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Son Heung-min chosen as face of new Los Angeles tourism ad campaign

Published: 22 Feb. 2026, 12:59

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-min celebrates scoring against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Vancouver, Canada, on Nov. 22, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-min has been chosen to serve as the face of a new advertising campaign for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, the organization announced on Friday.

The campaign marks the first time the organization has selected Son as a representative for the city.

The tourism board's call comes a year after Son introduced himself to LAFC fans by starting his MLS career with the club.

Adam Burke, the CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, described Son as the most influential ambassador the board could have chosen to introduce Los Angeles to Korea.

Burke also referred to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, describing Son as “a generational talent” like Ohtani. The CEO added that over the next two to three years, the “Son Heung-min effect” would attract Korean tourists and rival the “Ohtani effect.”

The 3-D advertisement features Son kicking a football against the backdrop of the Hollywood Sign. The ball flies through the air to LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris before moving in sequence to teammates Aaron Long and Timothy Tillman.

The video ends with Son standing alongside his LAFC teammates and performing his trademark “click” celebratory pose, forming a camera shape with both hands.

The advertisement will also appear in the Coex area in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]