The historic Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul is scheduled to close permanently after the conclusion of the 2026 season, bringing an end to history at the venue since its opening in 1982.
The 2026 Final Curtain Call
Opened in 1982, the venue has served as the shared home stadium for two clubs: the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears. Over more than four decades, the venue hosted international tournaments and numerous Korean Series championships. MK Sports reported that Merrill Kelly, who played for the SK Wyverns from 2015 to 2018, expressed surprise upon learning of the demolition plans during a trip to San Francisco in late August.
“Isn’t it one of the representative and symbolic stadiums of the league?” Kelly said, reflecting on his time in South Korea. “This is also a historic place that hosted the Olympics, and two teams used it together as their home stadium.”
Kelly Recalls 2018 Korean Series Championship at Jamsil
For Kelly, the defining moment at Jamsil came during the 2018 Korean Series, when the SK Wyverns defeated the Doosan Bears in Game 6 to claim the championship title. He recalled looking out at a crowd of 30,000 spectators packed into the center of Seoul.
“When the last batter was struck out and the championship was confirmed in the 2018 Korean Series, I absolutely cannot forget the moment I ran out of the dugout,” Kelly said.
While champions built romantic memories at the venue, visiting players often faced logistical constraints. Because the stadium accommodates two tenants in the LG Twins and Doosan Bears, the facilities allocated for visiting teams were insufficient. Kelly noted that the visiting locker rooms during his tenure featured only basic setups without the televisions or couches common in Major League Baseball clubhouses.
New Domed Stadium Targets 2032 Opening Game
Following the final out of the 2026 season, the LG Twins and Doosan Bears will temporarily relocate their home games to a modified space at the Olympic main stadium starting in 2027. A brand-new domed baseball stadium will be constructed, with a target to host the opening game in 2032.
Reflecting on the modernization efforts across the KBO, including newer builds like Lions Park, Kelly welcomed the upcoming infrastructure upgrades. “If it’s built, it will definitely be great,” Kelly said of the projected Jamsil domed stadium.
