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Aussie Chuk-gu Dream (2015)

‘Aussie Chuk-gu Dream’ (2015) – Koreans aspire in the land of AUS

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by

MJ-A
in

Even though Aussie Chuk-gu Dream is almost 10 years old, it is a unique story of 1st generation South Korean immigrants trying to succeed at sports in predominantly White Australia. But if you don’t know much about being a minority, this documentary does an excellent job of showing how a Korean community can use sport to assimilate in Australia.

Being a 3rd generation Japanese-American, I instinctively understood what the players and their parents were trying to achieve, and I’m glad this film can demonstrate this to others.

And just to clear something up right away, chuk-gu is Korean for soccer.

A Story of 2 Halves

In the Director’s Cut version that I watched, there are actually 2 parts to the film. The first half of the film covers 2 players as they compete in Korea’s 2014 National Sports Festival. The second half of the film covers 2 other footballers who are playing below the top division of the Australian A-League. The 2015 Asian Cup is being held in Australia for the first time, and the aspiring pros get to meet Korea’s star Son Heung-Min.

Coincident with the stories of the footballers and their families, we learn about the Korean Soccer Association Australia (KSAA). The KSAA binds the 2 halves of the film because they help send athletes to Korea for the NSF, and the KSAA also helps fill stadiums and promote the Asian Cup, raising visibility for soccer as well as for the 200,000 Koreans who live in Australia.

The 1st half – Korea’s National Sports Festival (NSF)

Although I have watched The Gentlemen’s League for several years, I had not heard of Korea’s National Sports Festival. It’s like a Korean Olympics, where cities and provinces send teams and athletes to compete in various sports. What’s interesting is that the Korean diaspora can also compete among itself. In this case, Koreans living in Australia compete against Koreans from Indonesia, China, and Japan, each wearing the colors of their adoptive countries.

Korea-Australia is coached by Yong Hwan Chung, a long-time Korean NT centerback who played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. He seems like a great coach. Only towards the end of the segment do you find out that he was coaching with advanced stomach cancer and died the following year.

The 2 players who are interviewed for this segment play in the KSAA’s soccer league. Most of the players in the league are fairly recent immigrants and speak little English. Soccer is a way for them to socialize, and the KSAA is a community resource, helping immigrants in need where they can. One of them, Bo Hyun Chun, eventually played a few games for Blacktown City.

The 2nd Half – the Asian Cup

The second half of the documentary follows 2 footballers who are playing in lower levels of Australia’s pro soccer hierarchy. Writer/Director/Producer Jae Yong Ahn also interviews the players’ fathers, so that you get each’s perspective on being an immigrant encouraging his son to play a sport.

Like many Asian immigrants, the Dads try to help their sons succeed. One father daily helps his son train in a nearby park, even though Dad can’t play himself. A grandfather video records every moment of his grandson’s appearance, even if the player is sitting on the bench.

The fathers also try to shield their sons from the self-esteem issues that can arise from racial discrimination on and off the pitch, such as reduced playing time.

In the end, both fathers realize that if his son succeeds as a footballer, it sets a real example for both Koreans and Australians. It shows that Koreans can excel and be valued. It’s sad to say this, but when you constantly see signs saying go back to your country, you can forget your own worth.

At the same time, the sons have to deal with the question, do they identify as Koreans or Australians? The Asian Cup brings this question to bear, as South Korea faces Australia in the 2015 final. (In the end, it doesn’t really seem to matter how you identify.)

Of these 2 players, Danny Choi continued to play professional soccer, including 4-5 years in Portugal. He then returned to play for Blacktown City.

The Soccer

The soccer mostly consists of practices and games from the matches at the Korean National Sports Festival, followed by some game footage of the 2 professional players, and then a few Asian Cup highlights and stadium footage.

In Conclusion

I first learned about Aussie Chuk-gu Dream when it premiered at Stuart Meney’s Football Film Festival in Australia in 2015. But the film never made it to the States, and when I remembered to look around for it, I couldn’t find it on any streaming platforms. I saw that the Mickle Production company still has a website, so I emailed them, and Producer John Jeong gave me access to the film. I put a link below but I don’t know if it will continue to work.

Director Jae Yong Ahn anwered a few questions for me. The film’s premiere in 2015 was the 2nd half of the film I have described here. The 1st half of the film was added for the Directors Cut.

And if you are wondering how soccer has changed in Australia in the last 10 years, Director Ahn had this comment:

Soccer in Australia has indeed grown in popularity, especially with the influence of WWC 2023 as a turning point. However, rugby and cricket remain the most popular sports. Regarding racial discrimination, it has historically been an issue, but Australia has made significant strides as a successful multicultural country. It’s important to continue promoting equality and understanding to reduce discrimination further.

My thanks to Mickle Production for making this film available. There are so few documentaries that cover Asian athletes who compete as immigrants.

8 Soccer Movie Mom Rating = 8

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