SAN FRANCISCO – It took his entire baseball life, plus three months at Triple-A Sacramento, for Jae-gyun Hwang to realize his dream of playing in the big leagues.

Now a country is getting up early to watch him fulfill it.

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What can the Giants expect out of Mike Yastrzemski in return vs. Padres? Hwang made his major league debut on Wednesday, starting at third base and batting fifth after the Giants purchased his contract. The six-time All-Star with Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization grounded out to third base in his first at-bat.

He sprinted every step down the line.

It’s been a whirlwind for Hwang, who watched the Giants promote several players ahead of him – Christian Arroyo, Austin Slater, Ryder Jones – and was nearing a July 1 opt-out that he would have taken.

In the nick of time, the Giants decided to give him a look. It is the opportunity that was worth more to him than re-signing for millions more with Lotte.

“I’ve given up a lot back home, whether that’s money, being away from family, my career, everything, just to be here,” Hwang said through Korean interpreter Mark Kim. “The only reason I did that was because I wanted to realize my childhood dream of playing a game in the big leagues. This opportunity came almost unexpectedly and so suddenly. I’m really hoping to carry this excitement over to the field and capitalize on this opportunity.”

Hwang said his parents were shocked and in tears when he placed a video call to them to break the news. The game is being televised nationally in South Korea, where Hwang remains one of the country’s most recognizable baseball celebrities.

Hwang said he appreciated his time at Triple-A, even if it began to wear on him by the end.

“I hoped that I wouldn’t have to visit some of those cities again,” he said. “But it’s been a great adding to my experience as a baseball player and a professional.”

Hwang acknowledged it became harder to keep his focus and remain upbeat as other players got the call in front of him. It would be difficult for any minor leaguer to process, and he is not a typical minor leaguer.

“In the beginning, I thought seeing my teammates get called up meant I can be there too, because we were playing at the same level and producing,” Hwang said. “But as time went on, it was a little bit harder, to be honest, to stay patient and stay the course.

“I was trying to do a little too much. I got a little anxious trying to force my way up. But in the end, I realized that wasn’t going to do me any favors. So I decided to let it all go and focus on playing baseball and having fun again, and I think that resulted in me getting called up at this point.”

His anxiety came across in his statistics. But after he hit his first home run May 13, he began to loosen up. Hwang had a .424 on-base percentage in June, drawing 14 walks in 22 games after walking just five times in April and May combined. He has hit six more home runs since getting his first one at Colorado Springs, too.

“I think I’ve always been a pretty aggressive hitter throughout my career. I don’t think that has changed,” he said. “What has been the difference is when I was in Triple-A I was so anxious and putting pressure on myself to force myself up that I was trying to hit bombs every time. Naturally, I was swinging and missing at pitches I don’t normally swing at.

“But as I came to understand that side of the game and grew more patient, I was thinking what I need to do is not hit bombs every time but just put together good at-bats and play my game at my pace. Naturally, I was seeing balls better, I was able to lay off some of the breaking balls, and be more comfortable facing pitchers in full-count situations.”

His new teammates are certainly glad to see Hwang, who made an instant impression in the spring with his professionalism, his sense of humor — and his stash of Korean junk food (including Choco-Pies in several flavors) that he passed out to anyone who came through the clubhouse.

Hwang traveled from El Paso on Tuesday and walked into the ballpark around midnight, at the exact moment that Denard Span hit his walk-off single in the 14th inning. So he’s already a good luck charm.

Hwang is the first Korean player in San Francisco/New York Giants history, a fact that he takes as a point of pride. He hopes to be on the roster at the end of July, when the team travels to Dodger Stadium. He already has heard from Dodgers left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu, his good friend for more than a decade.

“He told me to stay put and make sure I come over to LA and play during the next series, because it’s actually my birthday on the first day (July 28),” Hwang said. “If he were to face me on my birthday, I think he would probably give me a birthday present and throw me a nice fastball down the middle.”

For now, Hwang is concentrating on Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. And if he gets a hold of one, he won’t flip his bat – a flourish that made him a fan favorite in Korea, but one that he has toned down in the U.S.

“I don’t want to get hit by a pitch,” he said.