Kim Kang-min says, "Is it true I was drafted in the 2nd draft? I am a professional... I'm not worried about it at all and I'm happy right now." [Incheon Interview]

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(Incheon UD News, Reporter Jo Eun-hye) 'The Beast' Kim Gang-min bids farewell to fans as he officially holds his retirement ceremony.

Kim Kang-min will hold his retirement ceremony on February 28 at the SSG Landers Field in Incheon during the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League game between the Hanwha Eagles and the SSG Landers.

Kim Kang-min, who started his professional career as the 18th overall pick in the 2nd Round of the 2001 SK Wyverns rookie draft, played 23 seasons for Incheon, making him a franchise star. However, after contemplating retirement and extending his career at the end of 2023, he was transferred to Hanwha through the 2nd Draft. He played one season with Hanwha before deciding to retire.

-Feels like having a retirement ceremony.

▲I am happy. More than 80% of my feelings are happiness. The remaining 20% is tension. The reason for the tension is because I have never done such an event before. Just having a retirement ceremony makes me happy. I hope it will be a happy retirement ceremony.

-What about the commemorative uniform.

▲I really like it. I like it even more because it matches my image and has a dark color. Is there anything not to like in this situation? Everything makes me feel good.

-The reason for initially not accepting the proposal for special entry registration was.

▲In fact, even before it came out, there was talk about it, so I threw a ball once, and my arm hurt so much that I thought it was a good thing to retire. I felt like a burden. There are also images that fans want to remember me by. How can Kim Gang-min be charming if he can't even throw a ball? That's why I declined. I agreed to step on the grass. Even though I didn't throw many balls, I couldn't lift my arm for three days.

-Even at Hanwha, they prepared special things like the 0th patch and commemorative signed jerseys.

▲I had a short time with Hanwha, but I had good relations with the players. I was very grateful when they said they would hold an event. I want to use this opportunity to say thank you again. In any case, I hope both teams finish their games without injuries.

-Looking back at the time of the 2nd draft.

▲A lot of time has passed. I don't feel any emotions now. That's why I'm saying I'm happy. It's in the past, and I don't want to dwell on it too much. There were circumstances for both of us, and I made my own choices. Am I not professional? What's in the past is in the past, and now I'm happy and it doesn't bother me. And today, I only want to keep the good memories, the happy memories.

-The future of Kim Gangmin who is not a player.

▲I chose to study. I set the goal of filling myself with knowledge. I'm keeping busy in various fields. While attending graduate school to learn scientific things, I create opportunities to watch baseball games outside while providing commentary. In the KBO, as a power enhancement committee member, I watch the players and through this, I see things I've never seen before and do things I've never done, learning and filling myself with many new experiences.

-What is the meaning of the nickname "beast" for Kim Gangmin.

▲Isn't that frame the most fitting one that baseball has put on me? I've played baseball for over 20 years under that nickname. It's an image that can't be separated from me. Now that I'm retired, maybe it's time to move towards the pet side of things. After being wild, I want to become a bit softer (laughs).

-When looking back on my athletic career.

▲I was given too much love. I was showered with excessive affection, and I felt happy throughout my entire career. There were times when I couldn't perform well, and I received a lot of criticism and harsh words. Those moments seem to have passed by. It feels like the player, Kim Kang-min, was formed through those experiences.

When I was really bad at baseball, I was eating dinner outside. It wasn't anything specific, but it was an unpleasant sound. But there was one phrase that sounded clear: 'You’re doing well~' That’s what I remember suddenly. It seems to be the heart of the fans.

-There might be some parts that leave a sense of longing.

▲There's a sense of regret that I didn't work harder when I was younger, thinking I could have done better. Don't we realize how precious those times were after they pass? I spent a long time in the second team as well. I think to myself, if I had done this or that differently during that time, maybe I could have been promoted to the first team a year earlier. I tell these things to my junior teammates too.

-Cho Jeong and Kim Kwang-hyun's emotions were really high.

▲It seems like it was just yesterday when the two of them entered as rookies, and now I'm retiring and they're also thinking about retirement. While sending off my seniors, I thought, "Oh, I don't have much time left either." The two of them must be feeling a lot too. But none of us know when we'll stop. I thought about retiring for 4-5 more years but ended up continuing. The players are in the same situation. We've gone through many tough times together, so these thoughts come naturally. It's touching.

-I met several directors, and one memorable piece of advice was.

▲I wonder if you already know without me having to say it. It's Kim Sung-soon, the director. I think that because he made me that much back then, I've been able to play baseball up until this point. Of course, there were turning points in between. Anyway, it remains unchanged that Director Kim Sung-soon was the first manager who allowed the player Kang Min Kim to play in the first team.

-If you were to say one thing to your family.

▲Even though there have been hard things for my family to go through, they don't show it much, which I'm grateful for. My wife never put too much pressure on me. I'm so thankful for that, and that's why I'm here. My daughters ask naively why I don't go to the baseball field, while others don't ask because they're afraid of hurting me. Family is a big source of strength and motivation. I want to tell them how grateful and how much I love them.

Image=SSG Landers

Eun Hwe, Journalist eunhwe@xportsnews.com

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