SportsPosted at: Oct 3 2026 8:56PM


South Korean journo who relishes Kolkata's soccer spirit

By Sirshendu Panth
Kolkata, Oct 3 (UNI) Myung Jaeyoung has for years heard about the football craze in Kolkata and its love for the Brazilian team. The
South Korean has watched video footage of Pele's visit to this eastern metropolis and the local derby featuring East Bengal and Mohun Bagan
played in the packed-to-capacity Vivekananda Yuva Bharati stadium.
Now running his own company after spending 10 years working for various media organisations, 34-year-old Jaey - as he loves to be
called - is now in the city to cover the Selecao's date with the Indian team at the iconic ground.
However, the empty spaces in the galleries left him "worried", as the Brazilian soccer giants took the ground to play the Indian national
team today.
"I had high expectations about Kolkata even before arriving here. As a football fan myself, I understand the emotional significance of this
match very well. I came here because I wanted to capture this atmosphere and share it with audiences in Korea, where there is also
considerable interest in this match," Jaey told the Statesman in between updating his social media pages.
When told that the lack of spectator interest could be because of the exorbitantly priced tickets, he nodded in agreement.
A football fan since childhood, Jaey's favourite hobby as a youngster was to create content. So, though he studied Political
Science and Diplomacy at Myongji University in Seoul, South Korea, the passion for soccer goaded him to start creating content about the
game.
"And that naturally led me to become a football journalist," he said.
He gained experience in various fields, starting at a local Korean social media platform, followed by three years at TikTok Korea, one
year at a company supporting creators, and more than five years as a football journalist.
"Through these experiences, I realised that to survive in the rapidly changing new media landscape, I needed to build a brand of my own," he
said.
After gaining recognition in South Korea, he launched his own company last year. "Although FOOTYJAE is only about a year old, it has been
growing at a remarkable pace. We have already collaborated with a World Cup rights-holding broadcaster as a media partner, allowing me
to spend the entire tournament in the United States covering the World Cup," the youth recounted.
A big plus after starting his own venture has been the chance to follow the Brazil soccer team round the globe.
"I stay in the team hotel. I interview the stars. During the World Cup earlier this year, I interviewed the likes of Neymar and Vinicius
Junior. But Neymar is my favourite player," he said with a chuckle.
Asked about his feelings at the stadium, Jaey said: "As the only Korean media outlet here covering the occasion, I feel both a strong
sense of responsibility and excitement to be part of it." UNI SSH SS
Tags: #South Korean journo who relishes Kolkata's soccer spirit
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