Han Kwang-song, 27, was chosen by CONAN Daily as the Mister Frontier International 2025 candidate of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Launched on December 21, 2025, the contest is an exclusive digital search curated by the publication to spotlight the world’s most elusive and underrepresented nations in beauty pageants such as his home country.
Han Kwang-song
Han is a professional footballer who holds several historic records for North Korean athletics. In 2017, while playing for Cagliari, he became the first North Korean to ever play and score a goal in Italy’s Serie A. His talent led to a high-profile move to Juventus in 2019, making him the first Asian player to be called up to the Juventus first team. Following a stint with Al-Duhail in Qatar where he won the Qatar Stars League title, his overseas career was halted due to international sanctions.
After a three-year period of absence from international view, Han returned to Pyongyang, North Korea and joined April 25 Sports Club (4.25 SC), the nation’s most successful domestic football team. In his homeland, he is regarded as a premier athletic talent and a symbol of international achievement. He is admired for his technical proficiency as a striker and his resilience in maintaining a professional standard of play despite significant interruptions to his career.
North Korea is a sovereign state in East Asia known for its unique political structure and restricted international access. Economically, the country prioritizes self-reliance with a focus on agriculture and heavy industry. Socially, it is a highly organized society with a deep emphasis on national identity and collective sports, particularly through the Arirang Mass Games. The nation is characterized by its mountainous terrain, including the sacred Paektu Mountain and its meticulously planned capital city Pyongyang.
Mister Chollima Frontier 2025
The year 2025 has seen Han continue his role as a talisman for North Korean football. Following his public reemergence in late 2023, he has been a consistent member of the North Korea national football team throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying cycle. His participation in matches against Syria and Myanmar in 2024 officially marked his return to the international stage.
Throughout 2025, Han has remained the face of the North Korean Premier Football League as the lead striker for April 25 SC. His journey remains a testament to his individual skill and his standing as the most globally recognized athlete from his nation, continuing to represent North Korean football at its highest possible domestic and regional levels.
At Mister Frontier International 2025, Han is awarded by CONAN Daily the Mister Chollima Frontier 2025 title for his unprecedented history in European football and his continuous representation of his nation in the 2025 World Cup qualifying cycle. On December 26, 2025, he was selected as one of the 15 finalists.
Including Han, a total of 35 men were selected by CONAN Daily as candidates of the inaugural edition of Mister Frontier International. The winner will be crowned on December 30, 2025.
CONAN Daily 