Unusual Behavior During Live Broadcast...
Reported by Viewers
Active on YouTube With Baseball Content After Retirement
A former national baseball team player and ex-professional baseball player died after falling from the rooftop of an apartment building.
According to the Wonmi Police Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 17th, a report was received by the police and other authorities at around 6:24 p.m. that day that Jo Yonghoon (aged 37) had fallen from the rooftop of an apartment building in Wonmi-gu, Bucheon.
Firefighters who responded to the report found Jo already deceased at the scene, and his body was handed over to the police. The police stated, "There does not appear to be any connection to a crime," and added, "We are investigating the exact circumstances of his death."
At the time of the incident, Jo was conducting a live broadcast on YouTube from the apartment. During the broadcast, he exhibited unusual behavior on the rooftop, and viewers who witnessed this immediately reported it to the police. He had recently been producing baseball-related content and communicating with fans.
Born in 1987, Jo graduated from Seongnam High School and entered the professional league when he was selected by the Hyundai Unicorns as the 32nd overall pick in the 4th round of the second phase of the 2006 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) rookie draft.
The following year, he debuted in the first division and appeared in 73 games during the 2007 season, recording 4 wins, 7 losses, 9 saves, 15 holds, and an earned run average of 3.21, establishing himself as a key member of the bullpen. He was even mentioned as a candidate for Rookie of the Year, drawing high expectations. In 2008, he was selected for the national team for the final qualifying round of the Beijing Olympics, led by manager Kim Kyungmoon, and wore the national team jersey.
Even after the club changed its name to the Nexen Heroes (currently Kiwoom Heroes), Jo continued to perform steadily, recording an earned run average of 3.54 in 52 games. However, he gradually fell into a slump due to accumulated fatigue from frequent appearances and an elbow injury, and was unable to make a comeback even after completing his military service with Sangmu. Ultimately, he was released at the end of the 2014 season and retired at the early age of 28.
After leaving the baseball world, Jo began a second chapter of his life by running personal broadcasts and YouTube activities, and continued to communicate with fans online until recently.
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