'Victory Charm' TAEMIN meets Son Heung-min at LAFC, leads kickoff ceremony

TAEMIN, a member of the group SHINee, took on the role of a "victory charm" at a Major League Soccer (MLS) match in the United States and shared a special on-field moment with South Korea captain Son Heung-min.

According to TAEMIN's agency, Galaxy Corporation, he attended LAFC's home match against Austin FC as a special guest on the 14th at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, local time. Before kickoff, TAEMIN captured the crowd's attention as LAFC's "Honorary Falconer," performing the club's signature pregame ceremony by releasing a live falcon, a symbol of the team, over the field to signal the start of the match.

Wearing an official jersey emblazoned with his English name, “TAEMIN,” and the number “93,” representing his birth year, TAEMIN calmly carried out the ceremony and energized the atmosphere. LAFC also released photos from the event on its official social media channels and extended a special welcome to the global pop star in Korean, writing, “TAEMIN, always shining,” in a show of exceptional hospitality.

Immediately after the ceremony, TAEMIN met Son Heung-min, LAFC's captain and captain of South Korea's national soccer team, and the two shook hands and spoke. The moment the two global stars, each a leading figure in his field, met at a U.S. sporting event and posed for a photo drew intense interest from fans around the world. With TAEMIN cheering enthusiastically, Son started the match and led LAFC's attack with a standout performance. After LAFC secured a satisfying 3-1 victory, TAEMIN became the perfect “victory charm.”