External observers are pessimistic about South Korea defeating Dominican Republic! Lee Jung-hoo declares: It's not high school students facing professional players.

South Korea will compete against Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, with widespread external skepticism toward South Korea. Captain Lee Jung-hoo emphasized pre-game: "We are equally professional players; it's not a matchup of high school students against pros."

The reason external observers favor Dominican Republic lies in its star-studded MLB lineup, led by Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and other stars, boasting formidable offensive power. U.S. media The Athletic even described Dominican Republic as capable of overwhelming opponents "like in a video game," highlighting the disparity in strength between the two teams.

Lee Jung-hoo stated at the pre-game press conference: "The opponents might be star players we often see on TV, but we are all professional players." He stressed: "This isn't a game between high school students and professionals; it's a contest among the best professional players from each country. I always tell myself to look back after the match with no regrets."

He further pointed out that the team often reminds each other before games that, regardless of the outcome, they hope to look back afterward without regrets. "If we can fight unreservedly until the end, even if the result isn't as expected, we can accept it calmly."

Lee Jung-hoo's remarks recall Shohei Ohtani's pre-final speech to his Japanese teammates in the 2023 Classic: "Today, don't treat them as idols. We came here to win, so stop admiring them today. Let's focus on victory."

Lee Jung-hoo expressed that competing against world-class players itself is a valuable experience. "For us, being able to face these top players is itself an asset and a kind of happiness."

This South Korean team is predominantly young, with an overall atmosphere different from past teams. "We have many young players who can bring good results for the national team in the future, so everyone plays more relaxed and enjoys it more. Compared to experience and seniority, we rely more on fighting spirit and momentum in games, and precisely because of that we have come this far."