Suwon, Korea] The Wizards are 9-2-1 (0.818 winning percentage) in 11 games in the month of August, and they’re getting stronger in the summer. This is similar to their performance in the 2022 and 2021 seasons. In August of last year, KT won 15 games in 메이저놀이터 23 matches (0.696 winning percentage), and in 2021, the team won 10 games in 18 matches (0.588 winning percentage), ranking second in winning percentage among all clubs. The team has summer DNA, so you can read it as the KT of summer.
In particular, this year, the winning percentage is even better during the Water Festival, which KT revived after a four-year hiatus. The Water Festival is KT’s signature cheering culture that the team has been organizing to provide fans with a different baseball viewing experience in the summer. It was held at 12 home games at KT Wiz Park in Suwon from July 25 to August 13.
18 artificial rain gardens, 16 water cannons, and 360-degree tornado sprinklers were installed on the first-base sky zone fence and in the stands, shooting cool water streams with exciting music every time a hit or a run was scored. Notably, out of the 11 games held during the ‘Water Festival’ (including the rain-canceled game against Hanwha on the 10th), KT boasted a winning percentage of 9-2 (0.818 winning percentage).
KT’s signature cheering culture ‘Y Water Festival’ has been revived after four years. Photo | KT Wiz
“Is today the last day of the Y Water Festival?” asked Lee Kang-cheol before the game against Suwon NC on the 13th, the last day of the Y Water Festival. “I think we had a good winning percentage (during the water festival), so I tried to do some against KIA (laughs). We don’t have a good winning percentage against KIA. I’m 1-6, but shouldn’t I play more (water festival) games against Kia (laughs)?” He smiles.
In fact, this year, KT has faced KIA seven times and won only one game. The Wizards have been particularly underwhelming when facing the Tigers. Last year, they won 5, drew 1 and lost 10. KT has a season record of 53W2D45L, trailing second-place SSG (55W1D41L) by three games.
KT will play a three-game home series against KIA on Feb. 22-24. Facing Kia at a crucial point in the season that could see them climb higher in the standings, it reads as a desperation to catch Kia, even if it’s a “Y Water Festival” with favorable odds.
What is clear is that KT’s momentum is not unexpected. After all, the team has now harvested eight consecutive winning seasons and jumped from last place to third place in the standings. KT is the strongest in the second half of the season. KT went 16-4 (0.800 winning percentage) in the second half of the season with a team ERA of 2.83 and a batting average of 0.286.
KT’s signature cheering culture, the Y Water Festival, has been revived after a four-year hiatus. Photo | KT Wiz
“If I knew, I’d lay down a mat (laughs),” Lee jokes, adding, “I think it’s time to get better. “At the beginning of the season, we didn’t have a full roster, but now we have a full batting order and a full starting lineup, and we have Park Young-hyun and Kim Jae-yoon behind us, so I think the stabilization of the batting order is leading to good results,” he continued.
The underlying secret is the determination of the players, who are doing their best in the sweltering heat. In addition, the fans’ desire to cheer for the players and make them play well is the starting point. Thus, the ‘Y Water Festival’ is a beautiful support culture created by the efforts of players, fans, and the club front office.
With this summer DNA, it will be interesting to see how far KT can go in the season-ending drama.