Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos must be wary of South Korea pin-up boy Son Heung-Min

HE may pale in comparison to recently toured Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones, but in South Korea Son Heung-Min sits comfortably with any rock star.

Super Son is ‘biggest superstar now in Asia’

HE may pale in comparison to recently toured Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones, but in South Korea Son Heung-Min sits comfortably with any rock star.

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Just as the sun set on the legendary Park Ji-Sung, Son has emerged to take the baton as South Korea’s pin-up boy.

Park’s exit from Manchester United coincided with Son’s breakthrough season with Hamburg (13 goals), triggering Bayer Leverkusen’s $14.12m swoop for the attacker.

If they sold him now, they would at least double their money, but far beyond his marketability for the German club sponsored by Korean firm LG, Son’s greatest contribution is looming to be on the pitch.

Undeterred by his hefty pricetag, Son backed up a stellar debut season and has already matched his 10-goal tally midway through this season, including a key UEFA Champions League contribution.

Age 22, Son has taken it upon himself to lead the Taeguk Warriors’ attacking charge, with Swansea City anchor man Ki Sung-Yeung providing the base.

Retired South Korean star Park Ji-Sung.

Many forget that Son featured in the 2011 Asian Cup, albeit as a teen, playing 129 minutes in four games.

“I was very young four years ago in Qatar. I still have a lot to learn, but then I had a lot to learn as I was fresh off the boat,’’ Son said.

“But now I have gained a lot of experience in Europe with more playing time and I have matured more as a player.”

A tall attacker with nifty feet, Son’s attacking qualities and fresh-faced appeal make him a megastar back home.

Leverkusen teammate Robbie Kruse knows first hand of his rising stature.

“He’s probably the biggest superstar now of Asian football,’’ Kruse said.

“We went to Korea on a pre-season tour, we went to a shopping centre and there were about 30,000 people waiting for him. It blew our minds.

“It will be a special night for us. We’re good friends and he is definitely someone we’ll have to watch out for.’’

Son hasn’t overtaken Keisuke Honda as Asia’s pin-up boy, but he is primed to overtake him at some stage.

He may not yet be South Korea’s greatest ever, but if he makes as much progress in the next four as the last four, he could be one of the world’s best by the time Russia 2018 rolls around.

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos must be wary of South Korea pin-up boy Son Heung-Min