Last year, Kim Do-young of the KIA Tigers swept various awards, including the MVP title, capping off an incredible season. His explosive popularity translated into record-breaking jersey sales, a testament to his impact on and off the field.
The KIA Tigers also enjoyed a successful season, winning both the regular season and the Korean Series championships. This double victory, coupled with Kim Do-young's stellar performance, fueled the fans' enthusiasm to new heights. The fervor surrounding the team and its star player was so intense that it was often difficult for fans to purchase the desired jerseys and merchandise, even with money in hand.
Fans typically purchase authentic or replica jerseys and have them customized with the name and number of their favorite player. The club then shares a portion of the profits from these personalized products with the player as a royalty for their name and likeness. Therefore, the "off-field income" of a player is determined by the sales volume of their related merchandise throughout the year.
Kim Do-young was the undisputed leader in merchandise sales for the KIA Tigers, surpassing all other players in the KBO League.
It is estimated that the KIA Tigers generated over 10 billion won in revenue from Kim Do-young's merchandise sales last year. This is an unprecedented figure in the history of the KBO League, surpassing all previous records. The demand for KIA home and away jerseys with Kim Do-young's name and number, as well as special commemorative jerseys celebrating his remarkable records, was so overwhelming that the team had to resort to accepting pre-orders, which even then were difficult to fulfill due to the sheer volume of requests. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, the KIA Tigers rewarded Kim Do-young with a significant 400 million won raise in his 2025 season salary, bringing it to a total of 500 million won.
Following Kim Do-young in merchandise sales for the KIA Tigers were their "eternal ace" Yang Hyun-jong and star hitter Na Sung-bum, who ranked second and third, respectively.
So, who were the top-selling players for other KBO League teams?
For the Samsung Lions, it was "captain" Gu Ja-wook who rose to the top, surpassing Lee Jae-hyun, who had held the top spot in 2023. Kim Young-woong, who received the highest salary increase in the team, followed in third place.
At LG Twins, star hitter Hong Chang-ki, who led the league with an impressive batting average of 0.447, claimed the top spot. He was followed by Oh Ji-hwan and Park Hae-min.
The Doosan Bears saw their "rookie king" Kim Taek-yeon defy expectations by topping the team's merchandise sales charts, surpassing veteran stars Yang Eui-ji and Jung Soo-bin.
The KT Wiz witnessed their franchise stars dominate the top spots, with Kang Baek-ho, who received a substantial salary increase from 290 million won to 700 million won this year, leading the pack. He was followed by "national ace" Ko Young-pyo and Bae Jung-dae. Notably, KT's foreign star and fan favorite, Mel Rojas Jr., also made it into the top five.
The SSG Landers saw "home run king" Choi Jung retain his top spot for the second consecutive year, followed by Choi Ji-hoon, who also maintained his second-place ranking. Park Sung-han, who has emerged as a national team shortstop, jumped to third place, while rookie Park Ji-hwan's fifth-place ranking was also noteworthy.
The rise of the "Yoon Na-go-hwang" (Yoon Dong-hee, Na Sung-bum, Go Young-pyo, and Hwang Sung-bin) quartet translated into strong merchandise sales for the Lotte Giants. Yoon Dong-hee surged from third place in 2023 to first place, followed by veteran franchise star Jeon Jun-woo and rising star Hwang Sung-bin. Na Seung-yeop and Kim Won-joong ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Hanwha Eagles were led by their returning ace, Ryu Hyun-jin, who claimed the undisputed top spot. He was followed by the team's young pitching and hitting prospects, Moon Dong-ju and Noh Si-hwan, who ranked second and third, respectively.
The NC Dinos also saw their star hitters dominate the merchandise sales charts, with Park Geon-woo, Park Min-woo, and Kim Joo-won ranking first, second, and third, respectively. Notably, Kim Hwi-jip, who joined the team mid-season, quickly gained a strong fan base and ranked sixth.
The Kiwoom Heroes were led by their top stars, with Kim Hye-sung, who recently signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers through the posting system, topping the jersey sales charts last year. He was followed by Lee Joo-hyung and Song Sung-moon.
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