Taehyun Kim (SPINDEX: 2730) and the Bay Area Blasters have agreed on a new contract for Season 4 of Major League Table Tennis (MLTT).

With this agreement, the Blasters begin their quest to win next season’s MLTT Cup by locking up the Season 2 Men’s Co-MVP for another year.

“We definitely aim to win the title,” Kim told Table Tennis TV. “There are many strong teams and we can’t control the outcome, but we know what we are capable of. We are ready to compete at a higher level.”

Kim, 22, ended Season 3 as one of MLTT’s most successful Doubles players. He finished Top 10 league-wide in both Doubles wins (23) and Doubles percentage (59.0%), and formed a dominant duo with rookie Baek Kwang-il (2608). 

Kim suffered a foot injury prior to the start of Season 3, which sidelined him until Week 6. He earned a Singles percentage of 38.9% (14-22) and a Golden Game percentage of 40.9% since returning to the table, two stats he hopes to build upon during the upcoming season.

“I feel more motivated than excited for Season 4,” Kim said. “After realizing that I wasn’t good enough, I also understood that Season 3 was a big step forward for me.”

Kim was named Men’s Co-MVP of Season 2 alongside Satoshi Aida (2761), who played for the Carolina Gold Rush at the time. He became the first and only player to win all nine Singles games in multiple weekends (Week 4, Week 12) during that season, which he finished with a Singles percentage of 68.6% (35-16) and a Golden Game percentage of 53.1% (69-61).

The Blasters drafted Kim with the sixth overall pick in the Season 2 MLTT Draft, making him their second first-round selection in team history. Kim is the highest draft selection currently on the Blasters’ roster, and is the sole member of their Season 2 Draft class to have worn a Blasters jersey in Season 3.

The Blasters finished Season 3 at the bottom of the West Division with an 8-10 record and 178 points. Kim views this season as a learning opportunity, one that inspires him to return to the table with a brand new fervor in Season 4.

“I’ve learned to accept the results and keep working,” Kim said. “So I don’t see this season as a failure.”

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