Hong Hyun-seok (25, Mainz) is struggling to adapt to the German stage. Recently, amid the bitter record of missing five consecutive league matches, the team's head coach Bo Henriksen explained the reason for the reduced playing opportunities.

Local media outlet 'Liga Insider' reported on the 22nd (Korean time) that "Hong Hyun-seok still cannot settle in Mainz. He left KAA Gent last summer and joined Mainz for a transfer fee of 4 million euros (about 6.3 billion won), but contrary to expectations, his playing time is limited."

He showed potential in the early stages. After making his Bundesliga debut, he had several opportunities to play and recorded assists, but gradually his playing opportunities decreased, and ultimately the time spent on the bench increased. He has appeared in 16 league matches so far, but has started only 4 times, and has not recorded any offensive points.

Coach Henriksen highly evaluated Hong Hyun-seok's abilities. He mentioned that Hong is "technically outstanding and has strengths in half-space," but also pointed out that his passive demeanor in competitive situations is problematic. He said, "To survive in the Bundesliga, you need to be rougher and fight more actively. You cannot avoid physical confrontations."

He added, "I made this point clear to Hong Hyun-seok as well. If he does not change his playing style, the time spent on the bench may increase. Improvement may take 2 to 5 months, or even longer," conveying a clear message.

After graduating from high school, Hong Hyun-seok moved to Europe through Ulsan Hyundai. He made a name for himself during the 2022-2023 season at Belgian club Gent after playing for Austria's LASK, earning a spot on the national team and exemption from military service with a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. He left behind a commendable record of 7 goals and 8 assists in 43 official matches.

At Mainz, where he transferred with high expectations, he has not shown a distinct rebound. He was also excluded from the A national team call-up, damaging his standing.

Coach Henriksen also pointed to the case of Sano Kaishu (Japan) as a lesson for Hong Hyun-seok. He said, "Sano was also a nice player at first. But now he has changed. I don't want a nice player. You can't be nice on the pitch," urging a change in Hong's style.

The message is that adapting to the Bundesliga's unique physicality and speed requires not only basic skills but also tenacity and aggressiveness. How Hong Hyun-seok receives this advice and whether he can change will likely be revealed in the remaining season.

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