Seung-soo Park lit up the stage in South Korea during pre-season but now many wonder if a Premier League debut may be around the corner, Chronicle Live caught up with a journalist who knows him better than most
Espanyol's Ruben Sanchez (left) and Newcastle United's Park Seung-soo battle for the ball
Espanyol's Ruben Sanchez (left) and Newcastle United's Park Seung-soo battle for the ball
Park Seung-soo is capable of growing into the role of becoming a full fledged Premier League star - but patience must be the watchword for the South Korean youngster as he begins his education on Tyneside.
Or at least that is the view of top South Korean football reporter Daeeun Ju, who has watched the 18-year-old rise through the ranks at Suwon Samsung Bluewings before winning a dream move to the English top-flight.
When Park arrived at St James' Park this summer the Magpies actually played down his status by insisting he would go straight into the Under-21s while a loan move was also mooted.
But even head coach Eddie Howe admitted after a few days of pre-season training in Singapore and South Korea that his presence and ability to cope with the physicality of senior squad life had made him think again.
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The 18-year-old was even named on the bench for this weekend's opener against Aston Villa without getting on the pitch for the 0-0 draw.
Park made his Premier League 2 debut on Sunday in a 2-1 loss to Southampton with the left-winger playing 70 minutes.
Daeeun, who reports for FourFourTwo in South Korea, told Chronicle Live: "Park is still physically developing, so he’ll need time to grow in that area.
"But once he gains more strength and experience, there’s every reason to believe he can become an even better player.
"His performances in South Korea were a small glimpse into what he might offer in the future, and he’s certainly a player worth keeping an eye on."
Indeed, Park had supporters on their feet in Suwon and Seoul against the K-League XI and then the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in Seoul.
Newcastle United's Park Seung-soo, second from left, fights for the ball against Team K League's Oberdan
Fans in his home country chanted his name throughout both matches and Daeeun knows exactly why, he told me: "Look, Park Seung-soo is one of the top talents to emerge from Suwon Samsung Bluewings and is widely regarded as one of the best Korean prospects in his age group.
"While most of the Newcastle squad were not at their best in the K-League game, Park stood out. Despite playing only a few minutes, he was able to showcase his strengths.
"He remained composed under pressure, beating defenders with calm precision, and made some excellent runs into space. Although it was only a pre-season match, there were positive signs that he is adapting faster than expected."
It was in Seoul that Park witnessed Son Heung-min's final game in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt with a crowd of 64,773 witnessing an emotional night in the South Korean capital.
During Newcastle's stay in South Korea, there was even talk of comparisons between Son and Park.
But Daeen urged for caution and patience when making such sweeping statements, he said: "Park Seung-soo is a Korean young star, but compared to Son Heung-min, who is called the greatest Asian player of all time, he still has a long way to go. Of course, many Korean fans hope that Park will grow to be like Son.
"Both players do share the similarity of preferring the left flank, but their styles are quite different.
"Son Heung-min uses his speed to dribble and shoots actively, while Park Seung-soo can be described as a bit more selfless and a more technical dribbler.
"Simply put, Son has strong forward-like tendencies, whereas Park has more of a midfielder’s style. Furthermore, while Son can play across all attacking areas, Park has spent most of his professional career mainly on the left side."
Howe will consider to monitor Park's progress but the signs are good that he can push on perhaps make his Premier League debut much sooner than expected.
Howe told Chronicle Live recently: "For someone so young, I thought he handled it really well on tour. And you can see he's got this ability when he goes one on one to chop the defender. "I was really, really pleased with him."
Park himself has also distanced himself from comparisons with Son, insisting he wants to light up the stage and put his own name on the map in the Premier League.
Park said: "I want to be the first Park Seung-soo, someone that others want to be like! My biggest strength is dribbling. I tried to show what I do best when I stepped onto the pitch. I want to entertain the fans whenever I can."
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