With Lee Kang-in’s commercial influence greater than Kylian Mbappe’s this season, PSG decided to pay tribute to the Korean audience in the victory over Le Havre in Ligue I on December 3.
According to Diario AS, the most sold PSG player shirt this season does not belong to Mbappe, but to rookie Kang-in. Before each team’s match, many Korean fans living in Paris come to the stadium to buy this midfielder’s jersey. Thanks to them, the number of spectators coming to Parc des Princes this season also increased by 20%, according to the team’s homepage.
On Tuesday evening, November 28, Lisa – singer of the famous Korean band Blackpink – also appeared at Parc des Princes to watch the host team meet Newcastle in the Champions League group stage. She then met the team’s President Nasser Al Khelaifi, and received a shirt with the number 75 and the letters Lisa.
Kang-in was born in 2001 and became famous in Korea when he was just five years old, because he showed his talent for playing football early and participated in a sports TV show. At the age of 10, Kang-in joined Valencia’s youth training center and remained with the team until 2021. After two seasons in Mallorca, he left Spain to move to PSG for a transfer fee of 24 million USD. He helped Korea become runner-up at the 2019 U20 World Cup, then won the gold medal at Asiad 19.
Lisa was born in 1997 in Buriram, to a Thai mother and a Swiss adoptive father. She joined YG entertainment company in Korea at the age of 13, before debuting Blackpink in 2016. Seven years after debut Blackpink is considered the most famous girl group in the world, and Lisa is one of the four members. .
The match between Le Havre and PSG takes place at 1pm, Paris time, or 9pm, Seoul time. Rarely does PSG play so early, other than to suit the Korean audience. Taking advantage of these elements, the team’s leadership used special jerseys for the match, with the players’ names written entirely in Korean.
PSG’s market director in Asia is Mr. Sebastien Wasels. He revealed that Kang-in is the first famous Asian player to play for PSG. Therefore, they want to take advantage of this opportunity to promote the team to Asia. Korea has also become PSG’s second largest market, after France.
PSG’s plan worked when they won 2-0 against host Le Havre, even though goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was sent off from the 10th minute. Kang-in played the full 90 minutes, although he did not assist or score. After a period of absence due to Asiad 19, the 22-year-old midfielder is gradually integrating into PSG’s playing style, and taking up the starting role while 17-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery recovers from injury.