Daegu:After leading the Samsung Lions to their first South Korean baseball title in twelve years, captain Koo Ja-wook has been voted the MVP of the Korean Series. Koo, who played through a hamstring injury, received 72 out of 97 votes from the media following the Lions' decisive 12-1 victory over the KT Wiz in Game 5, held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Koo's performance throughout the series was instrumental in the Lions' success. Despite not being fully recovered when the postseason began, Koo managed to play every game of the five-game set against the Kia Tigers as a designated hitter. His statistics in the Korean Series included a batting average of .500/.565/.850, with one home run, two doubles, a triple, six RBIs, and five runs scored.

Koo's contributions were critical in each game, as he found his rhythm following a challenging series against the Tigers where he batted 3-for-20. His improvement was evident in the Korean Series, starting with a home run in the series opener, despite the Lions' 8-7 loss. He continued to perform strongly, recording significant hits and RBIs, which helped the Lions secure victories in subsequent games.

In the series finale, Koo's game-tying double in the third inning and his subsequent contributions in the pivotal fifth inning were crucial. His effort to score from second base on an infield single contributed to the Lions' commanding lead. The Lions' substantial 11-1 lead by the end of the fifth inning effectively sealed the victory and clinched the MVP award for Koo.