Return of Korean Stars Fueling Attendance
The KBO is flourishing. They were hoping to break attendance records with 7 million total fans. The way attendance has sky rocketed they could see 8 million fans this year. Much of that is said to be fueled by the return of a few of their stars, Seung-Yeop Lee and Tae-Kyun Kim who have returned from Japan and Chan-Ho Park, who hasn’t really returned , having played in the major leagues and Japan but has arrived to play for the first time in the KBO.
These players have not been disappointing their fans who have flocked to see them play. Kim is first in the league in hits (29) and tops the circuit in batting average at .460. Lee happens to be second in batting average to Kim at .406, but he has provided some juice to the Lions lineup with five homeruns and 14 RBIs. Park had a rough spring training (12.95 ERA) and everyone tabbed him as washed up, but in four starts for the Hanhwa Eagles is ERA is at a 2.91. It looks like good things for the KBO. Maybe the NPB should look to Korea to see how they have increased their attendance so dramitically.
You can read the full article here: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2012/05/136_110052.html