Diverse attractions including the championship ring presentation ceremony and the unveiling ceremony of the championship emblem
Inviting actor Park Shin-hye and Winter Asian Games gold medalist Kim Gil-lee to throw the first pitch
The KIA Tigers will host various events themed 'V13 時作' during the opening series of the 2025 season, which will take place at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field from the 22nd to the 23rd.
The opening series 'V13 時作' conveys the meaning of advancing to the next chapter at the 1 o'clock position after achieving the 12th victory last year and filling all 12 hours. The hour and minute hands pointing at 1 o'clock symbolize the victory 'V.'
The first day of the series will kick off with a championship ring presentation ceremony commemorating last year's unified victory. There will be a ceremony to unveil the 12th championship emblem. An additional championship emblem from last year's Korean Series victory will be placed at the upper left side, bringing the total to 12 championship emblems. After the first inning, during the switch of offense and defense, there will be a lineup song performance featuring the 12 championship emblems.
A special first pitch event wishing for a second consecutive unified victory will also take place. The protagonists of this event will be actor Park Shin-hye, who was the first pitch thrower in the decisive fifth game of the Korean Series, and Kim Gil-lee, a gold medalist in the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games.
Actor Park Shin-hye will be invited as the first pitch thrower on the first day. Park Shin-hye will again serve as a first pitch thrower in this opening series, marking the end of the 2024 season and the beginning of the 2025 season for the KIA Tigers. Park Shin-hye remarked, "It is an honor to be a first pitch thrower for the KIA Tigers' home opening game. I will deliver a powerful first pitch filled with the energy from last year's Korean Series victory."
The national anthem will be sung by singer Lee Bo-ram, who is well-known as a die-hard fan of the Tigers. Before the game, there will be a congratulatory performance by the girl group STAYC, and after the game, a cheering event with the band Transfiction will take place. Transfiction will unveil a new team anthem on the day, following the composition of 'The Roar of Gwangju.'
On the 23rd, Winter Asian Games short track gold medalist Kim Gil-lee will take the role of first pitch thrower. Kim will convey the energy from the gold medal brought back from Harbin through the first pitch. While mimicking Kim Do-young's ceremony during the medal presentation, Kim Gil-lee expressed, "It is a great honor to be invited as a first pitch thrower for the opening. I am excited to stand on the mound where the energy of last year's victory remains. I wish for the team to win and hope KIA wins the championship this season with the energy of the gold medal."
On the day of the game, the girl group IZ*ONE will perform a wonderful show to celebrate the opening series.
A fan signing event will also take place before the game. Starting with Jeon Sang-hyun and Yang Hyun-jong, who were the MVPs of the 1st and 2nd games of the Korean Series on the first day, Kim Tae-gun and Park Chan-ho, who were the MVPs of the 4th and 5th games, will attend the signing event on the second day. The signing event is limited to the first 80 participants, and details on participation will be announced later via the team’s official social media.
There will also be various attractions. In front of the main entrance, the Korean Series championship trophy and the Tigers ABR will be displayed as a photo zone, along with displays of Kia EV3 and Tasman vehicles.
Tickets will be printed as special design tickets limited to the opening series, and all fans visiting the stadium on the day will receive reusable bags featuring the championship emblem and the years of past Korean Series victories.
Ticket reservations for the opening game will be available starting at 11 a.m. on the 15th, seven days before the game, through the team’s official application and the Ticketlink website (www.ticketlink.co.kr).
Additionally, the KIA Tigers plan to sell some seats in the K5 section and the outfield seats directly at the venue to vulnerable digital groups starting from the season's opening game, and they will adjust the number flexibly based on sales conditions.
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