As soon as we arrive, it takes 7 hours to travel by car.
It’s not South Korea. It’s in Japan.
Ulsan HD CEO Kim Kwang-kook boarded a plane bound for Narita, Japan on Tuesday morning. After arriving at Narita around noon, he drove straight from the airport to Tokyo National Stadium, where the second leg of the 2023/2024 Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) round of 16 will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday. He went straight to the enemy camp. It was the home ground for Empress Banpo.
Ulsan won the first round of the ACL round of 16 at home on the 15th and secured an advantageous position to advance to the quarterfinals. Last season’s K League 1 top scorer Joo Min-kyu opened with a multi-goal goal, and Seol Young-woo, who played in the Qatar Asian Cup, scored a decisive shot. The players who newly joined the existing resources quickly adapted and announced the prospect of recapturing the top of Asia in four years and winning the K League 1 for the third consecutive time.
Coincidentally, Ulsan’s opponent Kohu will be hosting a pre-ACL match at Tokyo National Stadium due to issues with his home stadium. From Narita Airport to Kohu is a three-and-a-half hour drive (one-way). It took two-and-a-half hours to travel near the lodging facility where the Ulsan team is located. On top of that, traffic jams made the team more than seven hours. Nevertheless, the head of the team stepped up to directly explore the Kohu, who is making a splash in the ACL as a member of J-League 2.
CEO Kim Kwang-guk said, “I was curious about what kind of facilities Koh-hu has and where the secretariat and players live. I looked for Ulsan because I thought there was anything to learn.”
Most of the staff members were away to prepare for Ulsan and ACL. However, several veterans who have been with the soccer team for a long time are guarding the friendly side. They reportedly welcomed employees including Ulsan CEO Kim Kwang-guk.
“The grass is very well maintained.”
This is what CEO Kim Kwang-guk said.
Japan has a reputation for being good at lawn care. The same was true of Kohu. It was an environment where players could display their skills on the best ground. The same was true of Tokyo National Stadium, the heart of Japan, where the game will be held.
CEO Kim Kwang-guk confessed, “Kohoo was not the latest facility like Europe or advanced soccer countries, but we could get a glimpse of the nature of soccer and their efforts for fans inside and outside.”
Upon hearing the news, many Japanese media, AFC and JFA officials were surprised at CEO Kim Kwang-guk, who went directly from Narita Airport to Kofu, saying “Sugoi” right before the official press conference. This means that he is very passionate.
CEO Kim Kwang-guk returned to Roppongi, near his lodging, after completing his visit to the ancient city. He then prepared a special dinner for a Japanese fan who has supported Ulsan for more than 20 years. We talked candidly about Ulsan’s past, present, and future.
He even took a special gift and a commemorative photo with the greeting, “Thank you for always supporting Ulsan.” 업소알바
CEO Kim Kwang-guk said, “I’ve been to the Gochu for quite a long time, but it was a meaningful time,” and added, “I believe the team will do well led by Coach Hong Myung-bo. Our secretariat always thinks about how to promote Ulsan HD more and play a role as a strong supporter of the team. We will continue to make efforts to repay the support of our fans.”