“I’ve followed my idol Son Heung-min ever since his days at Leverkusen and Tottenham.”
Flavio Barrios, 34, said Tuesday at Plaza de la Liberación in Guadalajara, Mexico, where preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Festival were underway. Dressed in Mexico’s green national team jersey and accompanied by his family, Barrios was among the many local supporters who have embraced South Korea captain Son Heung-min, 34, of LAFC since his arrival in Guadalajara on June 6.
Interest in Son has been palpable among Mexican fans. The forward captured the English Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals during the 2021-22 season with Tottenham. When the South Korean national team held an open training session the following day as part of FIFA’s Community Training program, about 800 Mexican supporters waved South Korean flags and cheered him on.
Son was also included in Yahoo Sports’ list of 26 players to watch at the 2026 World Cup. The outlet predicted that if he rediscovers his scoring form, South Korea will have a strong chance of advancing from the group stage.
The reach of Korean culture was just as evident in the historic district of Zapopan, near Guadalajara. Among installations featuring the flags of World Cup participants, the South Korean display attracted the largest crowds. BTS fans, in particular, flocked to the site.
Araceli Cadena, 62, greeted this reporter with a cheerful “Annyeonghaseyo” before explaining that she has been a BTS fan since 2013. “I became interested in Korea because of BTS and started learning Korean,” she said. She then asked to take a photo together and effortlessly formed a finger-heart pose.
Hema Ramirez, 67, and her daughter, Desiree Ramirez, 31, proudly showed tattoos of the ARMY logo, the official name of the BTS fandom, on their left arms. “I think Korean culture is beautiful,” Desiree said. “I enjoy all of BTS’s music, but these days I’ve been listening most to their fifth album, ‘Arirang.’”
Hema said she was introduced to K-pop by her daughter and soon became an enthusiastic BTS fan herself. “V is my favorite member,” she said with a bright smile. “He’s incredibly handsome.”
