Aug 8, 2018
Held every four years, the Asian Games is a multi-sport competition with great importance to the careers of young Korean footballers. Earning the elusive gold medal ensures that a generation of the country’s brightest young talent avoids Korea’s compulsory military service during their peak years, opening up career paths beyond the peninsula.
This year’s games are also notable for the inclusion of one man, Son Heung-min. This is the last opportunity for the Tottenham Hotspur star to avoid his national service and continue his life in the English Premier League without worry.
In this podcast, K League Editors Ryan Walters, Paul Neat and Matthew Binns preview South Korea’s roster in full, pointing out the strengths, weaknesses and the likelihood of seeing these twenty players in military attire in the future.