South Korean Superfan Returning to US to Root for Royals in World Series
If any die-hard fan deserves to see the Kansas City Royals playing in the World Series in person, this is that guy.
After watching the American League Division Series games from his home in South Korea, superfan SungWoo Lee, 38, is headed back to the U.S. to cheer on his favorite major league team.
"It's an indescribable feeling," he told the Wall Street Journal.
Lee is considered a bit of a good luck charm for the team, which hasn't won a World Series since 1985. They face the San Francisco Giants in this year's World Series, which begins Tuesday.
He admitted being nervous about fans putting the fate of a team on his shoulders.
"Baseball is a superstitious sport, and I worry about a jinx," he told the Wall Street Journal. "All the credit should go to the players on the field."
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For 15 years, Lee has been one of the most ardent and prolific Royals fans online. Watching Royals games and posting on various sports forums also helped him learn English, he has said.
When the team found out about Lee, thanks to some hard-core fans, it invited him to the U.S. to throw out the first pitch in August at Kaufmann Stadium.
During Lee's stateside visit, the Royals won nine out of 10 games and the team retook first place in its division. Lee also got a team shirt, did some interviews and generally got the red carpet treatment before heading home.
Initially, it appeared that Lee would not likely be making a trip to the U.S. because he'd just gotten a new job. That prompted a massive Twitter campaign under the hashtag #BringBackSungWoo.
His boss reportedly gave him the go-ahead to leave, however, much to the relief of Kansas City fans who are hoping he can help the team pin down some more Ws.
ABC News' Susanna Kim contributed to this report.