“Hampyeong Tigers” Spark Kia’s Stunning Surge

By Zhang Jiuzhou (Julius)

The queen, rook, and knight are all forcibly knocked off the board, yet the side still finds a way to win – that’s the story of the Kia Tigers. They’ve clawed their way up the standings and are now threatening the league’s top teams.

At the start of the 2025 KBO season, few would have predicted the Kia Tigers – once hailed as a title favorite – would find themselves clawing their way up from the bottom of the standings. Beset by a brutal string of injuries to key players, including Kwak Do-gyu, Na Sung-bum, Kim Do-yeong, Hwang Dong-ha, and Kim Seon-bin, Kia stumbled early, dropping to last place in mid-April. By the end of May, they were languishing with a .481 winning percentage, and many doubted they could recover.

But in June, something unexpected happened: A group of unheralded players from Kia’s Futures League affiliate in Hampyeong – dubbed the “Hampyeong Tigers” – rose to the occasion and reignited the team’s playoff hopes. Backed by standout performances from names once unfamiliar to fans, Kia roared to a league-best .682 winning percentage in June and began climbing the table, even threatening the top-tier teams.

Outfielders Oh Seon-woo and Kim Ho-ryeong, alongside hitters like Ko Jong-wook and Kim Seok-hwan, and pitchers Lee Ho-min and rookie reliever Sung Yeong-tak, have defied expectations. For a team once considered out of contention, this resurgence has been nothing short of miraculous.

The Korean proverb “If you have no teeth, live with your gums” captures the Tigers’ fighting spirit – what some are now calling “gum baseball.” Deprived of their star players, the Tigers have built a winning campaign through passion, resilience, and unity. Young players used to just sit on the bench, hoping for one or two at-bats. Now, they play with the mindset of starters – and they’re seizing the opportunity.

One of the most remarkable comebacks is that of veteran Ko Jong-wook. Once a .300 career hitter with Nexen and SK, Ko saw his role diminish significantly in recent seasons. “I didn’t even play in spring training,” he admitted. “I thought it might be my last shot, so I prepared like it was the end.” His return has been a revelation, and fans have embraced him once more as a spark plug in the lineup.

June also saw center fielder Kim Ho-ryeong named the club’s Player of the Month by Kysco. In 22 games, he batted .271 with 19 hits, 11 RBIs, and 9 runs scored. Known for his elite defense since being drafted in the 10th round in 2015, Kim has long been praised for his glove work but struggled with consistency at the plate. That seems to be changing – on July 5, he launched the first multi-home run game of his 11-year career, including a grand slam.

Rookie right-hander Sung Yeong-tak, the club’s 10th-round pick (96th overall) in the 2024 draft, was selected as June MVP by Kia’s designated medical sponsor. In 13 relief appearances that month, he pitched 15.1 innings with a stellar 1.17 ERA and 9 strikeouts. He also set a club record for the longest scoreless streak by a debut pitcher, going 17.1 consecutive innings without allowing a run – third-longest in KBO history.

Manager Lee Bum-ho credits the team’s culture for the turnaround: “I try not to interfere too much. I let the players come together and take ownership.” He added, “When they decide for themselves what they want to do and prepare for the game accordingly, that’s when we see the best results.”

With their stars gradually returning from injury, Kia is poised for a full-scale assault on the championship race in the second half of the season. From a team once written off to a club on the rise, the Hampyeong Avengers-fueled Tigers have emerged as one of the most compelling stories of the 2025 KBO campaign.

Cover Photo: Oh Seon-woo, a “Hampyeong Tigers” call-up, has made his mark this season. (Kia Tigers)