In 1992, the year he turned 22, he struck out 14 batters in a row for Korea University against Sungkyunkwan University. That November he was taken by the LG Twins with the first pick in the draft. In 1993, the year he turned 23, he joined LG and went 9-9 in his first season.
The breakthrough yearIn 1994, the year he turned 24, he went 18-8 and took the wins title, and on Oct. 23 he was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the Korean Series as LG won the title.
In 1995 he won 20 games as a starter alone. In 1996 he became a closer, and in 1997 he led in saves with 37.
In 1998, the year he turned 28, he applied through the posting system to go to the United States but gave up when the fee came to $600,000, and joined Japan’s Chunichi Dragons. In 1999 he contributed to Chunichi’s Central League title and, in December, agreed to a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. In 2000 he appeared in nine major league games.
In 2002, the year he turned 32, he returned to Korea after five years and went through the steps to rejoin LG. In 2003 he led in saves with 30. In 2004 he was traded to SK in January and announced his retirement in June.
In 2005, the year he turned 35, he held a showcase for a debut mini album as vocalist of the rock band What. In 2012 he returned to the field after eight years as pitching coach of the Goyang Wonders. In 2014 the Doosan Bears announced him as a coach. In 2015 he returned as the first director of LG’s Pitching Academy, and in 2018 he offered to resign.
In 2019, the year he turned 49, he joined MBC Sports+ as a commentator. In 2022 he was named to the KBO 40th anniversary Legends 40. In 2023 he spoke about LG’s Korean Series title after 29 years. In 2024 he opened a YouTube channel with band performance and guitar practice videos.
In 2025, the year he turned 55, he remained a commentator for MBC Sports+. In 2026, the year he turned 56, he was not among the commentators MBC Sports+ announced for the 2026 season.
Lee Sang-hoon (born Mar 11, 1970) joined the LG Twins in 1993, the year he turned 23, and became known on Oct 23, 1994, the year he turned 24, as the winning pitcher in Game 4 as LG won the Korean Series. In 2000, the year he turned 30, he pitched in nine games for the Boston Red Sox in the major leagues.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
In his fourth year at Korea University, struck out 14 batters in a row against Sungkyunkwan University. Yonhap writes that this feat began to make his name known.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon, rising to ace pitcher · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tab The date of the game is not in the articles.Was taken by the LG Twins with the first pick in the draft that November.
Source 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tab The date of the pick is not in the articles.His signing bonus of 188 million won was the highest on record at the time. His ERA in the first season was 3.76.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon, rising to ace pitcher · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Playoff scene · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Sports Today (Korean) · The Lee Sang-hoon story, part 5 · opens in a new tabSource 29 · Mediafine (Korean) · Horoscope for Mar. 11 by zodiac sign · opens in a new tab A Sports Today series says he was born in 1970 and registered in 1971. This page calculates ages from his actual birth year, 1970. Many articles, such as Sports Chosun’s, write him as born in 1971 by registration, so ages in articles differ by one.In his second year, went 18-8 with a 2.47 ERA and took the wins title.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon, rising to ace pitcher · opens in a new tabLG beat the Pacific Dolphins in a four-game sweep to win the title. He started Games 1 and 4 and was the winning pitcher in Game 4.
Won 20 games as a starter alone, with a 2.01 ERA.
Source 08 · KBS (Korean) · May MVP candidates · opens in a new tabSource 13 · OhmyNews (Korean) · LG closers through the years · opens in a new tabManager Lee Kwang-hwan gave the closer role to Lee, who had won 20 games the year before. In the first year he had 3 wins and 10 saves.
Source 09 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Son Joo-young moves to closer · opens in a new tabSource 13 · OhmyNews (Korean) · LG closers through the years · opens in a new tabLed in saves with a 2.11 ERA. Yonhap writes that the 47 save points of that year (10 wins and 37 saves) set a Korean record.
Source 07 · Edaily (Korean) · KBO 40th anniversary legends · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tabDeclared he would go to the United States after the 1997 season. When the final result on the posting deadline came to a fee of $600,000, Lee and LG gave up on the move.
Source 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon, who pioneered the posting system · opens in a new tab The article gives March 31 as the deadline; the year follows the flow of the article (after the 1997 season).Left LG by being placed on the voluntarily retired list and joined Chunichi. Played for two years alongside Sun Dong-yol and Lee Jong-beom.
Source 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon, who pioneered the posting system · opens in a new tabSource 27 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon (1970) · opens in a new tab The year and details are confirmed in articles. April 14 follows Wikipedia and is not confirmed in news reports.Pitched in middle relief, going 6-5 with a 2.86 ERA, and contributed to Chunichi’s Central League title, Yonhap writes.
Source 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tabThe agency IMG Korea announced it. The amount was not disclosed; it was reported as $3.35 million in total, including a $1.05 million signing bonus.
Source 11 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Joins the Boston Red Sox · opens in a new tabPitched nine times in the majors for the Boston Red Sox, with a 3.09 ERA over 11⅔ innings and no decisions. Yonhap writes that he was the first Korean baseball player to experience pro baseball in Korea, the United States and Japan.
Source 12 · MBN (Korean) · Oh Seung-hwan’s expected salary · opens in a new tabSource 24 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon returns on the 16th to rejoin LG · opens in a new tab The dates of the appearances are not in the articles.After becoming a free agent from an Oakland Triple-A affiliate, decided to return to Korea. It was a return to the Korean league after five years.
Source 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Back in the Korean pro league after five years · opens in a new tabOhmyNews writes that he had 18 saves in 2002 and led in saves with 30 in 2003.
Source 13 · OhmyNews (Korean) · LG closers through the years · opens in a new tabLG sent Lee to SK and received the outfielder Yang Hyun-seok and the pitcher Oh Seung-jun.
Source 14 · OSEN (Korean) · Offseason trade market · opens in a new tabAfter 18 appearances for SK, announced his retirement in June.
Source 15 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon returns to LG · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Edaily (Korean) · KBO 40th anniversary legends · opens in a new tab The month is confirmed in articles; the day is not.Held a showcase marking the release of a debut mini album with six tracks. He was the band’s vocalist.
Source 16 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon band debut album · opens in a new tab Yonhap also writes that he retired last May, which differs from the Hankook Ilbo article on his retirement announcement in June of that year.Returned to the field eight years after 2004.
Source 03 · Financial News (Korean) · Goyang Wonders pitching coach · opens in a new tabReceived an offer from Doosan after news that the Goyang Wonders would be disbanded, and joined as a farm team coach.
Source 17 · Lee Young-mi Interview (Korean) · Doosan coach Lee Sang-hoon · opens in a new tabSource 25 · Money Today (Korean) · Doosan pursues coach Lee Sang-hoon · opens in a new tab The same day, Money Today reported that a Doosan official said the team was pursuing him and nothing was confirmed.Came back to his former team after 11 years. Was appointed the first director of the Pitching Academy that LG created to concentrate on developing pitching prospects.
Source 15 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon returns to LG · opens in a new tabThe LG club announced that he had offered to resign. He had taken the post as the academy’s first director in the winter of 2015.
Source 18 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Coach Lee Sang-hoon leaving LG · opens in a new tabJoined with Sim Jae-hak as a new commentator. He was introduced as a commentator who had experienced the leagues of Korea, the United States and Japan.
Source 19 · Xports News (Korean) · Commentators Lee Sang-hoon and Sim Jae-hak · opens in a new tabWas named 27th among 177 candidates recommended by the selection committee. Gave an acceptance speech on Nov. 7, before Game 5 of the Korean Series.
Source 07 · Edaily (Korean) · KBO 40th anniversary legends · opens in a new tabSource 20 · Newsis (Korean) · Legends 40 acceptance speech · opens in a new tabSpoke about his former team, which won the Korean Series 29 years after 1994.
Source 04 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon interview · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Sisa IN (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon on the 2023 Korean Series · opens in a new tabPosts band performances and guitar practice videos.
Source 21 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Lee Sang-hoon becomes a YouTuber · opens in a new tab The article does not give the channel’s opening date; it was published on May 16.Was introduced as a returning commentator alongside Jung Min-chul, Park Jae-hong and Kim Sun-woo, with Heo Do-hwan joining as a new one.
Source 22 · Xports News (Korean) · MBC Sports+ 2025 commentators · opens in a new tabThe returning commentators were introduced as Jung Min-chul, Park Jae-hong, Kim Sun-woo, Heo Do-hwan and Kim Kang-min, and Lee Sang-hoon was not included. Hankook Ilbo calls him a former commentator in a May 28 article.
Source 23 · Sportal Korea (Korean) · Min Byung-hun and Shin Jae-young join · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Son Joo-young moves to closer · opens in a new tab The date he stopped being a commentator is not in the articles.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1992–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
Mar 11, 1970 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1970: the year of the event minus 1970, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.12 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.