Hyoungji Elite Hosts Meaningful Ceremonial First Pitch with Descendants of Independence Patriots at FC Seoul Match Day on Liberation Day

Hyungji Elite Wilbe Play successfully held 'Hyungji Elite Day' at the FC Seoul home game held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 15th. From left beside the mascot are FC Seoul captain Kim Jinsu, Lee Gidae, president of the 33 Korean Patriots Memorial Project Association who performed the ceremonial first kick in celebration of Liberation Day, Lee Hoseung, principal of Osan High School, and Choi Junho, CEO of Hyungji Elite.

Hyoungji Elite (CEO Choi Junho) held a meaningful ceremonial first pitch event by inviting descendants of independence patriots to the 'Hyoungji Elite Day', which took place during the K League 1 FC Seoul match day, in commemoration of the 81st anniversary of National Liberation Day.

Hyoungji Elite’s sports brand, Wilby Play, hosted its first football brand match day, 'Hyoungji Elite Day', at the FC Seoul home match held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 15th. With approximately 20,000 spectators in attendance, the day's event honored the significance of Liberation Day and commemorated the spirit of sacrifice demonstrated by national patriots through a meaningful ceremonial first pitch.

Before the game, on the ground, Lee Kidae, chairman of the Memorial Project Association for the 33 National Representatives and great-grandson of Namgang Lee Seunghun, one of the 33 national representatives of the March 1st Movement and a lifelong advocate of national education, together with Lee Hoseung, principal of Osan High School, were invited as special ceremonial first pitchers. Hyoungji Elite CEO Choi Junho personally welcomed them to the field and assisted with placing the ball for the ceremonial first pitch.

This ceremonial first pitch is not a one-time event but is especially meaningful as an extension of Hyoungji Elite's unwavering "Love for the Nation" management philosophy. Hyoungji Elite, which has operated a long-established student uniform brand, has consistently focused on providing correct historical education and fostering patriotism in future generations as part of its corporate social responsibility.

In fact, Hyoungji Elite has continuously carried out a variety of history education programs for young people. The 'Elite Love for the Nation Camp,' now in its 21st year and funded by a portion of all Elite stores' nationwide earnings, began with a trip to Dokdo in 2005 and has since brought youth to historically meaningful sites, including Utoro Village in Japan (2008), ancient Goguryeo relics in China (2012), the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall and Seodaemun Prison History Hall (2019).

Notably, in 2010, on the 100th anniversary of Gyeongsul National Humiliation, Hyoungji Elite formed a special relationship by signing an official school uniform supply contract with Kumgang School in Osaka, Japan, after 16 years. This year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of ‘Hunmaengjeongeum,’ the Korean braille system, Hyoungji Elite plans to hold the Love for the Nation Camp in Incheon on Hangul Day, October 9. In addition, the company has continued the 'Youth National Heritage Protectors' initiative for 16 consecutive years.

Furthermore, Hyoungji Elite has built strong partnerships with symbolic historical organizations, such as the Taehwa Welfare Foundation—the first social welfare institution in Korea, established at the site of the March 1 Independence Declaration at Taehwagwan—actively supporting children and youth in vulnerable groups and widely engaging in cultural and educational sharing activities.

Recently, the company has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Independence Hall of Korea and has launched an official goods project and history content expansion initiative to broadly communicate the historical significance of the independence movement in everyday life. By combining its outstanding planning and design capabilities with the historical content of the Independence Hall of Korea, Hyoungji Elite strives to create accessible touchpoints for the public to remember the spirit of the independence movement.

Hyoungji Elite's recent initiatives are being recognized as a successful marketing model that goes beyond simple brand exposure, forming a deep emotional connection with the public by combining its long-standing patriotism campaigns with sports.

A Hyoungji Elite representative stated, "It was a great honor and deeply meaningful to be able to share a ceremonial first pitch event commemorating the noble sacrifices of independence patriots with the spectators on Liberation Day," adding, "Going forward, we will continue to actively carry out initiatives promoting love for the nation, so that all citizens naturally inherit and uphold the spirit of independence in daily life and future generations develop a correct historical perspective."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.