Dodgers awestruck by first pitch from South Korean actress Jeon Jong-seo in viral moment
Freddie Freeman had himself a day Sunday during a Dodgers exhibition game in South Korea, but it was the initial toss by South Korean actress Jeon Jong-seo that really captivated audiences — the Los Angeles dugout, specifically.
Before the Dodgers’ Seoul Series game against the Kiwoom Heroes got underway at the Gocheok Sky Dome, the 29-year-old film star stood on the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
As Jeon readied to hurl the ball toward home plate, several members of the Dodgers appeared to take in the moment off the field, as captured on the broadcast.
Jeon, who starred in the 2023 Netflix film “Ballerina” and currently appears in the South Korean TV series “Wedding Impossible,” then posed for a Dodgers photo-op.
The Dodgers demolished their opponent, 14-3, thanks in part to a home run by Freeman, who went 3-for-5.
The Dodgers — who had a monster of an offseason, to put it lightly — will open their 2024 season on Wednesday against the Padres in South Korea.
They’ll host the Cardinals the following Thursday, March 28, in their home opener.
This season will mark the Dodgers’ first with two-way superstar and newlywed Shohei Ohtani, who agreed to a whopping 10-year, $700 million contract with L.A. in December, weeks before fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto finalized a 12-year, $325 million deal with the team.
Ohtani, a two-time AL MVP who spent the past six years with the Angels, will be sidelined from pitching this year following elbow surgery in September.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani, 29, will take part in a throwing program upon the team’s return to the U.S., according to the team’s official website.
“We’ll see how that progression goes,” Roberts said.
“I do know he’s not gonna pitch this year. But right now, our only focus is him being a designated hitter.”
