball didn't feel right, so I studied—I was top of my class and won gold in math'

Broadcaster and former baseball player Hwang Jae-gyun has revealed a school life that stands in stark contrast to his image as an athlete. While he showed exceptional athletic talent from elementary school, he also excelled academically, maintaining the top rank in his school and sweeping gold prizes in mathematics competitions even after beginning his baseball career. His mother reportedly had such high expectations for his studies that she initially opposed his decision to pursue sports.

On the MBC entertainment program "The Manager," which aired on the 29th, the daily life of Hwang, who is approaching retirement, was showcased. As his retirement ceremony was postponed due to a heatwave, Hwang shared a meal with his family, leading to a natural reflection on his childhood and baseball career.

The first person to discover Hwang's athletic talent was his father. Recalling when Hwang was in the 4th grade, his father said, "One day, Jae-gyun came home from school and asked me to buy him track shoes."

At the time, after placing 4th in a school running race, Hwang learned that if he ranked 1st in his class, he could represent his school in a Seoul city competition. His father bought him the shoes, and starting the very next day, Hwang began practicing running alone at 5:30 AM.

"I heard he ranked 1st in his class after fifteen days. At that time, I thought he would do well if he pursued sports," his father stated. Even at a young age, Hwang demonstrated a tendency to set goals and execute his own training plans.

However, his parents' views on his career path differed. His mother confessed she opposed his choice to pursue sports. "I opposed it because he said he was choosing a difficult path. I thought he might succeed through studying since he was so good at it," she said.

In fact, Hwang's academic performance was far removed from the typical image of an athlete. When his father testified, "When he took exams, he kept getting 100 points," Hwang himself revealed, "I continued to be ranked 1st in the whole school for two years after starting baseball," and "I won gold prizes in all the math competitions."

Hearing this, Jun Hyun-moo expressed shock, asking, "Is that for real?" while Lee Young Ja reacted, "That's why your mom told you to study." It was revealed that rather than abandoning academics for sports, he performed at a high level in both for a considerable period.

An even more interesting detail is that there was a period when Hwang himself considered giving up baseball. "I told my dad I wanted to study because I felt like baseball wasn't right for me, but he told me that once you start something, you cannot quit," Hwang said.

For the young Hwang, baseball was not a predetermined path. He started sports after his running talent was discovered, but he also harbored doubts about his aptitude during his playing career. However, rather than allowing him to change direction easily, his father encouraged him to fulfill his responsibilities to the end.

This anecdote connects to how Hwang eventually grew into one of the representative infielders in Korean professional baseball. He maintained a long career based on strong hitting and stable defense, even playing for the San Francisco Giants in the US Major Leagues. After returning to Korea, he became a key player for the KT Wiz, helping the team secure its first integrated championship.

As a third baseman with significant offensive power, defensive range, and slugging ability, Hwang's success was not due to physical talent alone. His habit of setting goals and training repeatedly since childhood, combined with the self-discipline required to maintain high academic achievement, served as the foundation for his long career.

The stories shared on this broadcast reveal a different side of Hwang. While the public is familiar with the image of a powerful player in uniform, behind that image is a boy who was once unsure of his path and a family that saw great potential in his academic abilities.

Ultimately, Hwang's baseball career was a result of choices and hesitations rather than a predetermined destiny. The boy who once considered returning to his studies became a professional athlete thanks to his father's guidance, eventually making his mark on both domestic and international stages.

As he nears retirement, Hwang's story demonstrates that the success of a sports star is not built on talent alone, but on the accumulation of goal-oriented persistence, family influence, and the decisions made along the way.