By Lee Hana and Lee Jihae
Cheonan | June 22, 2020

Jerry van Ewijk, a Dutch striker on Cheonan City FC, is gaining attention from soccer fans both at home and abroad.

Once a promising prospect on the Netherlands' under-17 and under-19 national men's teams, he now plays for Korea's third-tier K3 League.

Van Ewijk's performance in Korea has caught the attention of Dutch and European media, as Korea was one of the world's first to open its pro soccer season this year despite the coronavirus pandemic while those of Europe remain suspended.

In a June 22 interview with Korea.net at Cheonan Football Center in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, he said he has received many interview requests from the Dutch media. He said such media is highly interested in how Korea is running its pro league despite the pandemic since pro soccer in the Netherlands has been suspended.

"My former teammates are quite jealous because the whole season was canceled and  they're still not even allowed to train," he said. "They've all been jealous, asking me if they can also come to Korea and if I can get them in touch with some agents."

Wearing number 10 and making his Korea debut in the K3 League this year, Van Ewijk is Cheonan City's first foreign player.

His entry in the league was widely talked about among Korean soccer fans, as it was unusual for the budget-strapped team to sign a player who was once on the youth teams of a global soccer powerhouse.

Van Ewijk played for his home country's U-17 and U-19 national squads. His pro debut was with the second-division Dutch team AGOVV Apeldoorn in 2011, and he also played in the second-division United Soccer League side Orange County of U.S.

On why he decided to play in the K3 League, the striker said, "I met my half-Korean wife in Los Angeles. While we were talking about a new plan for us and our lives, I found out that soccer is quite popular and good in Korea."

Van Ewijk added that he thought he could fit in well in the Korean league with his tactics. "I flew here, and Cheonan City invited me to come and train with them. That went well, and I met the coach (Kim Tae-young), too" he said, calling his coach "a big legend."

In 2002, Kim played a pivotal role as a key defender in helping lead Korea to the semifinals of the World Cup.

"I was lucky that Cheonan City still had a spot open, and though it was a third-division team, I decided to come to Korea," Van Ewijk said.

"I thought I would fit here very well, even though it's a league lower. I think showing myself here and being humble enough to take on this challenge will get people to know me." 

The Dutchman is his team's leading scorer, putting one into the net in the season opener and tallying four goals in five games.

On the level of play in Korean pro leagues, he said Korean players start playing from an early age and thus have outstanding individual ability, basic techniques and physical strength, along with a "never-give-up mentality" that "makes the game a bit different."

"In the Netherlands, it's more tactical so we use a lot of technique and tactics, but the physical ability of Korean players is better than the standard in the Netherlands," he said.

Van Ewijk has also gained several nicknames in Korea, saying the practice of assigning nicknames is distinctly a Korean cultural thing. He said he had no nickname when he arrived in Korea, but that his teammates now call him "Special Sniper," "Tom and Jerry," and "Orange Jerry," referring to the color symbolizing his home country.

"It's an honor to be the first international player on the team," he said. "It's quite difficult to adjust to the Korean lifestyle and the language barrier, but the guys (teammates) and the training staff have given me a warm welcome, so I feel welcome in Korea."

Van Ewijk cited being separated from his family and the language barrier as his two biggest difficulties in Korea. The first-tier K League provides interpreters to foreign players, but Cheonan City lacks one, so he said he communicates through a teammate who speaks English.

The player said he initially planned to live in Korea with his wife and their daughter, but the pandemic has kept them apart for several months.

"From the beginning, my goal has been to score a lot of goals, so I'll try to continue to do that and help my team win. And hopefully by showing that ability and performance, I can stay in Korea longer and then my family can come over," he said.

hlee10@korea.kr