Jamaal Lascelles' South Korea tour diary | OneFootball

Monday, 28th July 2025

When we arrived at Incheon International Airport, the first thing I noticed was the energy of the people in Seoul. They're so friendly, enthusiastic and happy, and the welcome they gave the team in the terminal was as if we were superheroes! It was amazing to see the smiles on their faces and it was a new experience for me.

I was honestly quite surprised to see so many supporters there for us, but it's great to witness first hand that our support reaches Asia to that level and it shows how big Newcastle United is; the history, the players that have come and gone over the years - including Ki Sung-yueng, who I played with between 2018 and 2020 - and what the club means to people all over the world. It was a fantastic turnout and a wonderful feeling for the players and, I hope, the supporters too.

Tuesday, 29th July 2025

I'd slept quite a lot on the flight from Singapore, so when I got to the hotel I couldn't really sleep so pretty much stayed awake, went straight into training and then slept when we got back. We're still trying to acclimatise and adjust to the time difference, but we're getting there.

As well as the time difference and jet lag, we're also still getting used to the climate, the heat and the pitches. It's a mental and physical test but it's what we get paid to do and I'm just happy that I'm here and involved and able to do it. I'm enjoying every minute - I'd probably never have come on holiday to South Korea, but we'll certainly make the most of being here.

There's a little games area in the hotel, so some of the lads are playing ping-pong and pool, but because of all the travelling, most of the downtime we get at the moment is just rest and recovery because training has been so intense. But hopefully over the next couple of days, we'll get the chance to do some sightseeing and walk around the malls - I've heard they've got really good skincare products out here, so I might get some of that.

Wednesday, 30th July 2025

After breakfast we all had a walk out for a coffee at a local café. I'm a flat white man, even in this heat - we went indoors, so it was air-conditioned! - and it was nice to get our legs going and see a little bit of Seoul.

The rest of the morning was spent just preparing for the game against Team K League, then it ended up being quite a long journey to the Suwon World Cup Stadium due to traffic. But that's what pre-season is about - reacting to what's thrown at you and getting on with it - and I think we did that.

It was a shame we couldn't get something from the game in terms of the result but we experienced completely different conditions, a different style of play, an unfamiliar pitch and a different ball. There was even music playing during the game, but that's the beauty of sports; experiencing different cultures and going to different countries to play in different stadiums and in front of different crowds, so we can definitely grow from the performance.

It was my first 90 minutes since March 2024 and it's a feeling I've really missed. To tick that off is massive for me going forwards, so I'm happy in that aspect. And again, the supporters out here were similar to how they were when they greeted us at the airport, giving Seung-soo Park in particular a great reception when he came on.

Thursday, 31st July 2025

We got back quite late from the game, so we had something of a lie in. That was followed by a recovery session in the hotel pool, some dynamic stretching and a little spin on the bikes.

In the afternoon, a lot of the lads went into the shopping mall - I think several of them got some face products - and played some pool. From what I've seen, Anthony Gordon is probably the man when it comes to that. He's just so competitive and played it a lot as a kid, but the standard is pretty good. I can't really single out anyone who isn't any good.

It's nice to have the pool table and ping-pong here because it gets the lads together and creates a good environment. Today was all about recovering, being off your feet and starting to prepare again for the game on Sunday.

Friday, 1st August 2025

We trained today, but for those of us who played on Wednesday it was quite a light session and those who didn't play against Team K League did a little bit more. It's sensible from the manager and coaching staff, keeping us physically in good shape in preparation for Sunday.

On the afternoon, the players went out and met fans and partners at various events, then there was a baseball game on the evening - Kiwoom Heroes against Lotte Giants - which a few of the boys and staff went to watch. I went to the shopping mall instead, and we probably had half the mall following three or four of us around! The people are so friendly and they're excited and grateful to see Premier League football players in their environment, so it's nice to get a chance to interact with them.

Saturday, 2nd August 2025

After another demanding training session, I walked to the mall again and got some more face cream!

There's a shop here that's got some of the best products around, so word spread and you go in and half the team's in there buying eye serum and lip moisturiser. Everybody is stocking up because you can't get most of it back home.

The boys are all glowing so if you think everyone's looking good when we get back to action in the Premier League, that's why!

Sunday, 3rd August 2025

A 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at the Seoul World Cup Stadium was a good result against opposition we know well in front of 66,473, and it was a fitting way to end the trip with a strong performance.

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, I followed Will Osula around the shopping mall for a little bit - he wanted a suitcase or something - then had a little nap and got ready for the game. It was billed as Son Heung-min's last game for Spurs, and although I don't know him personally I played against him several times and it was clear how good of a man he is. To perform at the level he has in the Premier League for so many years is some achievement and it was nice to give him a good send-off. I wish him all the best in his next chapter.

Mark Gillespie also came on in goal for the second half. Mark is an unsung hero. Of course, you have the boys who play week in and week out but there are others, like him, who don't get the same spotlight but are there every single day putting in hard graft, making sure that everyone's ready, staying after training and putting on drills for the strikers. He's huge for us around the place and it was pleasing to see him rewarded for that this evening. He's a local lad and I was over the moon for him.

I'm writing this on the plane home and it's been a really, really productive trip and a truly amazing experience which we have all enjoyed. That said, we're all looking forward now to getting to see our families and friends and get back to reality at the training ground.

And it'll be exciting to be back at St. James' Park next weekend for the matches against Espanyol and Atlético Madrid. I've not played there for so long due to my injury, so I'm looking forward to being part of that, and hopefully we can pick up a couple of wins to put us in good stead for the upcoming season.