IVE Jang Won-young to Throw First Pitch at Dodgers-Mets MLB Game in U.S.

Taking over the Major League mound at the heart of the K-pop phenomenon

'IVE (IVE)', leading the global K-pop scene, is finally stepping onto the Major League Baseball 'MLB' mound in the United States—the stage of its dreams. According to an official announcement from Starship Entertainment, the group has landed a coveted invitation to the big matchup between 'the New York Mets' and 'the Los Angeles (LA) Dodgers' at Citi Field on the 26th (local time).

With baseball fans around the world turning their attention to that day, there is no question that 'Jang Won-young' will be the star of the mound. Equipped with overwhelming visuals and star power, he is expected to breathe new energy into the field through this first-pitch ceremony. Jang Won-young said, "It is an infinite honor to be the first-pitch thrower on a massive stage drawing worldwide attention," adding, "I will do my best to spread positive energy to both the crowd and the players."

Beyond a simple first-pitch event, an enormous project targeting global fandom is also in motion. Former Major Leaguer 'Kim Byung-hyun', a living legend of Korean baseball, and 'Dustin Nippert', who once dominated the KBO League, will team up to produce high-density collaboration content on site. The bold meeting that breaks down the boundary between sports and K-pop is expected to deliver a fresh shock to the public.

This official MLB invitation is a signal that 'IVE' is kicking off its full-scale conquest of the North American market. Beginning this month on the 21st in Canada’s Toronto and continuing through next month’s 9th in the United States in Oakland, the group will launch a large-scale 'North American tour' that sweeps major hub cities. Observers across the global entertainment industry are watching closely as the group evolves beyond the leading representatives of the fourth generation of K-pop to become a global icon.