"An Everyday Expression in Korea"... BBC Highlights the Surprising Story Behind 'Leeds Days'

Now Used as an Everyday Term Meaning "Prime" or "Heyday"

"The expression 'Leeds days' in Korean originated from the transfer of a football star." On January 1 (local time), the British broadcaster BBC introduced the phrase 'Leeds days' in a story titled "How a Football Star’s Transfer Created a Korean Expression."

The BBC explained the background behind the birth of the trending term 'Leeds days' and how widely the word is used throughout Korea.

Alan Smith (right) and Cristiano Ronaldo during their Manchester United days. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to the report, 'Leeds days' stems from the story of Alan Smith, the star striker of Leeds United in the English Premier League (EPL), who transferred to rival club Manchester United in 2004 but failed to perform at his previous level.

Korean fans coined the neologism 'Leeds days' to refer to the period when Smith was at his peak, contrasting his outstanding performances at Leeds with his changed form after the transfer. At the time, interest in English professional football was surging in Korea as football legend Park Ji-sung joined Manchester United. As Park Ji-sung joined the club, the phrase 'Leeds days' spread rapidly and became a common term meaning 'the good old days.'

The BBC noted, "Smith could never have imagined that his transfer would spark a linguistic phenomenon thousands of kilometers away in Korea, one that continues to this day."

There have even been cafes and restaurants that used 'Leeds days'-meaning 'the good old days'-as their business names. Recently, the trend has shifted to omitting 'days' and simply using 'Leeds' as a term synonymous with one's prime or heyday.

The BBC reported, "'Leeds days' has now become a part of everyday language for Korea’s approximately 52 million people," adding, "Ironically, many of them may have never even heard of the city of Leeds or the player himself."

Dr. Xu Qier, a Korean language instructor at the University of Leeds, explained in an interview with the BBC, "'Leeds days' has evolved to refer to a person's youth or the peak of popularity or wealth for a superstar or singer." She also mentioned, "Recently, especially among younger generations, people often drop 'days' and simply use 'Leeds' to mean one's prime."