South Korean football is currently navigating a difficult period characterized by both on-field struggles and off-field investigations. The national team’s recent performance at the World Cup has been widely criticized, and the Korea Football Association is currently the subject of a police investigation. Furthermore, allegations have surfaced regarding bribes paid to foreign referees during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, adding to the sense of crisis surrounding the sport.

This instability is occurring alongside a potential shift in the country's footprint in the English Premier League (EPL). Since Park Ji-sung joined Manchester United in 2005, South Korean players have been a consistent presence in England's top division. This era of success was bolstered by the arrival of Son Heung-min at Tottenham Hotspur in 2015. However, there is now a genuine possibility that the upcoming season could be the first since 2005 without a South Korean player in the league. While South Korea’s influence in the EPL appears to be waning, the report notes that Japanese players are increasingly rising to prominence within the league, marking a potential shift in the regional dominance of Asian talent in English football.