Dodgers Interview: Kim loving his first offseason as a Dodger

LOS ANGELES — On back-to-back winter days, Hyeseong Kim got a crash course in what it means to wear Dodger blue in public. One day he’s standing inside Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center, shaking hands with firefighters and soaking up the last stop of the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour. The next day he’s on a mic at DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium, talking honestly about what “being a world champion” did to his confidence… and to his checklist.

The setting changed. The vibe stayed the same: Kim came off like a guy who’s genuinely grateful to be here, and also a guy who knows exactly how hard this league is going to make him work.

Love LA tour: “Face to face” with the city

Friday’s stop at the Frank Hotchkin Center wasn’t just another photo op. The Dodgers built the whole week around service, with a big emphasis on first responders and community partners, including Bank of America and the World Series trophy traveling to different locations. The firefighters event also carried extra weight because it was framed as recognition tied to the anniversary of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires.

Kim’s answer to a question about feeling the fans’ love on the tour was basically: he’s still getting used to saying “Dodgers” and “community tour” in the same sentence… but he’s enjoying every second of it. In Korean, he said it felt like an honor just to be included, and that meeting people in person made it “a meaningful time.”

That’s the part that plays in L.A. Right away. This team has stars who can walk into any room like they own it. Kim’s first instinct is the opposite: he’s looking around like, “Wait, I get to do this?”

The questions shifted quickly from community to baseball, and Kim sounded just as comfortable talking about the next big stage: the World Baseball Classic.

He said wearing Team Korea is something he’s dreamed about since he became a pro. Not a casual “sure, that’d be nice.” A real personal milestone. He called it a “dream stage,” and you could hear how seriously he takes the responsibility: he wants to help Korea get a strong result.

And he didn’t duck the hard part either. When asked about a likely matchup with Taiwan in pool play, he said plainly that Taiwan is “a very strong team,” and that Korea has to prepare well to win. Then he started naming players he remembers facing before—because of course he did. Utility guys don’t survive by being vague. They survive by remembering everybody.

DodgerFest: champ’s glow, plus a to-do list

At DodgerFest the next day, the questions got more personal: birthday, offseason routine, expectations. Kim’s answers had a theme: celebrate later, improve now.

He said the “world champion” feeling is real—who wouldn’t love that?—but what stuck with him was how clearly the season showed him what he needs to fix. That’s a pretty refreshing mindset for a guy who could easily lean back and coast on the ring. Instead, he basically described the title as a mirror: it reflects the gaps, not just the glory.

When asked what felt lacking—defense, offense—he didn’t try to pick the flattering category. He said, in effect, “All of it.” Hitting, defense, everything. If you want to play in the majors, on this roster, you have to level up across the board.

That’s the reality of being a “utility” guy on the Dodgers, and Kim seems to understand the job description in his bones: you don’t get to be good at one thing. You get to be trusted everywhere.

The swing work: adjusting to big-league stuff

Kim pointed to the obvious difference between MLB and the KBO: pitch mix and velocity. His solution wasn’t “I’ll just be quicker.” He said he’s trying to build a swing that matches the major-league environment—different arsenals, different speed, different movement—so his mechanics have to hold up against the kind of late life that turns good hitters into late swings.

He also clarified that it’s not only “approach” or only “swing.” It’s body movement. He’s changing how his body works through the swing, which is the kind of answer that tells you he’s deep in the lab right now.

Expectations? He’s not playing that game

Kim’s answer on expectations was the most “Dodgers” thing he said all weekend. He basically shrugged at the whole concept: high expectations or low expectations don’t change how hard he works, so he’s not going to let the noise steer his routine. He wants to play well either way.

That’s a clean, veteran answer—especially from someone still building his foothold.

Taken together, the firefighter stop and the fan fest Q&A tell you who Kim is trying to be in Year 2: present, humble, and stubbornly ambitious.

On Friday, he talked about the honor of representing the organization in the community and meeting fans face to face. On Saturday, he talked like a guy who knows a championship is a starting point, not a finish line.

And hanging over both interviews is the international thread: Kim is already slated to be part of Team Korea’s WBC picture. So while Dodgers fans are getting their first real winter introduction—handshakes, photos, the shy smile, the polite English—Kim’s also mentally juggling a spring that’s going to be crowded with meaning.

That’s not a bad way to enter a new season. L.A. loves stars, sure. But it also loves workers. The kind who show up at a training center to thank the Los Angeles Fire Department, then show up the next day and basically say: “Cool, we won it all. Now here’s what I have to fix.”

If that’s the tone Kim is setting in January, I’m curious what he sounds like once games start counting.

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