Baseball Star Lim Chang-kyu Opens Up About Career and Personal Life in 'Baseball Genius Lim Chang-kyu'

Baseball player Lim Chang-kyu, who is publicly dating professional golfer Son Sae-eun, sister of singer Son Na-eun, has opened up about his personal life. He recently clarified rumors about his marriage to Son Sae-eun, stating, "It's not true."

The final episode of the TVING original series 'Baseball Genius Lim Chang-kyu' was released on the 2nd. In the last episode, under the guidance of MC Park Yong-taek, Lim reflected on his baseball career by drawing a 'life graph,' candidly sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his 15-year professional journey. Lim reminisced about his middle school days when he was the shortest on the team, his high school glory of winning the President's Cup MVP, and being the second overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Particularly moving was his narrative of overcoming struggles and mistakes in his early 20s, the loss of his father, and his resurgence post-2023, culminating in a complete game shutout in the 2025 season, which touched viewers deeply.

Surprise guest appearances added to the finale's excitement. Lim previously cited meeting coach Lee Sang-hoon as a turning point in his life. Watching this, General Manager Cha Myung-seok humorously expressed his disappointment, saying, "Are you leaving out the advice I gave you in 2016?" bringing laughter to the scene.

General Manager Cha also revealed that his decision to keep Lim on the team during a trade crisis in 2021 was crucial to their victory and overcoming challenges, showing his trust in the ace. He stated, "Wherever Lim Chang-kyu is, there's always a happy virus. Such positive energy must be protected," expressing his support for Lim's future as a coach after retirement.

A lie detector game, filled with uncompromising truth battles, heightened the engagement. When Lim's answer, "The person I respect the most is General Manager Cha Myung-seok," was revealed as true, Cha humorously shouted, "Bring the contract extension!" causing great laughter.

Additionally, insights from analyst Ahn Da-hoon and bullpen catcher Lee Joo-young on Lim's dedication to training and data analysis enriched the episode with behind-the-scenes stories of the ace's caliber. Lim also provided comic relief by participating in quirky missions like 'catching a spinning baseball bat,' 'knocking down cans with a ping-pong ball,' and 'blowing out candles with a bat swing.'

Having completed the first solo variety show by an active KBO player, Lim expressed, "I wanted to bring joy to fans by showing a new side of myself, but I ended up gaining more strength." He added, "Reading messages from fans saying they looked forward to Mondays made me happy every moment." Lim concluded with determination, "Filming made me realize again that I'm happiest pitching on the mound. I will do my best to show a good performance to fans with the goal of winning the 2026 season."

The entire series of TVING's 'Baseball Genius Lim Chang-kyu' is available on TVING.

Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr