Since making his senior football debut in 2013, Kim Bong-jin has played for Eastern Asian clubs.

From South Korean club Gangwon to Hong Kong side Kitchee, the industrious midfielder has over 200 matches under his belt, and it was during his time in Hong Kong that he really etched his name.

From 2016 to 2019, the 29-year-old helped Kitchee win the Hong Kong Premier League twice and also the Hong Kong FA Cup twice.

For the first time in his career, he journeyed to South-East Asia last year, going to Vietnam where he played for Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

It was during that time that he visited Malaysia. He was instantly hooked.

“I came to Malaysia last year for a vacation, and I liked it. I thought it would be great to live here, ” he said.

“The culture, food, city and the people are just infectious. You just want more of it. Every single thing, especially in Kuala Lumpur, was interesting to me, and I wanted more of it.

“That is when I scouted for teams in Malaysia, especially those in the Klang Valley and I got to know about Petaling Jaya City.”

While the club may have lost their former talisman Bae Beom-geun, who left the club due to a shoulder injury, they are beginning to warm-up to Bong-jin’s work rate.

Beom-geun is known for his creativity in the middle of the park, but Bong-jin brings work rate and versatility, as he can play as a defensive midfielder or centreback.

Even though he has only played in two out of team’s three games in the Super League, he did say that the league has been exciting.

“I have been in Malaysia for two months, and I have been satisfied. As for the team, we have gained satisfactory results by getting a win and a draw.

“It is my hope that we get better physically and mentally when the league resumes.

“The league looks challenging, but it is too early for me to give a full review of the competition.

“I just want to do my best for the club.

“The club management and coaches are very professional and caring towards the players. For me, I want to help the team finish in the top five.”