According to statistics from South Korean media outlet Chosun Sports, with the addition of Daichi Kamada and Yuki Suzuki playing in the Premier League, the number of Japanese players who have played in the Premier League has surpassed that of South Korea. This has raised concerns in South Korea, especially since there has been no increase in the number of South Korean players in the Premier League for three years, whereas nine years ago, South Korea led with 13 players compared to Japan’s 7.
The Premier League, as the top league among the five major leagues, has seen many famous players from both Japan and South Korea. With Kamada and Suzuki joining Crystal Palace and Southampton respectively, the number of Japanese players who have played in the Premier League has reached 15, surpassing South Korea’s count of 14 for the first time.
Currently, there are five Japanese players playing in the Premier League: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal). Since Hwang Hee-chan joined Wolves in 2021, the number of South Korean players in the Premier League has remained at 14, and currently, only Hwang Hee-chan and Son Heung-min are playing in the Premier League.
Notably, in 2015, South Korea had 13 players who had played in the Premier League, while Japan only had 7, making South Korea twice as represented. Compared to Shinji Kagawa’s rotational role at Manchester United, Park Ji-sung was a true legend at the club, having participated in the Champions League final. At that time, many Japanese fans envied Son Heung-min’s status at Tottenham Hotspur.
However, in the following years, with Ki Sung-yueng and Lee Chung-yong leaving the Premier League, the presence of South Korean players in the league gradually diminished. Meanwhile, more Japanese players continued to join the Premier League. Although South Korean players still lead in total Premier League appearances with 1,075 games (190 goals) compared to Japan’s 637 games (52 goals), it is only a matter of time before Japanese players catch up given the current trend.
However, South Korean media suggests that besides Yang Min-hyeok, who has already signed with Tottenham Hotspur, if Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang In-beom also join the Premier League, they might be able to reverse the decline of South Korean players in this ‘invisible competition.’