By Honorary Reporter Monthi Rosselini from Indonesia

Photos by Monthi Rosselini

Son Heung-min, nicknamed “Sonny” by Spurs fans in the U.K., is undoubtedly one of the best players in the Premier League and a very loveable sports celebrity. He joined Tottenham Hotspur FC in 2015 and since then has played in over 250 matches. Last Sunday (Feb. 19), at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Son scored in a match against West Ham United. To date, he has scored a total of 98 Premier League goals, bringing him just two goals short of reaching his century in the league.

Visitors on The Tottenham Experience tour enjoy the spectacular Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from the upper tier.

Four days after that match, on Feb. 23, I visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Son’s second home, and joined the stadium tour called The Tottenham Experience. When the tour started, we were given a tablet with earphones allowing us to listen to the narration in several different languages, including Indonesian.

Merchandise featuring Son at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium shop.

After an initial introduction in the West Atrium, we were able to explore parts of the stadium that most people never see, such as the players’ changing room and gym, the dining room, and the coaches’ offices. We were even allowed to step onto the field and sit on the players’ seats they use during matches. The stadium itself is truly stunning. With a capacity of 62,303 it is the second largest stadium in the Premier League. Not only is its size impressive, but so are the design and quality of the building. Overall it was an amazing and memorable experience for me to be able to see Son’s second home through the stadium tour.

A staff member at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium named Steve.

During the tour I met Steve, one of the staffs at the stadium. Steve shared his own opinions about Son. “I’m a Spurs fan; I’ve been to every game they’ve played, both  home and away including around the world except for Korea. It’s obvious that Son is a fantastic player. It’s obvious I think he is a great guy, very modest, very positive, but I think there is a third thing which is very important. I believe he has changed the perceptions in this country about Korean football players. People might have had a stereotypical opinion 10 years ago, but Sonny has completely changed that.”

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.