[Photo &] "Broke the 17-Year Jinx" WBC Korea Defeats Czech Republic 11-4, First Inning Grand Slam… MBC Tops Ratings

The South Korean National Baseball Team rang the victory bell in their first game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). With this, the team has completely broken the frustrating 'first game jinx' that has plagued them in international competitions for the past 17 years.

On the 5th, the team achieved a resounding 11-4 victory against the Czech Republic in the first match of Group C held at the Tokyo Dome, showcasing explosive offensive concentration. This victory puts Korea in a favorable position for advancing to the quarterfinals, marking a promising start.

The national interest translated into a fierce ratings competition. The combined ratings for the three major networks reached 9.7%, with MBC emerging as the winner of the broadcast war. MBC, led by commentators Oh Seung-hwan and Jeong Min-cheol, secured the top spot with a 3.4% rating. Following closely were SBS with 3.3% featuring the Lee Dae-ho and Lee Soon-chul duo, and KBS with 3.0% featuring Park Yong-taek and Lee Dae-hyung.

Having successfully started their campaign, the team will clash with their fateful rival Japan on the 7th in a battle for the top spot in the group.