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Nearly a month after his signing, Son Heung-Min<\/a> is slated to finally make his LAFC<\/a> home debut on Sunday evening as the Black & Gold welcome Western Conference leaders San Diego FC<\/a> to a packed BMO Stadium (10:45 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It will be a moment to savor for Daniel \u201cDeech\u201d Chung and his fellow original members of the Tigers Supporters Group<\/a> \u2013 the culmination of a dream nearly a decade in the making.<\/p>\n But first, he\u2019s got to handle some pressing logistical responsibilities.<\/p>\n \u201cSpecifically, I\u2019m in charge of making a soju cocktail,\u201d Chung explained to MLSsoccer.com with a grin on Wednesday. \u201cI’m kind of still debating on the flavor; it could be strawberry or watermelon. But I’m super excited to be in charge of the adult beverage for the tailgate.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, if you’re in the area, please stop by.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Serving up a cosmopolitan twist on Korea\u2019s favorite spirit epitomizes TSG\u2019s roots in Koreatown, one of Los Angeles\u2019 most diverse neighborhoods and home to the world\u2019s largest community of Koreans outside Seoul. And that welcoming mentality has fueled the group\u2019s steady growth since its founding in 2017, a few months before LAFC took the field for the first time.<\/p>\n There were just a handful of interested individuals at first; Deech and his fellow founders could have all fit into one vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it was like six,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n Conceived as the first Korean supporters group in any North American major-league sport, TSG was a new idea among the kaleidoscope of the 3252, the union of various ultras clubs which would soon pack the North End of the expansion club\u2019s home ground. Those member groups now number nine in all, many of them Latino in character, some predating the club itself.<\/p>\n As Chung remembers it, 3252 leadership bent the rules to provide \u201cthe Korean cousins\u201d with a place at their table.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were able to round up 15 people to be a part of that council,\u201d he said. \u201cWe weren’t even supposed to be there initially. They were like, \u2018You\u2019re supposed to be 50, not 15.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know if there was a language barrier there or something,\u201d he deadpanned. \u201cBut just the fact that they saw potential in us and allowed us to be in that circle, in the room with everyone else who has so much history and so much culture and experience in being a supporter, was something that I think we were very grateful for. And we learned so much from everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n They passed a huge milestone in the summer of 2018, when Son visited LA on a preseason tour with Tottenham Hotspur. The attacker received even more love than usual thanks to his role in South Korea\u2019s 2-0 upset of Germany at that year\u2019s World Cup, a result that enabled Mexico to advance out of the group stage despite their loss to Sweden, and earned Son \u2018honorary Mexican\u2019 status from the city\u2019s many El Tri backers.<\/p>\n LAFC surprised TSG members with a \u2018secret\u2019 meet-and-greet with Son in Koreatown, a memorable occasion that perhaps \u201cplanted a seed,\u201d in Chung\u2019s words, for the superstar\u2019s choice of Southern California for his next destination seven years later.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are as [much] a part of Los Angeles as any other person here,\u201d declared TSG member Josh Lee at the time, \u201cand we want to say you are always welcome here.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 LAFC (@LAFC) August 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Today TSG has 164 members, and its own cherished traditions of drumming, singing, signage, imagery and extensive community-service initiatives beyond gameday. Interest is skyrocketing in real time as Son\u2019s arrival at LAFC fuels stratospheric growth in attention around all aspects of the club.<\/p>\n Thanks to LAFC\u2019s chief brand officer Rich Orosco \u2013 an influential figure Deech hails as \u201cthe godfather of TSG\u201d \u2013 several members were treated to a full-circle moment after Son\u2019s first win, a 2-0 victory<\/a> at New England<\/a> in which he notched the game-clinching assist: A video chat with the man himself, live from the locker room at Gillette Stadium to their watch party back home.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing was given to TSG. Just like all our nine groups, every single group that’s a part of our union had to work so hard to get in there and 10 times harder to stay in,\u201d said Francisco Prieto, president of the 3252. \u201cSeeing the excitement that they’re going through right now, I’m like, man, this is amazing. I’m so happy for them \u2026 They’re just such genuine, nice people in that group.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery group in our union brings a very specific supporter style that’s a representation of Los Angeles supporter culture. And I’m just really happy to be able to call them not only my friends, but brothers and sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n SON HEUNG-MIN’S FIRST MLS GOAL IS A WORLDIE! ???? pic.twitter.com\/JaOwvhk3V9<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n TSG and the 3252 plan to welcome Son to his new home with much more than just soju concoctions, though like most SGs, they go to some lengths to keep details around tifo or any other matchday displays under wraps.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing that it’s his first home match, we want to make it a very celebratory, unforgettable day for him,\u201d explained Prieto. \u201cObviously, get the win \u2013 that’s always going to be the goal, is get the win, no matter what day of the week, who we play, what we’re playing for. But also chant a little harder just to give Son that extra set of goosebumps and really make him realize \u2013 make him more proud of, \u2018man, I’m playing for this amazing supporters union and this fan base of Los Angeles.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Son\u2019s accomplishments and global profile are such that he draws devoted fans anywhere he goes. LAFC report that their social media interactions have doubled on some platforms, while traffic to their online content increased 594 percent and media coverage spiked 289 percent in the wake of his signing. The elevated atmosphere in his three away matches with the Black & Gold has stoked the hype that much further in the City of Angels.<\/p>\n \u201cSon is just not an ordinary football player. He’s an amazing human being,\u201d noted Prieto. \u201cThe cameras, they show the faces of the people who are excited to see him play from across the country. And for us, it\u2019s a really cool opportunity, because we get to see the impact that he’s going to have in our city, and he hasn’t even played a home match yet.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope that a lot of these fans that come, a lot of these new supporters that are joining our union and our groups, they stay for the long haul.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Son Heung-Min first assist \u2714\ufe0fFirst of its kind<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Planting a seed<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Celebratory debut<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Mathieu Choini\u00e8re first LAFC goal \u2714\ufe0f@LAFC<\/a> wins it in New England. pic.twitter.com\/03jn4ys4k6<\/a><\/p>\n