Choi Seo-yoon, a 12-year-old in Gwangju, is trying to carve out a path for girls in Korean baseball. She joined Seoseok Elementary School’s team in May 2025, became captain in November 2025, and later made Korea’s U-12 national team. Her route has been blocked by boys-only rules at the National Junior Sports Festival, but she went on to play at the U-12 Asian Baseball Championship in Hangzhou, China, and won bronze with Korea.
Choi Seo-yoon throws a pitch during practice at Seoseok Elementary School in Gwangju, July 28. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon
Baseball runs deep in Gwangju. The Tigers, based in the city, have won 12 championships in the 45 years since Korean professional baseball began. Seven of the 30 Koreans who have played in the U.S. Major League Baseball came from Gwangju. Its residents have shared the highs and lows of the sport. Now a 12-year-old here is adding a chapter the sport has never had. This is Choi Seo-yoon's story.
Female player in Korea's baseball city
The long hair under her cap is already damp and heavy. When she wipes the sweat off the bridge of her nose, dust from the infield dirt comes with it. Leading the warm-up before practice is the captain's job, and the captain is Seo-yoon, a sixth-grader. At her command, her teammates jog end to end across the field. A sloppy stride in the front row catches her eye. "Run all the way to the end!" Between the hard July sun and the chorus of cicadas, her voice echoes through the park.
