I visited Seoul and discovered why this phrase has entered the Korean language thanks to Leeds United
The city of Seoul may be the epicentre of K-pop culture and skincare but Leeds is the word on everyone’s lips in South Korea - thanks to a former United player.
It seemed highly unlikely that after a 12 hours-plus flight across the world I would discussing Leeds, but to my surprise it’s the word on everyone’s lips thanks to a certain footballer who once played for Leeds United.
During my stay it emerged that the slang phrase ‘Leeds era’ or my ‘Leeds days’ has made its way so thoroughly into the Korean language that millions of residents use it almost every day - most without knowing what or where Leeds is.
The phrase, which essentially means ‘in my prime’ or when I was ‘top of my game’ or ‘golden era’ is all thanks to one particular player - Alan Smith - and originated in Korean football communities in roughly 2005.
Read as ‘lijeu sijeol’ in Korean, football fans began using the expression in online communities at around the time Korean player Park Ji-sung played in the English premier league and helped draw thousands of Korean fans to the game. When in 2005 Park joined Manchester United, Korean fans became aware of other players at the club - amongst them former Leeds United player Smith.
During his Leeds era, Smith had proved a fantastic asset to the club but his controversial move to Manchester United both infuriated Leeds United fans and proved ill-fated, mainly due to injuries.
Now ‘Leeds era’ is thoroughly embedded in Korean language as Seoul resident Seungheon Lee (known as Sean), who works for Korean Air and is a football fan, explains.
“There is this common Korean phrase, Leeds era or Leeds period, which Koreans say every day in their daily lives,” says Sean. “It originated from Leeds United around 20 years ago when Park Ji-sung moved to United and a lot of Koreans started watching the Premier League.
”Manchester United player Alan Smith used to play at Leeds United where he was outstanding but at Manchester United he wasn’t as good so Korean fans used to start saying back in the day when he was in ‘his Leeds era’.
“That football expression became a common phrase. They would say (for example) back in my golden age I was good at something. I was younger, more pretty or handsome. But now many people say it all the time but don’t even know what Leeds means!”