Seung-soo Park made an impression despite Newcastle’s defeat when the 18-year-old forward made his non-competitive debut for the club against a K League 1 all-star team.
“He did a little bit of skill in the corner for his first touches and I thought ‘my god’,” said Magpies forward Anthony Gordon.
“He looked so sharp. I haven’t really seen him train yet – we haven’t been able to train because of the travelling, so I’ve been excited to see him play, because people speak very highly of him.”
When did Newcastle sign Park and why is the prodigy so highly rated? 101GreatGoals.com looks at what people have said.
Seung-soo Park stats: When did Newcastle sign forward?
Park, whose inspiration is France captain and Real Madrid talisman Kylian Mbappe, arrived from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings for an undisclosed fee on July 24, 2025.
In 2023, Park became the youngest ever Korean player to sign a semi-professional contract, going on to become the youngest debutant in the country’s football league at 17 years and three months of age.
The South Korea youth international’s rapid rise continued with a cameo against the all-stars that impressed his new boss, Eddie Howe.
“It was not an easy situation to come into the game because there’s a lot of expectation on him,” observed Howe after Park’s performance in the familiar setting of Suwon’s ‘Big Bird’ stadium.
“You can see he’s got this ability when he goes one-on-one to chop the defender. He’s got a really good body feint and I was really, really pleased with him.”
After a goal and two assists in 14 appearances for Suwon, Park was the youngest of the Korean squad at the Under-20 Asian Cup, scoring once in five appearances.
“I’ve only heard about Park Seung-soo,” said the coach of the all-stars, Kim Pan-gon, who also manages Korean champions and Club World Cup also-rans Ulsan.
“Seeing it in person, it is remarkable. The speed and dribbling were impressive. His physical condition was good, too.
“It is important how much you develop your abilities. I will cheer for you to become ‘the second Son Heung-min.’”
Gordon said Park “did really well”. “For such a young kid to come on and do well, with a lot of pressure – well done to him,” the England international added to Newcastle’s website.
Seung-soo Park: ‘I need to get stronger’
Analysing his work after coming on in the 82nd minute, Park said he wants to bulk up. “I need to hit the weight room and get bigger and stronger,” he said, via Yonhap.
“The players I’ve seen outside Korea were all in great shape, in terms of their build and conditioning.
“I am most confident in my dribbling skills and I wanted to show fans the things I do the best. I wanted to entertain fans here and I am glad things worked out well.
“I don’t usually hear fans’ chants during matches but, for some reason, I was able to hear them tonight. They made me feel more confident.”
Son Heung-min: Park ‘huge fan’
With 454 appearances for Tottenham and 173 goals at the end of the 2024/25 season, Son’s record is a formidable one for Park to try to build towards – but the newcomer wants his top-flight debut “as early as possible”.
“I want to be the first Seung-soo Park – someone others want to be like,” he said, looking ahead to a game against Tottenham and South Korea icon Son in Newcastle’s second match of their Asian tour.
“I’ve never met Heung-min before. When I do get a chance, I will tell him I am a huge fan of his.”
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2025-07-31 19:17:58
