Son Heung-min's Legacy: Asian Fans Remain Spurs Fans for Life After The Pioneering Effect

This insults was not unexpected when it happened. For an hour near the Spurs Stadium, discussions took place with Eastern fans who had come to see their club compete. A lot were introduced to Tottenham via Son Heung-min, the adored Korean star player.

After Son became captain in 2023, he made history as the first East Asian player to lead a Premier League team, boosting not only his already high profile but also of the club. Over ten-plus years, he brought a stream of Asian supporters to Tottenham matches. Yet despite his departure recently for LAFC, they are still arriving.

Dedicated Fandom Amid Challenges

They remain Spurs supporters for good, states Sun Thaicharoenporn, a 22-year-old Singaporean of Thai descent who resides in London. He and his partner, Ang Ang, arrived for the match against Villa recently decked out in team scarves and caps. They flashed broad grins and happily stood for photos outside the stadium. Suddenly, a Villa fan, in a crowd of men, interrupted. “Screw Tottenham,” he shouted, getting into their faces.

Sun and Ang Ang blanched, but brushed it off. But, the question lingered, not said aloud. Might he acted that way to different Tottenham supporters? Would he have so boldly singled out a group of white men wearing Tottenham colours, not Asian-background fans, stereotyped as more passive and shy, and criticized at times even by other Spurs fans on the internet for being on the bandwagon, for not being “real” devotees.

Who qualifies as a supporter in UK football, to fully participate in club culture, to believe they are a member of a team? Son made a lot of people feel they were able to.

After Sun moved to the capital three years ago for university, he informed his partner he wanted them to attend football and get behind a team, to engage in English society and help them “blend in”. Tottenham were the obvious selection. He had been following the side informally for a long time because of Son. “When I was in middle school he was the primary Asian presence in the EPL,” he says. Sun’s relatives were Reds or United supporters. “I’m the odd one out,” he remarks wryly, “But I thought like I desired to back a team which stood for that kind of diversity.”

Feeling of Inclusion and Safety

To him Son’s presence in the Spurs squad, his selection as captain, led him think the club were a increasingly accepting, welcoming organization than different ones. “As an Asian person coming to the UK, you are aware you’re a minority, and Son’s presence, his leadership, sort of signifies that this team at least knows how to manage multi-diversity and they want to welcome that. So I believe increasingly safe attending to the stadium and becoming part of the fans, becoming part of the team.”

He also valued the “Asian values” Son displayed at Tottenham: his respectful and humble personality, dignity in leadership and politeness on the field. “Often you’d observe him displaying a gesture, like a bow of respect,” he says. “For instance, following he won the European trophy he bowed to the crowd.” The reality that Son was such a exceptional player rendered him even easier to get behind.

Global Impact and Cultural Importance

Son serves as a “societal reference point” for Korean people around the world, according to the NY residents Mike and Paul Chung. The brothers included a Tottenham match a essential part of their schedule when they traveled to the city and Mike wore Son’s No 7 shirt for the occasion. “He confirms the idea that a Korean-born is able to be one of the best players for the biggest sport in the globe,” says Mike. Son remains an integral part of Tottenham, the two assert.

“He remains the greatest Asian player in England’s football past, so being a Japanese individual I feel pride,” says Yusuke Sasaki, a casual spectator for the Villa fixture. Stat-obsessed Ko Morita, on holiday from the Kingdom of Thailand, rattled off Real Madrid as his favorite club, but when asked about Son, the 11-year-old says: “Son Heung-min? He’s my favorite! He’s so good! The duo were the greatest strikers of all time … for Tottenham at least, although to me Son is closer to a left-winger.”

Enduring Backing and Economic Impact

The backing that Son, and by association Tottenham and the Premier League, gained in and from the continent over the past decade was massive, and measurably so. Tourists spent their dollars and market owners near the stadium continue to report running out of Son scarves following a major match.

Korean students Junoh Yoon and Seynuh, studying in Ireland, traveled for the Aston Villa match even without not possessing tickets. They just aimed to experience the environment and visit to the stadium for the first time. “I support of the Spurs because of Son,” says Junoh. “But I follow of the whole team. I’ve followed them for eight years now.”

Hurdles and Online Abuse

Son was such a popular player that he didn’t cop much hate from opposition fans. But resentment among some Spurs supporters at admission prices going up, the challenge of obtaining them and their team being seen as a tourist attraction impacts Asian fans. Austen Chan, who was raised “religiously” watching Spurs in Hong Kong, states he has witnessed a lot of such mistreatment “less in person at the matches but online”. He has observed claims that South Korean supporters who travel for the games are only there for Son, taking up the spots of alleged “legitimate” devotees. And as an Asian-origin supporter, he has felt uncomfortable attention.

He moved to London recently to pursue education and has attended several matches since, including the Villa match. However he doesn’t feel any “closer” to the team due to it. “I don’t think coming from a different region of the globe makes you any lesser of a Spurs fan,” he says. “I may not have been able to go to games while I was in high school since I just could not be in the identical location, clearly. But I believe the fact that I was prepared to remain awake until those early hours to view the matches demonstrates that I’m just as much of a supporter as every other person.”

Encouraging Encounters Amid Adversity

The incident the couple faced prior to kick-off was {not the first