LA Dodgers secured their place in the World Series (WS) by defeating the New York Mets in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) on October 20th. Tommy Edman (Korean name: Kwak Hyun-Soo), who shone with a 2-RBI double and a two-run homer, driving in four runs to lead the Dodgers to victory, was named the NLCS MVP. Edman, who is half Korean with a Korean mother, has thrilled not only Korean-American baseball fans in Southern California but the broader Korean community as well.

Edman’s stellar performance across six games included 11 hits, 11 RBIs, and an outstanding .407 batting average. After being named the series MVP, Edman made history as the first player of Korean descent to win the MLB Postseason MVP award.

Tommy Edman, whose mother is Korean-born, was born the second of three children (with older brother Johnny and younger sister Elise) to Maureen Edman (Korean name: Kwak Kyung-A), who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, and John Edman, a baseball coach. Though born in the U.S., Edman takes pride in his Korean heritage. His Korean name, Kwak Hyun-Soo, was given to him by his maternal grandmother, Deborah Kwak (Korean name: Jung Jae-Hoo), who resides in Los Angeles. While attending Stanford University, Edman was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 6th round (196th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft and, after working his way through the minors, made his MLB debut in 2019. He joined the LA Dodgers this year. During his time at Stanford, Edman excelled academically, maintaining a 3.82 GPA out of a 4.0 scale.

As a switch-hitter, Edman is known for his versatility, playing both shortstop and center field. Last year, he also represented South Korea, his mother’s homeland, in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Edman is also known for his love of Korean food, and he has shared that his grandmother gave him the middle name "Hyun-Soo" to remind him never to forget his Korean roots and identity. His pride in his Korean heritage is well-known.

John Kim, a Korean-American baseball fan, expressed his pride, saying, "Watching the Dodgers game and seeing Edman, who has a smaller stature compared to other players, make such a huge impact and lead the team to the World Series made me incredibly proud as a Korean."



<Sehee Roh>