Wang Yicheng, an '11-year ONCE' who met TWICE Nayeon, achieves his dream of meeting his idol

Wang Yenchen: From Pitcher on the Mound to an '11-Year ONCE'

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Wang Yenchen has experienced a dream-come-true moment. As a devoted fan who has supported TWICE for 11 years, he personally met TWICE's Nayeon, who appeared as the ceremonial first pitcher at the game against the LG Twins held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 4th.

The video released on the Hanwha Eagles' official YouTube channel, 'Eagles TV,' captured Wang Yenchen's fluttering heart. Considering TWICE debuted in 2015, he is an '11-year ONCE' (the name of TWICE's fandom) who has consistently supported them since their early days.

Wang Yenchen put extraordinary effort into this meeting. He personally visited a TWICE pop-up store near his accommodation in Seoul to purchase plushie goods to get signed by Nayeon. He shared, "When I heard there was a TWICE pop-up store near my Seoul accommodation, I took a taxi there to buy the plushies."

He even prepared Korean greetings to say to Nayeon in advance. To soothe his nerves, he repeatedly practiced phrases like "11-year ONCE" and "Let's take a photo" until they became natural. When his teammate Lee Sang-gyu, a former LG Twins player, shared the news of Nayeon's ceremonial pitch, Wang Yenchen could not hide his joy, stomping his feet like a child.

True Fan Moments in the Waiting Room and a 90-Degree Bow of Gratitude

The moment he actually faced Nayeon, Wang Yenchen, who had maintained composure on the mound, completely froze. He was so nervous that the Korean greetings he had prepared would not come out of his mouth.

Watching this situation, the Eagles TV production crew stepped in to convey his sincerity to Nayeon. The crew explained his fan heart, saying, "He is an 11-year ONCE. He is a player who has waited for this day," and helped ensure the signing and photo session went smoothly by handing him the plushie he had momentarily forgotten. During this process, LG Twins players Im Chan-kyu, Moon Bo-gyeong, and Moon Jeong-bin also lent a hand.

With the help of the production crew, Wang Yenchen received Nayeon's signature on the goods he brought and even took a proof photo. Immediately after achieving his dream, as he left the waiting room, Wang Yenchen's legs buckled as if the tension had suddenly released, causing laughter. He cheered, shouting "This is crazy!" while checking the photo taken with Nayeon.

His politeness was particularly eye-catching. Although he was playing for the Hanwha Eagles against the LG Twins, he expressed gratitude to the opposing team for allowing him to meet his 'ultimate bias.' As he left the waiting room, Wang Yenchen bowed 90 degrees toward the LG side to express his thanks. The video surpassed 230,000 views within 15 hours of its release.

The Records of the Pitcher Called 'Wang Seobang'

Wang Yenchen, the Asian quota pitcher recruited by the Hanwha Eagles this season, challenged the KBO League after passing through the second team of Japan's professional baseball team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. A left-handed pitcher from Taiwan, he has recently been maintaining a steady rotation in Hanwha's starting lineup and is being called 'Wang Seobang' by fans.

In the game against LG on May 9, he secured his third win of the season by recording 3 runs over 6⅓ innings. At that time, Hanwha defeated LG 11 to 3.

After watching the video, fans reacted by saying, "He looks even happier than when he got his first career win," and "I didn't know Yenchen had such a shy side."