Hong Hyun-seok scores stunning bicycle kick in Ghent debut

Korean midfielder Hong Hyun-seok arrived in Belgium in style on Friday, scoring with a bicycle kick in the 29th minute of his very first game with K.A.A. Gent.

A photograph posted on the official K.A.A. Gent Facebook page celebrates Hong Hyun-seok signing with the Belgian club. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korean midfielder Hong Hyun-seok arrived in Belgium in style on Friday, scoring with a bicycle kick in the 29th minute of his very first game with K.A.A. Gent.

Facing Oostende in a Belgian First Division game on the road at Albertpark in Ostend, Hong was out in front on the left wing rather than deeper in central midfield where he often plays.

Hong, who played 64 minutes in his league debut, picked up a cross from Alessio Castro-Montes deep in the box, turning on the spot and firing it over his head and past stunned goalkeeper Guillaume Hubert.

Hong Hyun-seok of K.A.A. Gent scores a bicycle kick against Oostende in his debut appearance in the Belgian First Division on Friday at Albertpark in Ostend. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Ghent went on to win the game 3-1 to move into second place in the First Division.

Hong joined the club earlier this week from Austrian side LASK in a deal reportedly worth 1.5 million euros ($1.5 million).

Hong, who was called up to the U-23 Korean national team for the first time this year, appeared in all three LASK games so far this season, picking up one assist and helping the club rise to the top of the Austrian Bundesliga with two wins and one draw.

Hong joined LASK in July last year and appeared in 23 games with the Austrian club, picking up five assists. He also played in eight Europa Conference League games, where he added two more assists and picked up a goal against Armenian side FC Alashkert in the group stage.

Hong is a rising star that has picked up three caps for the Korean U-23 team and played his youth career with Ulsan Hyundai in the K League. Before joining LASK he played for Austrian side Juniors OÖ and German club Unterhaching.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]