"I think I and my juniors will be able to cheer up while feeling like the holiday."
Although I was abroad, I could feel the holiday atmosphere. Doosan players smiled at the "Lunar New Year special."안전놀이터
In Sydney, Australia, where the spring camp is being held on Sept. 29, Doosan prepared special lunch menu including tteokguk, braised short ribs, jeon, japchae, and vegetables. Thanks to the preparation by a local team's food provider, players were able to briefly change the mood during the training session.
Yang Eui-ji, who was the captain of Doosan this year, said, "They were great holiday foods to the level of eating in Korea. Thank you to those who prepared them," adding, "I'm sorry to be away from my family, but I think I and my juniors will be able to feel the holiday spirit and gain strength."
"It was the taste I used to eat at my grandmother's house," said Park Joon-soon, a rookie drafted by Doosan in the first round of the 2025 KBO rookie draft. "I'm so happy to eat these foods while exercising without thinking about holidays. I'll cheer up and work out harder."
Not only Korean players but also foreign players attended the lunch on the day to adjust to unfamiliar Korean food. "I heard that there is a culture of people who bow to adults and get gift money for the New Year's Day and get one year older when they eat tteokguk," said Jake Cave, a foreign hitter newly recruited by Doosan. "That's why I wanted to spit out tteokguk, but it was so delicious that I didn't leave any leftovers. It was an interesting meal."
Originally from the U.S., Cave played in the Major League last year as well. As a key outfielder for the Colorado Rockies last season, Cave played 123 games with a batting average of .251, seven homers, 37 RBIs and five steals, and he has a batting average of .236 337 hits, 45 homers, 176 RBIs and 13 steals.
Up until last year, Korean teams started spring camps in February, but this year, the camp was held one week earlier. This year's Lunar New Year holiday came at the end of January, and players are sweating profusely while concentrating on training without having time to enjoy the holiday. Therefore, the "special Lunar New Year meal" that the team prepared was like a huge gift.