Football supporters are expected to fill the stadium where V-League 1 side Dong Thap FC will play this weekend, but it could well be a bitter irony for the club’s players as the fans may not be there to cheer for them.
Dong Thap FC, which are only three notches from the bottom of the standings in Vietnam’s top-flight football league, told fans via Facebook on Wednesday that half-Korean singer Hari Won will perform at their match against QNK Quang Nam on Saturday.
The news has intrigued Dong Thap FC supporters, many of whom did not bother to conceal that they would go to the stadium only to see Hari, who was born to a South Korean mother and a Vietnamese father, in the flesh.
“Hari Won? Yeah, let’s get to the match,” and “Hari Won is so lovely. I love that. The stadium must be crowded then,” are among many similar comments posted on the official Facebook page of Dong Thap FC.
Hari is slated to sing four to five songs before the match, and during halftime.
She said Thursday on her Facebook page that she is looking forward to the show in Dong Thap, a Mekong Delta province where the club are headquartered, because it will be the first time she has performed at a sporting event.
Inviting a hot star to perform at the stadium is arguably an effort by Dong Thap FC to lure more fans and encourage the team at a time when they are struggling to escape the bottom group.
The club, led by Pham Cong Loc, currently stand in 11th out of 14 places with only four points after five games. Their rivals, QNK Quang Nam, are in sixth place with six points.
Supporters who bought season tickets can also register to take a photograph with the singer. The precious chance will be given to the 20 earliest registrations, according to the fan club.
A source told Tuoi Tre News that the deal with Hari cost Dong Thap FC about US$2,000. It is worth noting that the Mekong Delta club do not have deep pockets.
Dong Thap FC would have failed to meet the financial standard to join the 2015 Toyota V-League 1 if they had not been able to find a sponsor at the last minute.
With a shallow budget, Dong Thap FC were thus unable to sign quality players, which has affected their performance and position in the table.
Many high-quality players have left the club for others who are willing to pay them well, which has transformed Dong Thap FC from a strong squad that have provided many good players for both the youth and senior national teams into a mediocre side on the Vietnamese football map.
The club won two league titles in 1989 and 1996 before repeatedly plunging to the V-League 2 and advancing to the V-League 1 again in recent years. They won the V-League 2 last season on a tight budget.
The V-League 1 is the top-tier league competition in Vietnam, followed by the V-League 2.
Fourteen clubs from the 14 provinces and cities with the most developed football programs in the nation are competing in the 2015 V-League 1, including Becamex Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Dong Tam Long An, Dong Thap, Hanoi T&T, Hai Phong, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, QNK Quang Nam, Sanna Khanh Hoa, SHB Da Nang, Song Lam Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Than Quang Ninh, and XSKT Can Tho.
The competition is organized in three stages with two breaks, starting January 4 and ending September 20.
The league will pause from February 15 to April 12 for players to take part in the qualifiers of the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship in Malaysia from March 23 to 31, and from May 3 to June 28 so the Vietnamese national team can attend the 28th SEA Games in Singapore.
Who is Hari Won?
Hari Won was born to a South Korean mother and a Vietnamese father in 1985.
The singer has won over many local fans with her fluent and sweet Vietnamese. She starred in a Vietnamese blockbuster that hit the silver screen earlier this month.
The singer has lived in Vietnam for the past 10 years and is set to establish a firm footing in Vietnamese showbiz as a versatile artist.
Her good looks, boisterous, outgoing personality, and adequate command of Vietnamese and English – apart from Korean – have added to her appeal.
Hari has become a household name to many young Vietnamese thanks to her regular appearances on reality shows such as “The Amazing Race Vietnam” and the Vietnamese version of “Thank God You’re Here,” an Australian improvised comedy.
She also acts as a host on several music shows, particularly those featuring such Korean bands as T-ara.
Hari starred in a local film titled “Chang Trai Nam Ay,” which hit screens nationwide on New Year’s Eve.
It remains to be seen whether the beautiful singer can inspire Dong Thap FC in the clash with QNK Quang Nam on the weekend.
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