The Los Angeles Dodgers got off to a great start in the National League Division Series (NLDS), defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Game 1. While Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker led the charge with home runs, Korean baseball fans were focused on an unexpected name on the scorecard. The Dodgers had surprise-included utility player Kim Hye-seong on their 26-man postseason roster just before the game.

Kim's surprise selection drew attention from the local media, as he had been waiting for a call-up for over four months since being sent down to Triple-A in late May. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to bet on Kim's elite speed, clocked at 28.8 feet per second. He was brought on as a special pinch-runner and utility defensive option to flip the momentum in tight postseason situations.

This series has been further ignited by the dramatic "Korean showdown" against Atlanta's starting shortstop, Kim Ha-seong. Kim Ha-seong showed his class in Game 1 with a highlight-reel jump catch that stole a would-be base hit. Although both players will start on the bench for Game 2, the moment they step onto the field in a high-leverage situation late in the game will be the most thrilling point for Korean baseball fans to watch.

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