The first brother in KBO history to say goodbye to blue blood and tears in 24 years
Nov 16, 2025
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The two have been famous as brothers since their days as active players for the SK Wyverns (current SSG) and Samsung Lions, respectively. After retirement, the two became coaches side by side, and next season, they finally ended up sharing the same boat.
It is the first time that the Cho Dong-hwa and Dong-chan brothers have joined a team since graduating from Gonggo High School. My older brother has been in SSG and my younger brother only in Samsung. It is also the first time in the history of the KBO league that brothers and coaches have joined the first team together. In 2013, there were cases where NC Dinos' second-tier batting coach Yang Seung-kwan and Yang Hu-seung, the residual team coach, were in the same team, but brothers Cho Dong-hwa and Dong-chan are the first to be first-tier coaches.
Coach Cho Dong-chan, who was participating in the educational league in Miyazaki, Japan, received SSG's offer to recruit him, returned temporarily, and immediately joined the Kagoshima closing camp. After living as a blue-blooded Samsung man for 24 years, he was born and moved to the team for the first time. He also got to wear a red uniform that contrasts most with blue.
Coach Cho Dong-hwa contributed greatly to the recruitment process. SSG's defensive coach, Sohn Si-heon, moved to Doosan, creating a defensive coach gap. Coach Lee Sung-yong and the front desk searched for well-received defensive coaches, and coach Cho Dong-chan was also a strong candidate. However, he was not sure whether coach Cho, who is a one-club man, would really want to move the team.
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Coach Cho Dong-hwa said "I don't unconditionally recommend my younger brother. As an opposing team coach, Dong-chan is a very researching coach. I was really surprised to see all 144 games of infield, moving the positions of the outfield defenders and preparing them one by one. I also told director Lee Sung-yong about that part. 'Is that possible?He was surprised. As a running coach for the opposing team, didn't I always see the movements of Samsung fielders up close. Honestly, it's not enough for me either, but when I saw my younger brother do it, I thought he was amazing. He also explained, "I think there was a positive atmosphere as the director also received recommendations from other officials."
Coach Cho Dong-chan was also in deep agony for three days after receiving a call from coach Lee Sung-yong for the first time in Miyazaki. Coach Cho Dong-chan said, `I have to make a decision quickly, so I made up my mind after thinking about it for about three days. It's good to be in one team like this, but I thought I should try it," he said, explaining the background of the transfer.
Coach Cho Dong-hwa said, `I can help you adapt to the team or identify players, but I'm looking forward to it and I'm worried. It was awkward to see my younger brother wearing a red practice suit, but he got used to it quickly. I played in the same team for the first time since I was young. Since we started together, there should be synergy anyway. He's my own brother, but we have to share a lot with each other and solve it well at the game," he stressed.
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In addition, he boasts a high level of puncture skills that he is called the `God of puncture' when defending. Even Japanese officials watching SSG's defensive training exclaimed admiration to the extent that `I've never seen a coach playing that level of fungo even in Japan.' SSG infielders learned how to deal with difficult puncture balls several times and fell down.
Coach Cho Dong-hwa said, `I didn't know you were playing this well. It's also difficult for coaches to hit the pungo, but I was surprised that there was a skill to hit and raise it as desired, such as a difficult course, easy course, and ambiguous course that was really training for the players. Coach Cho Dong-chan smiled and said, `I was really bad at first, but I really practiced a lot. This has improved a lot,' he said modestly shy.
Coach Cho Dong-chan said, "When I came to SSG camp, young players work really hard. I'm having a hard time training defense right now, but it follows me really well. It's only been a little over 10 days since I joined, and I've been able to adapt as quickly as a team that's been around for quite a while"I also saw (An) Sang-hyun and (Jung) Jun-jae, who have played a lot of games in the first team this year, in person, and the defense was better." We need to make one or two more backups here, and the players are fighting well, competing in good faith," he said in a positive light.
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Coach Cho Dong-chan, who left Samsung, who has been in the company for 24 years, said hello to Samsung fans for the last time. "I was thinking about leaving a greeting message on SNS, but now that I'm not a player, it was hard to do so."But when I thought of the Samsung fans, my expression became affectionate.
Coach Cho Dong-chan has been at Samsung for 24 years. It was a place where I was born longer than where I was born, but I couldn't say hello properly. It was a team that I really attached to, and it was such a precious place for me that I couldn't express it in words"In recent years, Samsung has had more and more spectators, and fans have cheered with great enthusiasm. Seeing that, I was so moved that I wanted to be a player again. Thank you so much for supporting us and loving us," he bowed his head.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
