Former Major League Baseball pitcher Byung-hyun Kim and tennis legend Hyung-taik Lee recounted a tense first meeting during a recent appearance on the MBN variety show Dongchimi, aired on July 13. The two athletes discussed the awkward social dynamics of their initial encounter at a Korean restaurant in the United States, highlighting a disagreement over cultural expectations regarding meal payments.
The Origins of the Dispute
According to the broadcast, Kim and Lee first crossed paths while both were competing professionally in the United States. Lee, who was on tour for professional tennis, described entering a restaurant where he encountered Kim, then a high-profile MLB player.
The interaction became a point of contention during the show’s "Life is Won in Overtime" segment. When asked by fellow guest Jae Hur if he had covered the bill for the younger athlete, Lee admitted he did not, citing Kim’s significantly higher salary as a professional baseball player as his reasoning.
Differing Views on Sports Hierarchy
The conversation underscored a clash in professional etiquette. While Lee justified his decision based on Kim’s financial status, Kim argued that seniority takes precedence over earnings in the Korean sports community.
"Regardless of annual salary, in the sports world, the seniors are supposed to pay," Kim stated during the program. He added a humorous critique of the tennis culture he observed, noting that because tennis is an individual sport, he perceived the lack of hospitality as a sign of being "stingy."
Contextualizing the Athletes
The interaction featured prominent figures in South Korean sports history:
- Byung-hyun Kim: A former MLB pitcher who played for teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, winning World Series titles with both.
- Hyung-taik Lee: A former professional tennis player who reached a career-high ATP ranking of world No. 36 and served as a pioneer for Korean tennis on the international stage.
- Jae Hur: A legendary basketball player and coach, often referred to as the "President of Basketball" in South Korea.
The show highlighted the "banter" between these retired stars as they compared their experiences as international athletes. While Lee attempted to defend his past actions, the segment served as a lighthearted reflection on the rigid hierarchies often found within Korean sports culture, where seniority, rather than individual wealth, traditionally dictates social obligations.