Fashion house CALVIN KLEIN unveiled its Fall 2023 campaign starring South Korean footballer Son Heung-Min lensed by fashion photographer Kim Hee June. Son Heung-min, born on 8 July 1992, is an iconic figure not only in the footballing world but also in the cultural fabric of South Korea. As the captain of the Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korea national team, he is an inspiration for millions of young footballers and fans across the globe.
Hailing from Chuncheon in the Gangwon Province, Son’s journey began when he moved to Germany at age of 16. His Bundesliga debut with Hamburger SV in 2010 laid the foundation for a career that would soon break records and set new ones. His stint at Bayer Leverkusen saw him being signed for a club record of €10 million. But it was at Tottenham, which he joined in 2015 for a whopping £22 million, where he truly blossomed. This transfer made him the most expensive Asian player ever.
With Tottenham, Son achieved numerous milestones. He became the leading Asian goalscorer in both the Premier League and Champions League, breaking Cha Bum-kun’s European competition goal record for a Korean. 2019 saw Son playing in the UEFA Champions League final. He then clinched the Premier League Golden Boot award in the 2021-22 season alongside Mohamed Salah, marking him as the first Asian to win this accolade. By 2023, Son had scored a 100 of goals in the Premier League, and soon after, he celebrated his 200th goal in all competitions, combining his tallies from the Premier League and Bundesliga.
On the international stage, Son’s brilliance has equally shone. Having played in three FIFA World Cups, he is South Korea’s joint top scorer in the tournament, sharing the honor with legends Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan. His gold medal victory at the 2018 Asian Games and Korea’s runners-up finish in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup further shows his significant contributions to his national team.
But Son’s influence transcends the confines of the football pitch. In South Korea, he is a symbol of national pride and an embodiment of determination and success. Since 2019, he has been a mainstay on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list, achieving the second spot in 2023. His commendable contributions to football earned him the Cheongnyong Medal in June 2022, the highest sports honor in South Korea.
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I love this guy