The South Korean men’s hockey team arrived in Jalandhar on Sunday, becoming the last among the participating teams to reach the state for the Asian Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on October 27. After arriving, the team held a practice session at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium.
Speaking to The Tribune, South Korean goalkeeper Kim Jaehyeon identified India as the strongest team in the upcoming tournament.
Kim praised the warm welcome extended to the team by the people of Punjab, including a traditional bhangra performance.
“It is of course our first time here but I have noticed that the people here are very kind. The welcome we received, especially with bhangra, was wonderful,” he said.
Kim said the South Korean squad has several young and new players this time, some of whom will be making their debut at the Asian Champions Trophy. He expressed hope that the players would perform well in the competition. “Our aim is to reach the semifinals and then make it to the final,” he said.
On the topic of Korean music being loved by Indians, Kim said he was aware of the popularity of Korean pop music, particularly BTS, in India, and added that he also found Punjabi music amazing. “I know people here adore K-pop and BTS. I also think Punjabi music is amazing,” he said.
Meanwhile, a practice match between Japan and Malaysia was also held at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium on Sunday as teams continued their preparations for the tournament.