Former Doosan Bears pitcher Lee Hyun-seung has revealed a dramatic behind-the-scenes account regarding the abrupt cancellation of the JTBC baseball entertainment program ‘Strongest Baseball’ (최강야구).
According to Star News, Lee appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Stock King’ in an episode titled “Sunny’s Pitcher Group Younger Brothers Are Exciting Just Looking at Each Other’s Faces,” released on August 25. During the broadcast, Lee spoke candidly with MC Kim Gura about his time on the program, which he joined while operating a restaurant.
The core controversy centers around the production’s abrupt termination notice. Lee stated that he had been officially informed that ‘Strongest Baseball’ would continue into the following year. Believing the franchise was moving forward, he took personal financial initiative to prepare his physical condition for an upcoming trip to Japan.
Last-Minute Cancellation Leaves Cast in Disarray
Lee explained that because family members and friends had also planned to travel to Japan, he coordinated his schedule to make the most of the overseas trip and perform well for the program. However, after completing all his preparations, he received a shocking phone call the very day before his departure flight.
According to Lee’s testimony on the YouTube channel ‘Stock King’, a show writer contacted him to deliver the cancellation news, stating, “I’m sorry, but it looks like we are going to be cancelled.” Lee recalled experiencing complete mental chaos upon receiving the call, noting that flight tickets and hotel accommodations had already been fully booked and secured.
The program’s journey to this point has been marked by significant structural changes. Launched in June 2022, ‘Strongest Baseball’ built a loyal enthusiast base over a two-year run. A major turning point occurred when its original third-party production company, Studio C1, split from JTBC following creative and operational conflicts. Studio C1 subsequently launched ‘Flame Baseball’ with core cast members including Lee Dae-ho, Park Yong-taek, and Jeong Geun-woo, as reported by Star News.
Restructuring, Leadership Shifts, and Viewing Figures
Following the split, JTBC revamped the show with a new lineup of cast members and production staff, returning with a fresh season in September 2025. As part of a broader team reorganization, the network appointed former KT Wiz coach Lee Jong-beom as the new manager and rebranded the team name to ‘Breakers’. Despite these strategic adjustments, the program experienced noticeable fluctuations in television viewership ratings.
Amid ongoing legal tensions with Studio C1, network leadership ultimately decided to conclude the season with a broadcast on February 2, establishing an internal policy to wrap up production with the remaining recorded episodes. At the time of the closure, a JTBC representative addressed the status of the production, clarifying to Star News that the 2025 season was originally scheduled to conclude early in the year.
!["일본 출국 직전 폐지 통보" 증언 나왔다..'최강야구' 충격 비하인드[스타이슈]](https://image.starnewskorea.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=auto,w=1200,h=663,fit=cover,q=high,sharpen=2/21/2026/08/2026082609152536946_1.jpg "Photo: starnewskorea.com")
“It is not a formal abolition procedure, but a reorganization, and future continuation has not yet been decided,” the JTBC official stated regarding the broadcast schedule, adding that players had already been informed that upcoming schedules might not be maintained due to the uncertain duration of the operational review.
As the fallout from the program’s sudden termination continues to resonate among fans and former participants, attention turns toward how the involved broadcasters and production entities will manage future athletic entertainment formats. Viewers and community members are encouraged to share their thoughts on these developments in the comments below.
