Why Did Hanwha Eagles Skip Video Review? Fans Demand Answers After 6-Game Losing Streak

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The Hanwha Eagles’ slide shows no sign of stopping — 6 straight losses overall and 9 in a row at home. Those numbers alone are troubling. But what grabbed headlines after April 16’s loss to the Samsung Lions wasn’t just the defeat. A single play in the 9th inning — and the decision not to request a video review — has become the focus of intense debate: Chae Eun-seong’s fly ball that appeared to bounce before being caught, and the bench’s choice not to challenge it.

A game undone by three errors

At Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, Hanwha fell 1-6 to the Lions in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. The loss completed Samsung’s midweek sweep and dropped Hanwha to 6-10, tied for 7th.

The scoreboard understated how badly Hanwha played: of the 6 runs allowed, only 1 was earned. 5 runs came as a direct result of defensive mistakes. Starter Wang Yencheng’s 3 runs were all unearned — a clear sign this game unraveled on defense.

In the top of the 2nd, second baseman Ha Ju-seok failed to cleanly field Jeon Byung-woo’s grounder, allowing Jeon to reach second and later score on Lee Jae-hyun’s single to right. In the 3rd inning, shortstop Park Jung-hyun made a throwing error; with 1 out and a runner on, back-to-back hits by Jeon and Lee produced 2 more runs.

Hanwha flashed life in the bottom of the 6th when Mun Hyun-bin’s triple and Kang Baek-ho’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 1. But the game slipped away in the 7th. With 1 out and the bases loaded, a routine fly to right that should have ended the inning dropped for Yonathan Peraza, costing Hanwha 2 runs. In the 8th, Jung Woo-ju surrendered consecutive hits to Kim Ji-chan and Choi Hyung-woo and allowed another run. Every time Hanwha handed themselves a chance, defensive lapses turned them into runs.

Chae Eun-seong’s fly and a wasted chance

Trailing by 5 in the bottom of the 9th, Hanwha had 1 last shot. Pinch-hitter Choi In-ho grounded out to first. With 1 out, Chae Eun-seong stepped in. On a 1-2 count he drilled a 119 km/h curveball from Choi Ji-gwang into center. Samsung center fielder Kim Ji-chan ran in and the umpire signaled the out.

Television replays told a different story: the ball appeared to bounce once on the turf before settling into Kim’s glove — a detail visible on the broadcast. The commentators expressed surprise that no challenge followed. Chae himself looked toward the dugout and seemed to gesture for a review.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon did not challenge, and Lee Do-yoon struck out on a checked swing to end the game.

SPOTV commentator Lee Dae-hyung expressed bafflement on air: Chae had signaled for a review, and with it being the final at-bat, any remaining challenge should have been used.

Why no challenge?

From a purely probabilistic view, overcoming a 5-run deficit with 1 out in the 9th is unlikely. That context may explain Kim’s decision to pass on a review. But fans’ frustration isn’t about the odds of a comeback.

If the review had succeeded, Chae would have reached first. With 1 out and a runner on, Lee Do-yoon would have had another plate appearance, giving the offense at least 2 more opportunities to spark a rally. Fans argue the team erased the chance itself — and that’s the real grievance.

There’s also the individual implication for Chae. The replay clearly showed a bounce, so a successful review likely would have been ruled a hit and changed his stat line. By not challenging, the team also cost the player a legitimate chance at a hit in the record books.

Humiliation across the three-game series with Samsung

The three-game set against Samsung left scars beyond the losses. On April 14, Hanwha issued 18 walks — the most in a single game in pro baseball history. On April 15, they allowed every starting batter to reach in the first inning — only the 7th time that’s happened in pro baseball. On April 16, 3 errors contributed to the collapse, and the decision to forgo a 9th-inning review added fuel to the criticism.

Notably, on April 15 Hanwha led 5-0 through the bottom of the 6th before losing 5-6. To drop a winnable game and then, the next night, decline a clear review opportunity further eroded fans’ trust in the bench.

Nine straight home losses — before fans turn away

Hanwha now has lost 9 straight at home. Fans who come to Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark have watched one defeat after another. It’s a stark contrast to last year’s Korean Series runner-up billing.

With a 6-game losing streak mounting, criticism of the players’ fundamentals and focus is inevitable. Yet the deeper disappointment lies with the bench’s decision-making. Defensive mistakes sometimes pile up beyond anyone’s control. Choosing not to use an available video challenge, however, is a managerial decision.

Voices calling for change say that to climb out of this slump Hanwha needs not just players to regain form but clearer, firmer judgment from the bench. A 3-game series against the NC Dinos starts on the 17th — a practical opportunity to snap the home skid and shift the momentum.