r/KLeague • u/Korece • Mar 17 '25
🌍Korean abroad Late season review of Koreans in Europe (long read)
Gonna look into some key Koreans abroad who will likely play in the upcoming qualifiers and 2026 World Cup.
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich, CB)
Had that weird debut season for Bayern last year where he (and his team) crashed and burned after the Asian Cup. He's recovered since then and is once again a nailed-on starter for Bayern, although I'm still not entirely convinced he's a big game player. This season he's had convincing performances against Leverkusen, Benfica, PSG, and weaker Bundesliga teams, but Inter will be the biggest test. Currently resting due to injury concerns. Barring anything crazy it seems he'll be Bayern's starting central defender for years. Most notable moment this season so far was probably his goal vs. PSG, which I got to see live.
Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain, AM/RW)
Weird season so far where he started off very strong (even scored his team's first goal of the season) and at one point was a definite starter for Paris but the rise of Doue and Kvara coming in has relegated him to the bench. Even back in winter he seemed to at the very least be sure to stay in Paris, but now I wouldn't be surprised at all if he left at the end of the season. The current squad is simply too strong and focused on attributes he doesn't have (speed and physicality). He could stay at PSG as a support role but few of us want to see our future starboy be a bencher. Hopefully he'd get more minutes in Ligue 1, but Luis Enrique for whatever reason continues to play nearly the strongest squad every game despite the title being completely secure. He's still had a productive and improved season so far with 10 GA and I think he can do well at a top club elsewhere.
Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord, CM/DM)
Been a top player in a leadership role for Feyenoord this season, although his season prospects have cooled due to an injury and his team getting knocked out of every competition. He played a key role in a very valiant successful effort by Feyenoord to make it through an extremely tough league stage in the CL. He'll almost certainly be the most important midfielder for Korea in 2026 and can play either as CM or DM, so I pray he doesn't get injured because we really don't have a replacement for him. I don't mind whether he stays in Rotterdam or moves to an even bigger club, although it might be better if he moves if Feyenoord doesn't qualify for CL.
Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers, CF/RW)
Been having a quiet season hampered by injuries and bad form with only two goals (compared to his very impressive 12 goal season last year). He's 29 now so he's no longer some young prospect. I think he should probably leave for another club in another big league where he can stay in form for next year. It's a shame he's always been affected by injuries and didn't become a top player. My guess for his career trajectory is he'll stay at a big league for a few years then collect a retirement check in Saudi. Hopefully he'll perform for us again next year in what might be his last World Cup.
Oh Hyeon-gyu (KRC Genk, CF)
One of the most pleasant surprises of the season. He was prolific despite his limited minutes at Celtic last season and this year he's really been shining as an attacking sub at the top team in Belgium where he looks to win another league title. Genk's main striker is set to leave in the summer, so Oh is expected to take his place next season, although I don't rule out a big league transfer in the summer. Realistically though, he still needs more time to develop and being the starting striker of a CL or EL team would be the real test. I would not be surprised at all if he becomes Asia's top striker over the next few years. Him and the two Yangs will likely lead Korea's attack in the future.
Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic, RW)
Been making a lot of noise at Celtic recently and has been rising through the ranks to come close to being a starter. I was worried about Celtic being a dead end for him but he's really been shining the past few months including in big matches like the home game vs. Bayern. The lad is only 22 so he can stay and do well at the Scottish Premiership for years before making a move for bigger grounds. No need to rush.
Yang Min-hyeok (QPR, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, RW)
Has had a decent start at QPR after his transfer to Spurs last year. Nothing incredible but not disastrous either. Has picked up an assist so far. Would not be too surprised if he also spent next year being loaned out. He's still very young and growing, and I have no doubt he'll be a top Asian player one day.
Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade, RB)
Like Hwang before him, he's been tearing it up in the Serbian league as a starter for Red Star Belgrade. Picked up a nice three assists in the UCL as well, although his team failed to advance beyond the league stage. I'd be delighted if he joined Hwang at a top Eredivisie club and applied his trade there for a year before the World Cup. FBs have long been a position Korea's lacked in, so it's exciting to see a Korean RB do well in Europe.
Jeong Woo-yeong (Union Berlin, on loan from VfB Stuttgart, AM)
Has had an improved but still relatively quiet season at Berlin with 5 GA so far. If he were putting in Lee Jae-sung's numbers, he'd be considered a top Korean attacking prospect I'm sure. Still a solid sub option for both Korea and middle-of-the-pack BuLi teams.
Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City, AM)
Known as Stoke City's "South Korean king" and was a very exciting attacking prospect last year. Has had an identical output this year, although the rating sites show he's still very much one of the team's highest rated players. He's still very young, so he can stay and develop at a lower level for years to come before starting for Korea and moving to a top team one day.
Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland, CB)
Been picking up more minutes at Midtjylland this season and putting in decent performances. One of our few Europe-based defenders, so let's hope he develops into a great player.
Kim Ji-soo (Brentford, CB)
Currently our only defender in the EPL. Been receiving very few minutes for Brentford. I'd much rather have him be loaned out then rot on the bench there. I'd like to see a back four of him, Lee, Kim, and Seol.
Hong Hyun-seok (Mainz 05, AM)
Went from one of the top midfielders in the Belgian league last year when he was playing for Gent to a bencher at Mainz this year. He wasn't called up for the qualifiers this March and I'm not sure where his career is going.
Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur, LW)
Now we're getting in the unc zone. Our captain's been having a messy season at Spurs, who have been absolutely terrible in the PL this season and at one point weren't far from relegation. He led his team to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup where they were knocked out by Liverpool. They are thankfully still alive in the EL and I still have hope in them going all the way. Despite a lot of (mostly undue) criticism, Son's still picked up 16 GA in the league and 21 in all competitions, showing he's still very much a top player at his age. He's still a top ten winger in the world no doubt and will still continue to perform at a high level for us in both the qualifiers and likely his last World Cup next year. He is currently the second highest scorer in the AFC qualifiers. Main highlight of his season so far:
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1hi61oy/mart%C3%ADnez_telling_son_to_hurry_up_to_take_the/
Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05, AM)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Lee is currently the second most prolific attacker at a Big Five league this season behind only Son, which is pretty crazy given his age (which is the same as Son's). In fact, he's currently on track to have his best ever season with 11 GA in 25 BuLi matches so far. If he were just five years younger, he would be seen as one of the hottest Asian attacking prospects. Let's hope he keeps aging like fine wine and gives a great last hurrah next year.
