Korea's professional baseball league KBO is proving its popularity remains red-hot this season, regardless of the national team's lopsided World Baseball Classic quarterfinal loss to the Dominican Republic (a 0-10 mercy-rule defeat).
The KBO announced on the 29th that all tickets for the opening series (held over Saturday and Sunday) were sold out for the second consecutive year, following the 2025 season.
The 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season opened on the 28th with five matchups played as two-game series through the 29th: kt wiz vs. LG Twins (Jamsil), KIA Tigers vs. SSG Landers (Incheon), Lotte Giants vs. Samsung Lions (Daegu), Doosan Bears vs. NC Dinos (Changwon), and Kiwoom Heroes vs. Hanwha Eagles (Daejeon). Following sellouts on the 28th, capacity crowds again filled every venue on the 29th — 23,750 at Jamsil, 23,000 at Incheon, 24,000 at Daegu, 18,128 at Changwon, and 17,000 at Daejeon.
Total attendance across the 10 opening games over the two days reached 211,756. That ranks third all-time for an opening series held on a Saturday-Sunday schedule. The all-time record of 219,900 was set last year.
The Lotte Giants, who finished seventh last season, carried the momentum of their first-place preseason record into the regular season with back-to-back opening wins. After beating the Samsung Lions 6-3 on the 28th, Lotte won again 6-2 on the 29th, powered by two home runs from Son Ho-young.