Son's LA move stirs Korean American excitement

“The entire Korean American community is buzzing with excitement,” said Kim Deok-young, 29, of Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles.

“Even my coworkers are thrilled just talking about Son Heung-min. You can clearly see the joy on their faces,” he added. “On game days, we would gather at Korean restaurants to watch him play. Seeing Son succeed abroad has been a powerful source of comfort and motivation for all of us. If he ever plays nearby, I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Son’s transfer to Los Angeles is virtually confirmed. Major League Soccer club LAFC said on Aug. 6 that it would hold a major event at 7 a.m. KST on Aug. 7 at BMO Stadium. With his signing long anticipated, the event is expected to mark his official unveiling. He played his final match for Tottenham Hotspur on Aug. 3, a 1-1 draw against Newcastle in Seoul, ending a decade with the Premier League club.

After departing South Korea on Aug. 5, Son arrived in Los Angeles the next day via LAX. He was welcomed by crowds of fans waving banners and signs. He then went straight to BMO Stadium, where he watched LAFC’s Leagues Cup match against Tigres of Mexico from the stands. During the game, cameras captured him applauding, and his image appeared on the stadium’s big screen.

With a former Premier League Golden Boot winner joining the squad, LAFC is widely regarded as a serious title contender. MLS includes 30 teams split into Eastern and Western Conferences, with each club playing 34 regular-season matches. The top nine teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs. As of Sunday, LAFC ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 22 points from 10 wins, six draws, and six losses.

Beyond the on-field upgrade, LAFC’s biggest advantage may be gaining access to a fan base of 50 million Koreans. Tottenham capitalized on Son’s global popularity, enjoying surges in merchandise sales, preseason tour attendance, and sponsorship deals. The club also expanded into Asian markets by partnering with Korean companies such as Kumho Tire.

LA’s location brings added strategic value. The city is already a familiar sports destination for Korean fans, thanks to Major League Baseball’s Dodgers, where former stars such as Park Chan-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin built their legacies. Current infielder Kim Hye-seong also plays for the Dodgers. LA is home to the largest Korean population in the United States, with about 320,000 Korean Americans, and the nation’s biggest Koreatown serving as a cultural and commercial center.

According to The Athletic, LAFC is expected to pay Tottenham a transfer fee of about £20 million (roughly 36.8 billion won), which would set a new MLS record. The previous high was $22 million (about 30.5 billion won), paid by Atlanta United to acquire Ivorian forward Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough. Although the fee may seem steep for a 33-year-old player, analysts say LAFC is likely to earn far greater commercial returns. Similar to how the Dodgers are capitalizing on the global appeal of Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, Son is expected to generate substantial marketing value that outweighs the transfer cost.


한종호 기자 hjh@donga.com