Why is the record that can never be exceeded even after the legendary 1,233.3% annual salary increase of 2 billion won and 400% skyrocketing?

Mar 06, 2025

KIA Tigers returned home via Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 5th after completing off-season training in Okinawa. Kim Do-young is smiling during the interview. Incheon Airport = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.3.5/

It's definitely an all-time high, but he can't break the record. What kind of situation is there.

KBO announced the registration status of KBO League players for the 2025 season on the 5th. While the total salary and detailed indicators of each club were released, as many as six players set annual salary records this season.

The highest salary in the second year was set by Kim Taek-yeon of the Doosan Bears. In 2021, he was listed side by side as he received 140 million won, the same amount as KT Wiz's So Hyung-joon, who was then 'New King'.

The highest annual salary in his fourth year is 'MVP' newly written by KIA Tigers Kim Do-young. Kim Do-young rose vertically with an annual salary of 500 million won this year, the previous record is 390 million won for Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes in 2020.

The best record in the eighth year was written by KT Wiz's Kang Baek-ho. Kang Baek-ho's annual salary this season is 700 million won. This is also a vertical rise. The previous record is 650 million won that Kiwoom Heroes Kim Hye-sung received in 2024.

KT catcher Kang Baek-ho, who plays defense in the bottom of the second inning, a practice game between KT and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 3rd. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.03.03/

The best record in the 19th year was written by SSG Landers Kim Kwang-hyun. Kim Kwang-hyun entered the Major League and signed a non-FA multi-year contract as he returned to his old team ahead of the 2022 season. Therefore, the total amount of 15.1 billion won was divided into four years, and instead of having no down payment, the annual salary is concentrated in the first and last years. His annual salary this year is a whopping 3 billion won. It is inevitable due to the nature of the multi-year contract, which also broke the previous records. The previous record in the 19th year was 2.5 billion won in 2019 when Lee Dae-ho, who is now retired, played for the Lotte Giants, and the same as the 2.5 billion won that Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha Eagles received when he returned to Korea last year.

The highest salary in his 21st year is Choi Jung of SSG Landers, who signed his third FA contract ahead of this season and will receive an annual salary of 1.7 billion won. The previous record was KIA Choi Hyung-woo (900 million won) in 2022, a pretty big difference.

Choi Hyung-woo set a new record in his 24th year. His annual salary this year is 1 billion won. In 2017, the NC Dinos' Lee Ho-joon easily exceeded KRW 750 million.

SSG Landers' team held spring camp training at Kochinda Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 24th. Choi Jung and Kim Kwang-hyun are warming up together. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter's book@sportschosun.com/2025.02.24/

Even though there are many players whose annual salary has soared this year, the annual salary increase and the rate of increase have not been a tip. Kim Kwang-hyun spent a whopping 2 billion won 'jump' from 1 billion won last year to 3 billion won this year. However, it fell short of the record of the increase.

The record is held by teammate Han Yu-sum. Hanyu Island has a record of rising 2.22 billion won from 180 million won in annual salary in the 2021 season to 2.4 billion won in the following year. This is due to a non-FA multi-year contract, and Han Yu-sum also has no down payment, but its annual salary is concentrated in the first year of the multi-year contract. The second place was Koo Ja-wook in 2022, up 2.14 billion won from 360 million won the previous year to 2.5 billion won in the 2022 season. Koo Ja-wook, like Han Yu-seom, was the first season of a non-FA multi-year contract. Kim Kwang-hyun ranked third all-time.

SSG Landers' squad returned home through Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the afternoon of the 5th. SSG Hanyu Island leaving the arrival hall. Incheon International Airport = Song Jeong-heon, reporter for @sportschosun.com/2025.03.05/

KIA Kim Do-young, who recorded the highest increase rate in the KBO League this season, is not even able to put out a business card in the new record. Kim Do-young's 400% increase rate is the same as that of Ryu Hyun-jin (20 million won → 100 million won) in 2007, and Han Yu-sum in the 2022 season, which is 1,233.3%. The multi-year contract has recorded a huge increase of over 1,200%, and this record has not been broken so far.

Koo Ja-wook was also ranked second in the increase rate at 594.4 percent that year. The difference between Hanyu Island and Koo Ja-wook is also huge. It may be a difficult record to break for the time being.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.

Why is the record that can never be exceeded even after the legendary 1,233.3% annual salary increase of 2 billion won and 400% skyrocketing?

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