"Well, they're the Dodgers" - New acquisition Hyeseong Kim gives strong-worded response about signing with the world champions

One of the perks of being a world champion is the sense of noteworthy reputation. That's what gave the LA Dodgers the edge in signing prized international star Hyeseong Kim. The KBO star elected to sign with the reigning champions on a three-year, $12.5 million deal that could see him earn up to $22 million.

In an interview on Tuesday posted by his former club in Korea, the Kiwoom Heroes, Kim had a straightforward response when asked about his decision to sign with the World Series champions.

"Well, they're the Dodgers," Kim said. (h/t Jeeho Yoo)

The infielder also shared that he had previously met Shohei Ohtani at a training facility before he was posted, and wished him good luck.

Hyeseong Kim was one of the Korean League's brightest stars. Having debuted at the age of 18, expectations were high for the young athlete when he first appeared for the Heroes. In eight seasons in Korea, he compiled a .304/.364/.403 slash line with an OPS of .841.

Although not known for his power, Kim compensates for it with a knack for putting the ball in play and a penchant for being proficient in all infielder roles. The now-Dodger infielder was a three-time KBO Golden Glove awardee (given to the league's best players), a two-time Fielding Award recipient and was the KBO stolen base leader once.

In terms of familiarity with MLB talent, Hyeseong Kim played with San Diego Padres utilityman Ha-Seong Kim back in Korea, as well as with former LA slugger Yasiel Puig.

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Hyeseong Kim's bid to be the next great Korean Dodger

In the same interview, Kim also attributed his familiarity with the Dodgers to Korean baseball legends Chan Ho Park and Ryu Hyun-jin:

"I was so familiar with the Dodgers having watched Chan Ho Park and Hyun-jin Ryu play there." (h/t Jeeho Yoo)

Park and Ryu both starred for the Dodgers during their heyday. Chan Ho Park was the first-ever Korean player to debut in the majors. The former All-Star took the unusual route of immediately playing stateside, unlike his successors who underwent the posting system. He played nine seasons with the Dodgers from 1994 to 2001 and compiled an 84-58 record with an ERA of 3.77.

Ryu Hyun-jin, on the other hand, was the first KBO player to join an MLB squad via the posting system. At the peak of his powers, Ryu led all eligible pitchers in the league with a 2.32 ERA, which merited him a second-place finish in the 2019 NL Cy Young voting.

In six seasons in Los Angeles from 2013 to 2019, Ryu became an All-Star, a two-time All-MLB Second Teamer and was the first Korean pitcher to start in the World Series.

Given the talent and legacy that Park and Ryu left behind with the Boys in Blue, Hyeseong Kim already has his work cut out for him.