Hong Hyun-seok scores for K.A.A. Gent in 3-2 loss to Genk

Korean rising star Hong Hyun-seok picked up his first goal of the year on Sunday, opening the scoring as K.A.A. Gent took a tough loss at the hands of Belgian league leaders Genk.

K.A.A. Gent's Hong Hyun-seok, left, fights for the ball with Genk's Tolu Arokodare during a Belgian Pro League match in Ghent on Sunday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Korean rising star Hong Hyun-seok picked up his first goal of the year on Sunday, opening the scoring as K.A.A. Gent took a tough loss at the hands of Belgian league leaders Genk.

Hong’s goal came in the ninth minute, briefly putting the home side up at Ghelamco Arena in Ghent, Belgium before Genk tied things up in the 23rd minute.

The visitors scored twice in the second half, with Laurent Depoitre adding one more in the 88th minute for Gent to leave the score at 3-2 at full time, a disappointing loss for Hong’s side, but not an awful score for the No. 5 club against the league leaders.

Sunday’s goal was Hong’s eighth since joining the Belgian side from Austrian side LASK in a deal reportedly worth 1.5 million euros ($1.5 million) in August last year. He won the club’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month honors in October last year.

K.A.A. Gent's Hong Hyun-seok celebrates after scoring a goal during a Belgian Pro League match against Genk in Ghent on Sunday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Making a name for himself in Belgium after scoring a stunning bicycle in his very first appearance on Aug. 12, Hong went on to pick up his first assist two games later, on Sept. 1, scoring in the next game on Sept. 4 and picking up another assist on Sept. 11.

The 23-year-old quickly built on that success and established himself in October, scoring a brace during a Belgian Pro League match against Eupen on Oct. 9. On Oct. 27, Hong slotted in the all-important equalizer during the second half of Gent's match against Shamrock Rovers that kept Gent alive in the Europa Conference League.

He currently has five goals and four assists in the league, one goal and two assists in the UEFA Europa Conference League and two goals in the Belgian Cup.

Hong and the Gent squad will be back in action on Saturday when they face Westerlo, before the Europa Conference resumes the following week.

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