Kim Sung Keun

Other Name: 김성근

Age: 81

Birthday: December 13, 1942

Nationality: South Korean

Gender: Male

Kim Sung Keun is a Japanese-born, South Korean retired pitcher and manager who led several teams in the KBO League. Born in Kyoto during the Japanese occupation of Korea, he graduated from Katsura High School but did not attend college. However, Dong-A University later awarded him an honorary bachelor's degree. Initially, he played for several years as a left-handed pitcher, but he is most recognized for his managerial career. He began as a pitching coach for the OB Bears (now Doosan Bears) in 1982, was promoted to manager in 1984, and won the KBO Manager of the Year award in 1986. He went on to manage the Pacific Dolphins in 1989-1990, where he won his first playoff series and later led the Samsung Lions in 1991–1992. He then served as a coach for the Haitai Tigers (now Kia Tigers) in 1994–1995 and managed the Ssangbangwool Raiders from 1996 to 1999. After a few brief coaching stints, he managed the LG Twins in 2002, reaching his first Korean Championship Series, which he lost. In 2005, Kim Sung Keun went to Japan as a bench coach for the Chiba Lotte Marines and later returned to South Korea, where he achieved the most success of his career, leading the SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) to three championships in 2007, 2008, and 2010, reaching the 1,000-win milestone in 2008. He had a few more managerial stints that were not successful. In October 2022, after 40 years of coaching, he announced his retirement, concluding his career as coach of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan. (Source: Korean = Namu Wiki || Translation = MyDramaList).