LEEJONG-BEOM

The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 23, he joined the Haitai Tigers as a first-round pick and played as the starting shortstop from his first season. In the Korean Series that year, as a rookie, he stole 7 bases, led the team to its seventh title and was named Korean Series MVP.

In 1994, he hit .393 with 196 hits and 84 steals in 124 games and was named regular-season MVP. His 84 steals are the KBO single-season record. In 1995, he did his military service as a commuting reservist and played only home games. In 1996, he hit .332 with 25 home runs and 58 steals, and his team won the Korean Series. In 1997, he hit .324 with 30 home runs and 64 steals, led the team to another Korean Series title and was named Korean Series MVP for a second time. In 1998, he moved to the Chunichi Dragons in Japan and switched to the outfield. While leading in steals, he broke his elbow when hit by a pitch against the Hanshin Tigers.

In mid-season 2001, he returned to the KIA Tigers, who had taken over Haitai, after three and a half years away from Korean baseball. In 2002, he won gold with the baseball team at the Busan Asian Games. In 2003, he led the league in steals and joined the 20-20 Club.

In 2006, he captained the World Baseball Classic team and led it to the semifinals, hitting a go-ahead double in the second-round game against Japan. In 2007, he hit only .174 and faced the prospect of retirement. In 2008, in the first season after re-signing, he bounced back and was named monthly MVP in May with a .389 average. In 2009, he was part of the team’s first Korean Series title since it became KIA, and he reached 500 career steals in the fewest games.

In 2012, he announced his retirement, and at the retirement ceremony No. 7 was retired. In 2013, he began coaching as base running coach of the Hanwha Eagles. In 2015, he worked as a baseball commentator. In 2016, his son Jung Hoo Lee was picked first round by the Nexen Heroes, making them the first father and son both picked in the first round in Korean pro baseball.

In 2018, as a national team coach at the Asian Games, he won gold with his son, who played for the team. From 2019, he was hitting, tactics, outfield and base running coach and Futures team manager with the LG Twins. In 2022, he finished third in the vote for the KBO League’s 40 legends marking its 40th anniversary. In 2023, his daughter married pitcher Woo-suk Go.

In 2024, he joined the KT Wiz as first-team outfield and base running coach. In 2025, he resigned as KT coach mid-season and moved to the variety show Strongest Baseball as manager, and at the end of the year he became the fifth president of the Korea Pro Baseball Retired Players Association. In 2026, Strongest Baseball, which he managed, ended its season.

Lee Jong-beom (born Aug 15, 1970) joined the Haitai Tigers in 1993, the year he turned 23, and became known that year as a rookie Korean Series MVP. In 1994, the year he turned 24, he was regular-season MVP with a .393 average and 84 steals, and he retired in 2012, the year he turned 42.

Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.