It has officially been a month since Son Heung-min arrived in MLS. Having left Tottenham Hotspur after a decade of service in early August, the South Korean international joined LAFC in a record league transfer worth $26.5 million. So, what better time to ask Son how he would describe his experience of living the American dream so far? Honestly, as glamorous as it may sound on paper, the reality has been a far cry.

Son Heung-min admitted he’s facing certain challenges while adjusting to things he has never encountered before. And for a man who has handled the highest pressure and glory on the European stage, it may come as a surprise to learn that MLS has already handed him its fair share of shocks and differences compared to what he expected.

Speaking in the aftermath of the win against the San Jose Earthquakes, where he made his Levi’s Stadium debut, Son also featured on MLS Countdown for the first time. When asked about his experience, he said, “No, I haven’t experienced this before, and obviously I watched the game. The quality was higher than I expected, the passion, the player quality, the tactic, the organization—I think it was very, very high. That’s why I’m enjoying more.”

“Obviously, I came here to win the game, but it’s very hard, especially away trip is very, very long, and I never experienced it before. But I still enjoy. I can enjoy in my plane watching football games, watching my movies that I haven’t had a time to watch back. So yeah, it’s all been very good for last five weeks,” added the veteran forward.

We bet it has. Having made five appearances so far, the former Tottenham Hotspur star has already scored two goals and notched two assists. In his first two debut games, he earned a couple of assists before finding his first goal in a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas.

Though a 1-2 defeat in the previous game meant he lost his spark, the matchday 32 clash against the San Jose Earthquakes saw him score a goal inside one minute, even though his teammate Denis Bouanga’s hat-trick stole the show.

Now, as the MLS regular season is coming towards its end, Son Heung-Min will certainly be hoping to continue firing goals and help his team progress to the playoffs. Currently, LAFC is sitting at fifth in the Western Conference, with a tally of 44 points. Further games will hopefully see them rise in the rankings.

Regardless, the talking point is to see Son Heung-Min enjoying his time in the United States, even though it has been quite challenging for the South Korean international. And why wouldn’t he? Considering his popularity is literally off the charts!

Son Heung-Min is indeed a crowd puller!

Earlier, it was reported that the San Jose Earthquakes vs LAFC clash was almost a sellout — and it turned out to be a true box-office show. The game took place at Levi’s Stadium, the home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, which can hold up to 68,000 spectators. On the night, 50,978 fans packed in, setting a new record for the highest attendance at a San Jose home game.

With the San Francisco Bay Area’s population of over 9 million and its large Korean community, thousands of fans turned out to watch the superstar in action. In fact, Son lived up to the hype off the pitch as well. He stopped for every fan waiting outside the team hotel in San Jose, signing autographs and memorabilia for each one. The last time the Bay Area saw such a frenzy was when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami visited earlier this season.

And the buzz around Son isn’t just local—it’s global. Since his move to LAFC was announced, the South Korean forward has even outshone Messi in some ways. According to Fanatics, he has led all athletes across sports in merchandise sales since the signing. On top of that, he now ranks second in all-time MLS jersey sales after a transfer, behind only Messi himself.

This is the “Son Heung-min effect” for you, ladies and gentlemen!