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By Yoo Jee-ho
DAEGU, Nov. 8 (Yonhap) -- After leading the Samsung Lions to their first South Korean baseball title in a dozen years Sunday while playing through a hamstring injury, captain Koo Ja-wook was voted the MVP of the Korean Series.
Koo earned 72 out of 97 votes from the media following the Lions' 12-1 victory over the KT Wiz in the title-clinching Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu.
In five games, Koo batted .500/.565/.850 with a home run, two doubles, one triple, six RBIs and five runs scored.
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions poses with the trophy awarded to the Korean Series MVP after the Lions' 12-1 win over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions poses with the trophy awarded to the Korean Series MVP after the Lions' 12-1 win over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo, 33, won the regular-season batting title with a .371 average but he missed the last dozen days of the campaign due to hamstring issues.
He was still not back to full health when the Lions' postseason began in the penultimate round on Oct. 26 against the Kia Tigers, but Koo, normally an outfielder, ended up playing every game of that five-game set as designated hitter.
Koo only batted 3-for-20 with zero extra-base hit in that series.
However, with his health improving, Koo found his groove in the Korean Series.
Koo homered in the series opener last Tuesday as part of a two-hit game, though the Lions lost 8-7. Koo went 2-for-4 the next day to help the Lions win 3-2 in 12 innings.
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions celebrates after hitting an RBI double against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions celebrates after hitting an RBI double against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo had a hit and two RBIs in the Lions' 5-1 victory in Game 3 on Friday. Koo recorded two more hits and one more RBI on Saturday, as the Lions won 10-5 to reach the brink of the title.
The captain put an exclamation point on his MVP campaign by adding three hits in Sunday's clincher.
With the Lions down 1-0 in the bottom third, Koo delivered a game-tying double in the third inning.
Then in the eight-run fifth inning, Koo hit a single and scored the 5-1 run on an infield single by Kim Young-woong.
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions (C) is doused with champagne after receiving the Korean Series MVP award following the Lions' 12-1 win over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions (C) is doused with champagne after receiving the Korean Series MVP award following the Lions' 12-1 win over the KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo had been standing at second base when Kim stepped to the plate. When second baseman Ryu Hyun-in deflected Kim's batted ball toward shallow left field after a diving catch attempt, Koo, with visibly less limp than earlier in the postseason, chugged all the way home to keep the rally going for the Lions.
The Lions opened up an 11-1 lead by the end of that big inning, essentially putting the game out of reach and clinching the MVP award for Koo, who was lifted for a pinch runner after hitting a single in the bottom eighth.
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions celebrates after scoring a run against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions celebrates after scoring a run against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo made his Lions debut in 2015 and even played in the Korean Series that fall, but it was at the tail end of their dynasty. They had won four straight titles from 2011 to 2014 but lost in the championship round that year. And they did not make the postseason again until 2021 -- with Koo being one of the few bright spots on the struggling club.
"In 2015, I thought we were going to win the Korean Series easily, but I guess nothing is ever given," Koo said. "This victory is so gratifying because of all those dark years that we went through as a team."
Koo said the entire Lions lineup deserved to be the MVP of the series, listing off the names like bullpen workhorse Lee Seung-min, the 41-year-old catcher Kang Min-ho and the 42-year-old outfielder Choi Hyoung-woo, who was forced to play in left field in the series with Koo, the regular left fielder, limited to designated hitting duties.
"I learned so much from Hyoung-woo the whole year," Koo said of the veteran who rejoined the Lions this year for a second stint after nine seasons with the Kia Tigers. "We won this title because of him. If someone asks me what kind of player I want to become, I will point to Hyoung-woo."
Koo thanked his team trainers for getting him ready for the postseason, even after his initial diagnosis at the end of September had him out for up to 12 weeks.
The 33-year-old will now shift his focus to adding more titles.
"It is going to be a treacherous journey but I think we are capable of winning more championships," Koo said. "We just have guys who are gifted in working hard. But we cannot afford to be complacent. We will enjoy these feelings for tonight and then we have to start thinking about next year."
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions hits an RBI double against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
Koo Ja-wook of the Samsung Lions hits an RBI double against the KT Wiz during Game 5 of the Korean Series at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Nov. 8, 2026. (Yonhap)