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Asnawi Mangkualam Bahar: A soccer dark horse from Indonesia
Whenever he is sighted in Ansan, Asnawi Mangkualam Bahar is greeted by enthusiastic fans who want to take a picture or receive his autograph. The extent of this young soccer star’s popularity makes it easy to see why he is often called the Park Ji-sung of Indonesia. Bahar, previously a member of different Indonesian football clubs from a young age, is currently affiliated with Ansan Greeners FC and the first Indonesian player in the K League. For the August issue of the ACH Monthly, we sat down with Bahar, a defender whose diligence and fighting spirit is already well-known in the Korean soccer community, to hear about both his life as a professional soccer player and foreign resident in Korea. Photo by Ansan Greeners FC

Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself to the readers of the ACH Monthly.

Hello! My name is Asnawi. I am from Indonesia and I’m a defender for the Ansan Greeners FC, wearing the shirt number 41. I arrived in Korea earlier this year, on February 3, and recently played on the Indonesian national team for the World Cup preliminaries in Dubai. I have since returned to Korea and am very busy with practices and training.

How did your family and friends react when you said that you want to play soccer in Korea?

People were mostly very supportive—especially my parents, who, as they have always done, gave me their full support to become a better player. I wanted to gain experience in Korea by playing in a wide range of tournaments and was able to come to Korea without any worries thanks to the unconditional support of and encouragement from my family.

Even so, it must not have been easy to decide to leave your home country to live and work in a strange place.

If I have to choose one difficulty about this life, it is the fact that I have to live alone far from my family. The hardest part was having to adjust to a completely different environment. I am taking language classes and doing my best to learn about Korean culture.

Was there anyone who helped you adjust to life in Korea when things were hard?

Although I am in a foreign country, there were not too many instances (so far!) of hardship. I’ve made a lot of Indonesian friends in Ansan, which has helped a lot. I adjusted pretty quickly thanks to having friends of the same nationality who explained a lot of aspects about living in Korea.

What qualities does a good soccer play need to have?

You need to be strong mentally and have a never-give-up attitude. That’s why, whenever I train, I remind myself to perform as if it is a real game. The most important part of being a good player is to do your best at all times. For each match I play in, I keep telling myself that I need to do my best to ensure the team’s success. In a sense, I play soccer for two reasons: for my team and for everyone who cheers me on.

Is there anything you learned while playing professional soccer in Korea that you would like to share?

There is a lot to learn, mostly because Indonesian and Korean soccer are so different. In Korea, I feel that, whether for practices or actual tournaments, I need to have an ironclad mentality. The coaching staff is helping in many ways so that I can maintain strength and peace of mind. Another great part of being in Korea is this country’s well-organized COVID-19 quarantine system, thanks to which I can compete in any match or tournament without having to fear for my health. It’s very exhilarating to play soccer while adjusting to a foreign culture and environment.

Do you have any advice for Indonesians currently living in Korea?

I will do my best to improve myself so that when Indonesians see me play, they feel proud to be Indonesian. I want to be a soccer player who is a fan favorite and be of help to the Ansan Greeners FC. Please support Ansan Greeners FC and stay tuned for the future of Asnawi Bahar!