Lee Jong-beom's 'Jja-gye-chi' Batting Method: Can it Revive Ratings for 'Strong Baseball'?

JTBC's popular reality sports entertainment show, 'Strong Baseball', is attempting a comeback to overcome its recent slump in viewership ratings.

'Strong Baseball', which features retired professional baseball players forming a team to challenge themselves on the field once more, recorded a high of 3.9% in viewership ratings last year. However, recent episodes have seen a sharp decline, hitting a record low of 0.6%, signaling a crisis for the show.

To break this cycle, the show will introduce a new strategy in its 124th episode, airing on the 3rd. Head coach Lee Jong-beom will personally demonstrate the 'Jja-gye-chi' (roughly translated as 'instant noodles with black bean sauce' batting method) to reignite the players' batting touch.

During the 'Strong Baseball Cup' preliminary match against Breakers and Hanyang University, Lee Jong-beom instructed the batters, "Balance and tap, tap, hit it short!"

He emphasized, "If you don't have the power for a home run, use your balance and tap it short. Think about how to unsettle the fielders," urging them to improve accuracy with shorter swings.

The game was in a nail-biting 2-1 score by the bottom of the 4th inning. Attention is now focused on whether Lee Jong-beom's unique coaching method can revive the show's viewership and bring back the excitement of entertainment baseball.

Netizens are expressing anticipation, commenting, 'We believe in Coach Lee Jong-beom!', 'The 'Jja-gye-chi' method sounds interesting haha', and 'I definitely have to watch the live broadcast this week.'