Goals on the pitch, grace in the spotlight: How long-time Tottenham star Son Heung-Min quickly became game-changing face of LAFC

There are numerous facets of being a soccer superstar. It is impossible, in this landscape, to be just a fantastic player, one who pays no attention to the wider obligations of being an elite athlete. At the same time, it's difficult to be a worldwide brand and still be able to perform on the pitch.

This is not, it must be admitted, a harsh task, in relative terms. Being famous isn't that difficult - nor should it require the empathy of the average fan. 

But in MLS, there is a specific expectation placed on the guys who make the most money. This may be a far more stable league than it used to be, but it still leans heavily on stars and marquee signings. Yet at the same time, this country is no longer naive enough to be fooled by poor performances.

In other words, superstardom is now about both elite performance and public relations, from media obligations to helping the marketing and social media arms of a club to enhance the brand. You have to be able to do both. 

Historically, few have been able to do it. Sure, Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Zlatan Ibhrahmovic and Thierry Henry all played good footy and answered questions after full time. But that was a different league back then. There was still a bit of anonymity. And, in all honesty, fewer people were watching.

Last week, Son and the LAFC squad walked out of the team hotel in San Jose, California. Metal barricades were up, and fans in LAFC, Spurs and Korea jerseys stood behind them. Many pleaded for signatures of their shirts. One fan handed him a photo book. Selfie requests ran rampant. And Son took every second to sign every last one. 

It was a ruthlessly efficient scene, captured on social media. But it was also quite a novel in this era, a superstar taking the time to interact with fans - seven hours from his home stadium. Some would have gotten straight onto the team bus. Others might have taken one or two photos and waved a brisk goodbye. Yet Son took the time.

And so what? Guy signs autographs. This is what we expect of our heroes, right? They are supposed to do these things.

The reality, of course, is that many of them don't - especially in American soccer. And Son is certainly, quite comfortably, the second most famous footballer in MLS. No one will ever catch Lionel Messi. The Argentine gets his own stratosphere.

But Son has nearly 15 million Instagram followers. He has deals with Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Gillette and Samsung, among others. He is almost certainly the most famous Asian footballer on the planet. The symbolism is visceral - so much bigger than everyone else, so unattainable, yet taking any time for anything.

"He plays the game the right way. He's open and honest with the media. He gives great answers. He's always got a smile on his face," former USMNT midfielder Sacha Kljestan told GOAL. 

Then again, we were all told that this would be likely. Son is, well, a good bloke. He is the smiliest man in football, the definition of a nice guy. He has certainly profited from the brand of being a good dude.  And truth be told, it seems rather genuine. Even if it is impressive, Son's good nature is no real surprise.

What might be, though, is just how good he has been for LAFC - and so quickly. The stats make for fine reading: six matches (five of them starts), five goals, one assist. He is averaging a goal contribution every 77 minutes - a mark bested only by Messi in MLS.

And then there's the less tangible stuff. Son presses. Son runs the channels. Son makes the off ball movements that he knows won't lead to a pass, just to draw the attention of others. He creates spaces by being there alone.

He is scoring different kinds of goals, too. His first was a wonderful free kick, curled in from 30 yards - only the second set piece goal of his entire career. His second was a tap in at the far post. 

But his hat-trick in Wednesday night's win was most emblematic of his career. He bagged the first with a classic dart in behind the defense. He received a pass on the run, burned a defender, and tucked home. The second was a whipped, snarling thing into the bottom corner from 25 yards. And the third was a weak foot finish off a Denis Bouanga feed.

This is all rather good for LAFC, who have quietly done a wonderful job of overhauling their side. They endured a poor start to the season. Olivier Giroud was misfiring, and failing to work in Steve Cherundolo's system. It was widely assumed that they might sign Antoine Griezmann to make it all work. He committed his long term future to Atletico Madrid. Son was the unexpected answer.

And what an answer he has been. LAFC have lost just one of his six games. Either he or Bounaga have combined for every one of the team's last 10 goals. The Black and Gold are more fluid, better balanced. And, in all honesty, they're more watchable. Soccer is a product, and LAFC, in signing Son, have created a pretty good one. 

Another key element here is the way that Son seems to have taken to his teammates. These are the little glimpses into life that suggest something resembling harmony. When asked about his own performance Wednesday, Son swiftly went about thanking seemingly every single member of the LAFC team before acknowledging that he, too, had played quite a good game.

He and Bouanga do each other's celebrations. There are Instagram selifes, and lockerroom celebrations. 

"He'll play the right pass over taking the shot," former USMNT star Maurice Edu told GOAL. "He'll find ways to bring his team into the game. His body language and all that. His demeanor doesn't come across as whiny and complaining. It's more like, 'OK, how do I get my team motivated?' And those are valuable traits to have from a superstar."

In the short term, this is all good fun - and not really much more. LAFC will be a threat in the playoffs, likely host at least one home game, and, as long as they have Son, will feel they have a chance.

But Minnesota, Seattle and Vancouver are all comfortably better football teams. Playoffs are unpredictable, but LAFC aren't MLS cup favorites by any means. A couple of postseason wins - perhaps an Eastern Conference Finals exit - would be a performance on par with their relative quality. 

But after that, things get interesting. Cherundolo is leaving at the end of the season, returning to Germany - his adopted home. The new manager hunt will be captivating in its own right.

Jim Curtin, former Philadelphia Union boss, is in discussions to take over at New England. He is the only currently elite MLS proven coach on the market. They might pinch from elsewhere. They could also look to Europe or futher beyond (Ange Postecoglou is out of the picture - much to the scriptwriters' collective chagrin). 

The good news for LAFC is that the potential seems pretty boundless. Bouanga once seemed to want out. He appears bought in. Son is here for at least two more full seasons, and it's possible to see him staying longer.

It has been a whirlwind six weeks in Los Angeles. But in Son, LAFC have the superstar they knew they were getting - and perhaps a little more, too.