“16 Million-Viewer Actor” Star Min Kim Makes His Debut With a Ceremonial First Pitch in Gwangju

Actor Min Kim, the “16 million-viewer actor” for the film 〈The Man Who Lives with a King〉, makes his very first ceremonial first pitch of his career.

Debut as a dedicated KIA Tigers fan—“fan dream” moment… First pitch wishing for victory in Gwangju

Min Kim will step onto the mound as the ceremonial first pitcher for the 2026 KBO League game between the KIA Tigers and the Samsung Lions, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on the 8th at Gwangju Kia Champions Field.

In particular, this first pitch was made possible by an invitation from his home team, the KIA Tigers, which Min Kim has supported for a long time—adding even more weight to the moment. Min Kim said, “As a longtime fan, I’m truly honored to be invited as the ceremonial first pitcher,” adding, “I hope Kia takes a big step forward and delivers great results this season, and I also hope all players can compete without injuries.”

The “16 million-viewer actor” energy… Behind the box-office surge of “The Man Who Lives with a King,” surpassing 16.0 million viewers

In director Jang Hang-jun’s film 〈The Man Who Lives with a King〉, Min Kim showcased an unmistakable presence and became a key figure behind the impressive milestone of 16.16 million cumulative viewers. Recently, he also threw his support behind the buzz around the film 〈Rebound〉, further cementing himself as a mainstream actor drawing attention from Chungmuro.

With each new project, Min Kim captivates audiences with performances that are distinctly his own. Now, attention is on what kind of pitching style he’ll show on the mound and how he’ll win over baseball fans.

Meanwhile, the KIA Tigers vs. Samsung Lions matchup—expected to be further electrified by Min Kim’s ceremonial first pitch—takes place today (the 8th) at 6:30 p.m. at Gwangju Kia Champions Field.