Korean baseball fans were left in awe as center fielder Jung Hoo Lee of the Korean Baseball Organization's (KBO) Kiwoom Heroes was signed by the San Francisco Giants. The deal, which spans 6 years and is worth $113 million US dollars, sets a new record for an Asian-born hitter.Lee has been a standout star in the KBO, and baseball royalty runs in his family; his father, Jong Bum Lee, was also a star player in the league during the '90s.

The San Francisco Giants, a team in Major League Baseball (MLB), reportedly pursued Lee vigorously. This pursuit came after their unsuccessful bid for Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, who ended up with their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their determination led to the record-breaking contract for Lee. In addition to Lee's contract, the Giants will also pay a posting fee of $19 million USD to the Kiwoom Heroes, bringing their total expenditure to $132 million USD.

Korean netizens have expressed their support online, with comments such as, "I hope Jung Hoo Lee does well; I will be rooting for him," "His father was a star, but the son has surpassed him. Amazing," "He's making more than Son Heung-min, haha," "He will bring pride to Korea," and "I hope he can conquer the mountain that is Major League Baseball."