Lee Kang-in is representing South Korea at the 2026 World Cup, but the bigger question surrounding him right now has nothing to do with the tournament. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has reportedly struck a personal agreement with Atletico Madrid to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer — the same club he helped win back-to-back Champions League titles. Two seasons of being phased out has made the decision clear. His Paris chapter is closing. Meanwhile, do you know who he is dating? Here is what you need to know.
Who is Park Sang-hyo, Lee Kang-in's girlfriend?
Lee has kept his private life deliberately low-key throughout his rise at PSG. But his relationship with Park Sang-hyo has attracted notice, particularly within Korean media and expat communities in Paris. Park, born in 1999, comes from the Doosan Group family — one of South Korea's most prominent conglomerates. Her father serves as Vice Chairman of Doosan Bobcat Korea, and her grandfather previously chaired the wider Doosan Group. She was pursuing a graduate degree in France when she first connected with Lee's social circle.
Their story reportedly began in early 2024, when Lee's older sister introduced them through mutual friends in the Korean community in Paris. Since then, they have been spotted together at Roland Garros and at PSG title celebrations. Park has also been seen at matches at the Parc des Princes, becoming a familiar face among the players' partners. It is not a relationship they have pushed into public view. But it has not stayed quiet either.
What is Lee Kang-in's family background?
Behind Lee's career is a family that rebuilt their lives entirely around his football. He grew up in Incheon as the youngest of three children. When Valencia spotted him at just 10 years old, the entire family relocated to Spain without hesitation. His father, Lee Woon-seong, is a former special forces soldier and Taekwondo instructor with a lifelong passion for football. He actually moved to Spain ahead of the rest of the family to set up a Taekwondo studio, creating a financial base while Kang-in settled into youth football. His mother, Kang Sung-mi, worked as a kindergarten teacher and later in hospital administration before joining her husband in running the studio.
His older sister, Lee Jung-eun, is probably the most publicly known sibling. She appeared on the Korean sports variety show The Girls Who Beat Goals and showed genuine football ability herself. Now based in Paris, she is also the person who introduced Lee to Park Sang-hyo. His second older sister has remained entirely out of the spotlight — she quietly made the same move to Europe in 2011 to support the family's transition to Spanish life. Through all of it, the family has kept things grounded. That foundation has never really changed, even as Lee's profile has grown considerably.
Why is Lee Kang-in leaving PSG after winning the Champions League?
Two European titles in two years sounds like the dream. But Lee's reality at PSG looked very different from the headlines. Luis Enrique rarely trusted him in the big matches. Lee failed to appear in the final match in two consecutive UCL seasons, used exclusively as a substitute in all 10 Champions League appearances this term. In Ligue 1, he chipped in with goals and assists as a rotation player, but that was never the plan when he made the move from Mallorca in 2023. At 25, a player needs football. Regular football. And staying at PSG clearly was not going to give him that.
Lee has told representatives he would be "delighted to join" Atletico for the 2026/27 season, with discussions between Atletico and his camp already well underway. The Mateu Alemany connection matters here too. Lee worked with the Spanish director at both Valencia and Mallorca, and Alemany is now at Atletico. That relationship appears to have been central to this agreement forming months before any official approach. The fee is the remaining sticking point. PSG value Lee at around €35 million, while the potential deal taking shape sits closer to €25 million. Al-Khelaifi does not want to sell cheap, but he also has no appetite for keeping a player who clearly wants out. The PSG chairman does not want to keep a player against his will, especially one who never complained despite being a second-string player. That goodwill could end up being the bridge that closes the gap.
