Kim started using the "S" logo first. After a year passed without a challenge, he became the owner. Then he started using the name "Seattle Metropolitans." The owner challenged him, and they settled out of court, making him the owner of that, too.
How much did it cost?
"Thousands," Kim said. "But I would say less than tens of thousands."
Kim contacted the Hockey Hall of Fame to ask for a picture of the 1917 Stanley Cup champions. He ended up talking to Izak Westgate, manager of outreach exhibits and assistant curator.
"He's like, 'This is a really cool project. Let me see what else we can do with this,' " Kim said. "And I found out, 'Hey, we can bring the Stanley Cup over.' And then things started to roll."
The Stanley Cup was there Dec. 5, 2015, when the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League wore replica Metropolitans jerseys against the Tri-City Americans almost exactly a century after the Metropolitans' inaugural game against the Victoria Aristocrats on Dec. 7, 1915. Forward Mathew Barzal, now of the New York Islanders, scored twice as the Thunderbirds won by the same score the Metropolitans did: 3-2.
The Cup also toured a local arena and a children's hospital on that visit.
It couldn't come back in March 2017 for the exact 100th anniversary of the Metropolitans' title. But Hockey Hall of Fame curator Phil Pritchard brought a sweater and a pair of skates worn by Frank Foyston, plus Foyston's PCHA most valuable player award from 1916-17.
The Cup returned in December 2017, stopping everywhere from the site of the 1917 series to the mayor's office to the observation deck of the Space Needle.
Kim said the Thunderbirds helped him fund the first event, and he footed the bills for the next two from his sales of Metropolitans merchandise, which can be found in six hockey pro shops and three other stores in the Seattle area. He drives around and restocks the stuff himself, while also selling it on seattle-metropolitans.com.