If I eat rice cake soup, I'll get a year older? Foreigners are so shocked, Puig, an experienced player, is good at kicking Jegichagi

Jan 30, 2025

Doosan Bears provided special meals such as rice cake soup and japchae braised short ribs to the team on the occasion of Lunar New Year's Day on the 29th. Photo courtesy of Doosan Bears

Dusan Bears' new foreign hitter Jake Cave responded pleasantly to the words, `If you eat rice cake soup, you get 1 year older.' Photo courtesy of Doosan Bears

"The story that eating rice cake soup makes you one year older was impressive."

For foreign players who experience the KBO League for the first time, Korea's Lunar New Year culture seems new and interesting. In particular, he showed great interest in rice cake soup. Doosan Bears' new foreign hitter Jake Cave and Kiwoom Heroes' new foreign pitcher Kenny Rosenberg were surprised by the explanation that `If you eat rice cake soup, you get 1 year older.' Cave was born in 1992 and Rosenberg was born in 1995.

Cave, who is spending his spring camp in Sydney, Australia, first encountered rice cake soup on the 29th, the day of Lunar New Year's Day. The club prepared special holiday meals such as rice cake soup, braised short ribs, jeon, japchae, and vegetables for lunch and provided them to the team.

Cave said, `On Korean New Year's Day, I heard there is a culture in which adults pay a big bow and receive gift money from them, and if they eat rice cake soup, they get a year older. I wanted to spit out rice cake soup (laughs) after hearing that I was getting older, but it was so delicious that I ate it without leaving any leftovers. It was an interesting meal," he replied with a smile.

Kiwoom's team is holding a spring camp in Arizona, USA. Kiwoom prepared holiday food in time for the 29th in the U.S. local time. Rosenberg tasted rice cake soup and pancakes prepared by the club for lunch for the first time.

Rosenberg said "New Year's Day is the most meaningful holiday in Korea. Especially, the story that eating rice cake soup makes you one year older was impressive", he expressed his feelings.

Kium Heroes new foreign pitcher Kenny Rosenberg is tasting rice cake soup for the first time in his life. Photo courtesy = Kium Heroes

Jaciel Puig, a foreign hitter who returned to the Kiwoom Heroes, represented the fielders in the final round. Although the result was runner-up. Photo courtesy = Kium Heroes

The Kiwoom team had a time to enjoy folk games with a Lunar New Year special. As the spring camp was advanced by about a week, the club prepared time to cool down for players who could not spend the holidays with their families. Kiwoom manager Hong Won-ki also won $500 in prize money at his own expense.

It was divided into four groups: the pitcher's team, the fielder's team, the coaching staff, and the front desk, and had a match between jegi kicks and group jump ropes. Yasiel Puig, a foreign hitter who returned to Kiwoom for the first time in three years since 2022, drew attention by participating in the Jegichagi final as a representative of the fielder's group. The fielders and the front team faced each other in the final, and Puig bowed after a close race, and the front team won the championship.

Rosenberg said "Jeggie kicks and jump ropes were really fun, too. I was confused because I didn't know how to do it, but I think I got closer because I laughed and enjoyed it with my colleagues."

Kiwoom's new foreign hitter Ruben Cardinez also "It was a time when I was able to enjoy it with a smile in a busy schedule due to training. The holiday food was also delicious. As much as I had a good time, I think I can focus more and more on training today. I wish all the fans a happy new year."