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Baseball Player's 40-Minute Taxi Trip for K-Pop Star's Autograph Exceeds Joy of First Win

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Taiwanese baseball player Wang Yen-cheng, a fan of K-pop group TWICE, traveled 40 minutes by taxi to get a signature from member Nayeon.
  • Wang expressed extreme excitement, stating the experience was more thrilling than achieving his first win as a player.
  • A YouTube video documented Wang's quest, humorously noting his elation surpassed that of his professional victory.

Taiwanese baseball player Wang Yen-cheng experienced a level of excitement that surpassed even his professional achievements when he met K-pop star Nayeon of the popular South Korean group TWICE. Wang, a self-proclaimed dedicated fan, or "ONCE," of TWICE, made a special trip to meet Nayeon, who was scheduled to throw the ceremonial first pitch for the LG Twins baseball team. Wang's team, the Hanwha Eagles, was playing against the Twins on that day.

I'm going crazy!

— Wang Yen-chengExpressing his overwhelming excitement after meeting Nayeon and getting her autograph.

Driven by his admiration, Wang took a 40-minute round trip by taxi to purchase a "Navely" doll, a merchandise item associated with Nayeon, valued at approximately NT$575 (around $18 USD). He then sought Nayeon's autograph on the doll. The entire process was captured and shared on the Hanwha Eagles' YouTube channel, which humorously pointed out that Wang's visible joy during this fan encounter seemed even greater than when he secured his first professional win.

Before meeting Nayeon, Wang was visibly nervous and excited. He practiced Korean phrases to express his happiness and ask for a photo, admitting he might forget everything in the moment. His anticipation was palpable, with TWICE member Sana and Tzuyu also being among his favorites. The video showed him preparing his appearance and struggling to speak when he finally met Nayeon.

He traveled back and forth for 40 minutes to buy a doll and get an autograph. His legs went soft: he was happier than when he got his first win!

— Hanwha Eagles YouTube channelHumorous commentary on Wang Yen-cheng's extreme excitement during the fan encounter.

After successfully getting his photo taken with Nayeon and receiving a personalized autograph, Wang was overwhelmed with emotion. He was seen leaning against a wall, legs weak from excitement, exclaiming, "Bro! I'm going crazy!" He also expressed his gratitude to the LG Twins for inviting Nayeon to perform the first pitch. The encounter highlighted the intense dedication of K-pop fans and the unique intersections between sports and entertainment.

He was so excited yesterday when he heard Nayeon was coming.

— Moon Bo-kyungAn LG Twins staff member, commenting on Wang Yen-cheng's anticipation before meeting Nayeon.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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