KIA Tigers players celebrate after beating the Samsung Lions 7-5 in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, Monday. The Tigers won the series for the first time in seven years. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The Kia Tigers are the king of South Korean baseball in 2024.

The Tigers beat the Samsung Lions 7-5 in Game 5 of the Korean Series at home Monday for their 12th title, and their first since 2017, after overcoming a 5-1 deficit.

Kim Tae-gun drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single in the bottom sixth, while the Tigers' bullpen combined for 6 1/3 shutout innings in front of a sellout crowd of 19,300 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul.

KIA Tigers players celebrate after beating the Samsung Lions 7-5 in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, Monday. The Tigers won the series for the first time in seven years. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The Tigers have won more titles than any team in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history, and they are a perfect 12-for-12 in their Korean Series appearances.

This is only the second time in club history that the Tigers got to celebrate their championship at home, having done so once previously in 1987.

The Tigers won the first two games of this best-of-seven series at home last week, before getting a split on the road in Daegu on Friday and Saturday. Then they clinched the title Monday thanks to their relentless offense and shutdown bullpen.

The Tigers are now the first team to win a Korean Series title in five different decades: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and now 2020s. (Yonhap)

Kim Sun-bin of the Kia Tigers, center, is congratulated by teammates after winning the Korean Series MVP award following a 7-5 win over the Samsung Lions in Game 5 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul