Why this community has ‘high hopes’ for the new A-League season

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Key Points

Alex Lee, 17, scored a goal in his senior debut for Melbourne Victory.
Jeonbuk Hyundai defender Jeong Tae-wook has joined Western Sydney Wanderers on loan.
The Korean community is excited about more representation in top-level sport.

In August, 17-year-old Alex Lee enjoyed a dream debut in senior football.

The Korean-Australian winger took the field for Melbourne Victory in the Round of 32 of the Australia Cup, the national knockout competition that acts as curtain-raiser to the A-League season.

A surprise inclusion to face Newcastle’s Lambton Jaffas, Lee capitalised on his opportunity by confidently chipping the ball over opposition goalkeeper Ben Kennedy in the 27th minute.

“Debuting for the senior team was unreal, but scoring was indescribable,” Lee told SBS Korean.

“I’ve done it before, so I knew. I saw Nish (teammate Nishan Velupillay) and made that run. The pass was perfect, and I chipped it over the goalkeeper.”

Melbourne Victory proudly highlighted the goal on their official website with the headline, “Alex Lee: From Victory Academy to Australia Cup Scorer”.

Lee expressed his gratitude towards his coach, Patrick Kisnorbo, for trusting him with the opportunity.

He had earlier made a name for himself in the club’s youth academy, scoring 15 goals for the under-18 team and four goals for the under-23 team last season.

Despite the extra pressure of playing with adult players, Lee revealed that a month of training with the first team helped him build confidence.

Untapped potential

David Lee, a former football referee and now a FIFA-certified player agent, praised the youngster’s debut.

“Typically, young players are brought on in the last 5 to 10 minutes to gain experience, but Alex was given a rare opportunity to start, and he seized it with a magnificent goal,” David Lee said.

Alex Lee came through Melbourne Victory’s youth academy. Source: Supplied / Alex Lee

Melbourne Victory will prepare for the quarterfinals against Moreton City Excelsior this month following a 4-0 win in the Round of 16.

Lee did not play in the last round against NWS Spirit to manage his fitness.

Born in New Zealand, Lee lived in Auckland and Seoul before moving to Melbourne at six and joining a local football club at 11.

Facing larger opponents growing up, he said he developed a unique style, relying on speed and skill to avoid physical confrontations.

His father, Hoseong Lee, watched his son’s debut with “nervous excitement” and described the result as deeply moving.

“Our goal is for Alex to become a consistent professional player, and we always remind him to be careful of injuries,” Hoseong Lee said.

Born in New Zealand, Alex Lee moved to Melbourne when he was six. Source: Supplied / Alex Lee

Dreaming of becoming as famous as his idol, Korean football star Son Heung-min, Alex Lee has set his sights on making a name for himself in Australia first.

“My goal right now is to debut in the A-League and become someone young kids can look up to — a role model, and a player that everyone in Australia knows,” Lee shared.

‘High hopes’

While there are several prominent Korean-Australian athletes in various sports, none have yet made a significant impact in Australian football.

David Lee expressed the Korean community’s “high hopes” for Alex.

“We see Korean Australians excelling in various sports, like the golf siblings Minji Lee and Min Woo Lee, who are famous worldwide, but in Australian football, there hasn’t been a standout player in the A-League yet,” he said.

David Lee, a former football referee and now a FIFA-certified player agent, said the Korean community has “high hopes” for Alex Lee. Source: Supplied / David Lee

Although many Australian players have tasted success in the Korean top-flight, such as Seongnam’s Saša Ognenovski, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ Alex Wilkinson, Suwon Samsung Bluewings’ Matthew Jurman, Incheon United’s Harrison Delbridge and Pohang Steelers’ Alex Grant, it’s somewhat rare for Korean players to play in the A-League.

In fact, it’s been a decade since players like Song Jin-hyung (Newcastle Jets), Lee Ki-je (Newcastle Jets), Kim Seung-yong (Central Coast Mariners), and Seo Hyuk-soo (Brisbane Roar) played in Australia.

David Lee attributed this trend to the higher salaries offered in the K-League.

“With the K-League offering much higher pay, Australian players see playing in Korea as a success,” he explained.

Therefore, David Lee expressed particular excitement about a homegrown player rising through the ranks of an Australian club.

“This marks a significant moment for the Korean-Australian community, as they anticipate seeing one of their own succeed at the professional level,” he said.

Star import

Optimism for the upcoming A-League season has also been boosted by the loan signing of Jeong Tae-wook, one of the K-League’s top defenders, by Western Sydney Wanderers from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Tae-wook, who arrived in Australia in early August, told SBS Korean he chose the Wanderers despite interest from Japan and Saudi Arabia.

“I had a lot of discussions with my family and my agent, and the Wanderers were very proactive in meeting with me. I felt a strong connection, so I ultimately decided to come to Australia,” he said.

The Wanderers, who welcomed Tae-wook with social videos featuring Korean words, said the towering 27-year-old brings extensive experience to the team, with over 170 appearances in the Korean top-flight.

The club also highlighted his strong winning record, noting that he has won the AFC U23 Asian Cup with the South Korean national team, which he captained at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Domestically, he was a runner-up in the Korean Cup with his last two clubs.

Despite his extensive career, this is Tae-wook’s first time playing in a different country.

He expressed excitement about coming to Australia but noted that training with the Wanderers had been “a bit more aggressive and fearless” than expected.

The imposing 194cm player remains unfazed about the challenges ahead.

“It seems like the players are just trying to move forward. I also have that kind of play as an advantage, and I like that style, so I don’t feel any significant burden or fear,” he said.

Jeong Tae-wook hopes to excel during his loan stint in Australia. Source: SBS / SBS Korean

Recently, Tae-wook faced criticism after being spotted at a nightclub following a 1-5 defeat against FC Seoul. Some fans felt it was irresponsible for him and fellow players Park Jae-yong and Jeong Min-Ki to visit a club after such a result.

Tae-wook has since apologised and now looks forward to a fresh start in Australia.

“Since this is my first time playing in the A-League, I need to perform better. As a player for Jeonbuk Hyundai, I need to live up to the club’s reputation. I also hope that the fans and the Korean community enjoy my games, and I will do my best on the field to make them proud,” he said.

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