Dane Dunning is honouring his mother’s heritage by representing Korea. Dunning, who signed a Minor League contract with the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, is now playing for Korea. He was unable to participate in the 2023 Classic due to an injury.
A Blend of Cultures
Dunning has always navigated two cultures, with his mother being from Korea and his father being an American who was stationed there while serving in the military. He has a tattoo on his arm that reads “same blood” in Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Growing up, he had the option of choosing between a Korean dish his mother cooked or an American dish she made for his father.
Dunning said he could choose bulgogi, kimchi and rice one day, and steak, baked potato and green beans the next. He said it depended on the day and what looked good, and he wasn’t stuck with eating something he didn’t like.
Representing Family
Dunning says having the country’s name across his chest means the world to him. He is excited to represent his mother and his family in Korea. He hopes to win a lot of games and spend time with the players.
Before the tournament, his wife and two children met his extended family in Korea for the first time. Dunning missed the meeting between his children and his Halmeoni, the Korean word for grandmother. He is happy that his children were able to experience the same heritage that he is now representing.
Dunning said it was a really cool feeling for him that his Halmeoni was able to meet his wife and kids. He said he was a little sad that he wasn’t there and wished he was able to see that, but he’s really happy that it happened.
Welcomed into the Korean Locker Room
Dunning has been welcomed into a Korean locker room. It features a blend of KBO stars, Korean players with big league experience like Jung Hoo Lee and Hyun Jin Ryu, and players of Korean descent like Dunning, Shay Whitcomb and Jahmai Jones. They are building friendships and sharing playing experiences from around the globe.
Dunning said that no matter how many years you play, you try to learn as much as possible. He added that the play style might be a little bit different in Korea versus in the U.S.
Dunning said that just from their stretch, there are a couple of movements that he feels he needs to incorporate because he feels great after them.
Minor League Contract
- Dunning signed a Minor League contract with the Seattle Mariners in the offseason.
- He is paying homage to his mother’s heritage by playing for Korea.
- His wife and two children got to meet his extended family in Korea for the first time.
Dunning said that being able to represent his mother and his mother’s side of the family is really cool and he is really excited for the tournament.