Kyoung-rok Choi has followed in the footsteps of Koreans in the Bundesliga like Bum Kun Cha and Heung Min Son. Choi made his 2. Bundesliga debut for St. Pauli‘s first team in April 2015 in a match against Fortuna Düsseldorf. Choi scored a brace within the first 16 minutes of the game.
In May 2018, Karlsruher SC, newly relegated to the 3. Liga, announced Choi would join for the 2018–19 season having agreed on a three-year contract until 2021. The South Korean midfielder extended his stay with Karlsruhe and remained with the club until the end of the 22/23 season. In January 2024, Choi joined K League 1 club Gwangju FC and has made 26 appearances for the side, which is currently seventh in the South Korean top tier.
Choi spoke to World Soccer Talk‘s Ben McFadyean about his career and what he misses about the German side that gave him his professional debut.
Question: Kyoung-rok, you have been back playing in Korea since January. How are you enjoying the experience so far?
Kyoung-rok: I am happy to be back in my country. I am enjoying playing in the K-League.
How is the standard of the K-League compared to the 2. Bundesliga?
Kyoung-rok: I have already played 26 matches since coming back and I must say that the standard here is pretty impressive. We are very well-prepared here.
There are new names in the top tier. Clubs like Seoul signed Jesse Lingard from Manchester United. What impact are signings like this having on the K-League?
Kyoung-rok: Well-known players like Jesse Lingard in the league, of course, also add a challenge. I would like to see more going forward, it brings a lot to our league.
You played for St. Pauli for four seasons. The Millerntor stadium is well-known for its atmosphere, there is also an intense atmosphere in the World Cup Stadium in Daejeon. How do the grounds compare?
Kyoung-rok: Millerntor is uniquely intense. Twenty-nine-thousand at home almost every game sold out, you cannot really compare with many places. Here in Korea, the fans are very organized though. Very good atmosphere for the 8,000 who were here tonight. Even away we get a good following as you saw tonight.
St. Pauli were promoted to the Bundesliga this season. Did you celebrate the promotion with the players?
Kyoung-rok: I follow their games, and I sent some messages to the club via Instagram. Pauli is my first club, and I am always inspired to see the guys doing well. Getting back to the Bundesliga is a huge thing for the fans and the club.
You came up through the U19 to the first team and had some successful seasons with the club, do you keep in touch with many of the players at St. Pauli?
Kyoung-rok: I moved to Karlsruher SC in 2018, I am more in touch with the guys there, friends like Dirk Carlson who I played with at Karlsruhe, who is now at St. Pölten in Austria and is a good pal from my time in the German league. We keep in touch.
The rivalry between Hamburger SV and St. Pauli is mythical. What did it mean for the smaller club in Hamburg to get promoted ahead of HSV?
Kyoung-rok: HSV has been desperate to get back since they were relegated in 2018 but without success. As a St. Pauli player of course, like all former players, I am super happy that Pauli made it back.
You played in the German leagues for 9 seasons, it was a huge part of your career. What are the special experiences you look back on?
Kyoung-rok: There are many special moments but of course my debut against Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2014/15. I scored a brace and gave an assist, a special way to get my professional career started.
The Euro 2024 was in Germany this summer, what did you think of the standard of the German team and the tournament?
Kyoung-rok: I watched a lot of games, Germany did well. Julian Nagelsmann seems like the right coach for the side. He brings new strategies and ways of doing things I like what is going and I think it has good prospects.
Do you still have the chance to visit Germany, and do you maintain ties over there?
Kyoung-rok: My brother lives in Hamburg so I will be visiting again when I have the chance. I am always pleased to have the chance to go back and also watch some Bundesliga games.
You mentioned your strong affinity with St. Pauli. Will you go to a game at Millerntor when you get back over?
Kyoung-rok: I would very much like to see a game, especially in the Bundesliga for sure. I plan to.
St. Pauli is known to be a unique football club with a special culture. What makes the club so unique?
Kyoung-rok: If I think back about the Millerntor, I think of the players’ tunnel. You come out of this dark tunnel with the red lights, and you see the pitch ahead of you. You hear the fans, the intensity is like almost no other ground. An electrifying experience even thinking of it.
Do you have something to share with the St. Pauli fans?
Kyoung-rok: I would like to say to the fans who remember me there that I had an unforgettable time at the club. St. Pauli is part of me.
Finally, Choi, it’s early days. Yet, St. Pauli has lost Fabian Hurzeler (Coach) to Brighton. Do you believe that the Brown and Whites can stay up in the Bundesliga?
Kyoung-rok: For me, there is no doubt they can do it.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
