When Kim Kee-hee was playing for Shanghai Shenhua in China in 2017 and was exploring options for the next place in his career, he received a recommendation from a teammate to look into the Seattle Sounders. That teammate? Former Sounders forward Obafemi Martins, who scored 40 goals and added 23 assists in three years in Seattle from 2013-15.
Kim then had a video call with Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, and both he and the club were interested. Kim joined in 2018 and formed one of Major League Soccer’s most formidable center back groups, anchoring the back line alongside Chad Marshall and Román Torres.
Despite not speaking English, Kim quickly found a home in the Pacific Northwest.
“I don’t have to speak the language,” said Kim through a translator. “I don’t have to know the culture. We all come from different cultures and different language backgrounds, but we can play soccer together. That’s the only way we can connect. We don’t need a culture or language to connect, with soccer we can still play.”
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MLS soccer culture was much different than his previous experiences in China, Qatar, and his native Korea. Asian soccer is much more hierarchical with senior and younger players, and there isn’t much interaction. In Seattle, the culture is not as top-down, and there’s more freedom and enjoyment between every player on the roster.
Kim loved, in particular, the way Schmetzer integrated the team and credits that man-management for much of the Sounders’ success.
“Not only the tactics, the other team has similar tactics,” said Kim. “It’s the coach combining those together and connecting the players together, that’s the difference. Brian, especially, he does really well on that part.”
After two years with the Sounders, culminating in Seattle’s 2019 MLS Cup title, Kim joined Ulsan Hyundai in Korea, but he always planned on returning to Seattle. He felt like he had more to give.
“When I went back to Korea, we won the Asian Leagues Cup and then I had three championships, but I always knew in my heart that I wanted to come back to Seattle,” he said. “I don’t regret that I went back to Korea after the 2019 season, but I have a little bit of things left here and I always wanted to come back here…I feel like this is my home.”
So, when the opportunity to rejoin the Sounders arose ahead of the 2025 season, Kim didn’t hesitate. He provided much-needed veteran leadership and depth on the back line, appearing in 15 matches and logging over 1,000 minutes.
The atmosphere and support from Sounders supporters were huge incentives to return as well.
“Without the fans, I’m nothing. I don’t exist,” said Kim. “Seattle fans are different. It’s very special to me…They’re focused and dialed in on the game and cheering for the team, and then that feeds the energy to the players.”
Kim and the Sounders rode that energy to another title last summer when they defeated Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup Final in front of 70,000 fans at Lumen Field. The Sounders became the first MLS team to win every major trophy available to them.
“I’m close to the end of my career, but I want to end my career with the Sounders,” said Kim. “And I look at the Sounders, it’s a very good team to come back to. They’re contenders for winning [trophies]. That’s why I wanted to come back, for the Sounders organization, the people inside the Sounders, the coaches, and players.
“I had nine total trophies in my career, but when I got here last year, we won the Leagues Cup. That’s big, not only for me as a player but everybody.”
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Now with the FIFA World Cup coming to Seattle this summer, Kim is excited for the rest of the world to see how wonderful the city and its fans are, not just for the local Sounders and NWSL side Reign FC, but for the world’s game as a whole.
“We’ll leave the impression that we are a soccer-crazy city to the world’s fan,” said Kim. “They’re wonderful fans that I can’t compare anywhere.”
Kim and the Sounders have two more MLS contests before the league takes a six-week World Cup break. Seattle will host the LA Galaxy on Saturday (6:15 p.m. PT; FS1, Apple TV | TICKETS) in the World’s Game match before visiting LAFC on May 24. And while Kim knows he’s nearing the end of his playing days, he’s ready to give everything he has for one final title.
“I know I’m not a high-profile player,” he said. “I want fans to remember that I contributed to winning trophies. I’m willing to sacrifice for my team, and I want my fans to remember that I’m always there for them.”
