When Park Junseok steps onto the pitch for Lille MHC in October’s Euro Hockey League in Eindhoven, he will become the first Korean player ever to compete in European club hockey’s premier competition.
For Park, the milestone is both a personal achievement and a moment he hopes can inspire more Korean players to look beyond their domestic borders.
“It is a great honour to become the first Korean player to play in the Euro Hockey League,” he told the EHL website.
“I’m really happy and excited to have the opportunity to challenge myself on a stage that I have dreamed of playing on.
“I’ve watched the EHL since I was young and always admired the level of the competition, so to now have the chance to be part of it myself is something very special.”
Having come through the ranks in Korea, reaching the senior international stage in 2024, he was motivated by the desire to test himself in a new environment and showcase the quality that still exists within Korean hockey.
His first bold move was to first join German side Düsseldorfer HC in the second Bundesliga before making the move to French champions Lille last season.
“A long time ago Korea was really strong, but these days our level is not where it once was,” he explained.
“I wanted to prove my skills and show what Korean hockey players can do. Not many players from my generation have come to Europe, so I wanted to challenge myself in a stronger league, improve my level and show that Korean players can compete successfully in this environment.”
In Lille, he found a club which already had a Korean connection – Han Hye Lyoung played in two EuroHockey Club events in 2018 and 2019 for their women’s team, scoring nine goals in eight games.
And he played a vital role in bringing Lille back into the EHL realm – Park scored the decisive effort in the shootout that secured the French title and, with it, qualification for ROUND1.
“It was only after that moment that everything started to feel real. The final was so close and when I scored in the shootout to help us win the championship, that was when I realised this EHL opportunity could mean something bigger, not only for me but also for Korean hockey. Until then I was only focused on helping the team win.
“When I was young, I really liked watching the Euro Hockey League.
“I knew that if teams won their national titles they could play in the EHL. I always thought that if I played in Europe one day, I wanted to experience that and test myself against the strongest teams.”
His move abroad has reinforced his belief that exposure to different hockey cultures can accelerate development.
“I think there is a stronger emphasis on tactics here. We always go into games with a clear plan and try to follow that plan as a team. Playing against different styles of hockey, especially with clubs from France and Belgium, has challenged me to think about the game in different ways and improve different areas of my performance.
** Pictures: Ben Kern
“I also feel that the individual skills of many players are very high, so playing here has challenged me to improve different parts of my game.”
Off the field, the adaptation to France has been smoother than expected. Park credits Lille’s welcoming environment and the support of former coach Jorge for helping him settle quickly.
“Honestly, I haven’t had too many difficulties adapting to life in France. The team has helped me a lot from the beginning and made me feel welcome. My former coach Jorge [Dabanch] was also very important because he shared his experience with me and gave me a lot of advice that helped make the transition much easier.”
As for what to expect from the EHL with matches against Edinburgh University and SV Arminen, Park says the focus is much more on what Lille can do now to be in the right frame of mind for those battles.
To that end, they have started the season with wins over Stade Francais and IH Lambersart.
Park hopes his story can encourage other Korean players to follow a similar path and gain experience in Europe’s leading leagues.
“If my journey can help even one young Korean player dream bigger and believe that playing in Europe is possible, that would mean a lot to me. There are challenges with language, culture and adapting to a different hockey system, but I hope my experience shows that those challenges can be overcome and that playing in Europe is an achievable goal.
“I believe that if more players continue to challenge themselves, it won’t be long before we see many more Korean players playing in Europe.”
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