Meet Mike Testwuide, the American ice hockey player who stumbled across a place in South Korea's Olympic team

Exclusive interview: The 30-year-old was knocking around America's minor hockey leagues when he bought a one-way ticket to South Korea, and the country has embraced him

Mike Testwuide: 'The league is a hidden gem. We don’t really want people to know about it' (Cirque)

Before all of his ice hockey matches at the Winter Olympics, Mike Testwuide will go through the same ritual, reciting the words of the South Korean national anthem in his head. They have been etched in the 6ft 3in American’s mind since the first time he sang them, when he stood in front of a panel attempting to win citizenship. “It’s pretty average,” he says of his singing voice. “But I passed.”

Testwuide’s story is both unique and fascinating, an opportunist with nothing to lose who is about to become an Olympian, representing a country who adopted him as their own. He has embraced South Korea, and now the 30-year-old could even play against the United States in the Games. That would be “a little weird”, the Coloradan admits, “but when I’m playing at the Olympics I’m playing for my country, South Korea, for sure.”

That prospect seemed unfathomable five years ago, when Testwuide was knocking about in America’s minor leagues with his dream of playing in the NHL slowly fading. He was traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Calgary Flames but little changed as he fought for a call-up that wouldn't come.

Testwuide playing for the Philadelphia Flyers (Getty)

So he went searching for a new challenge, and asked an agent to tout his talent in Europe when he stumbled across an opportunity in South Korea. “At first we didn’t really think much of it – ‘There can’t be hockey there, it can’t be that good’. Then the more we looked into it, the legitimacy of the league was there and some great players had played there. It was like, ‘Wow, this is actually a real thing’. They paid great, it seemed a little too good to be true. The more we researched into it, I just couldn’t say no.”

In autumn 2013, Testwuide bought a one-way ticket to Anyang, a dense city in Seoul’s sprawl surrounded by mountains. “I didn’t really know what I was getting into, I just wanted to revive my career and my love for the game. But I loved it right away, the people were so nice to me and I just fitted right in. It was a little bit of culture shock at the beginning but it’s a great city, a great place to live.”

He thrived playing for Anyang Halla and soon caught the attention of the national coach, a South Korea-born Canadian called Jim Paek tasked with bringing foreign players into the team ahead of the country’s home Games in Pyeongchang. Testwuide was selected, along with a handful of Canadian players, but first he had to become a fully fledged South Korean.

His application was fast-tracked on the back of his sporting prowess but he still faced a challenging citizenship test, relaying significant dates in the country’s history before reciting the anthem word for word. He passed, joined up with the national team, and quickly became an integral part. Now Testwuide is on the verge of becoming and Olympian.

Mike Testwuide (Getty)

He is laidback and low key, but reveals a passion for the hockey he has discovered in South Korea. The Asia League includes teams from Japan, China and Russia and has provided more than just a career reboot but a chance to travel and experience new places. “The league is a hidden gem and we don’t really want people to know about it,” he laughs. “But the word’s getting out. It’s a great life, a great league. It’s really fast and skilled but it’s also less physical on the body, which really helps the longevity of your career.”

He believes South Korea have a great chance of surprising some of the sport’s established nations in Pyeongchang. Ironically for a team with several multi-nationals, it is their “chemistry” which Testwuide says will elevate their performance, having spent the last few years playing and preparing for the Olympics.

Ice hockey will be under particular scrutiny in Pyeongchang following the recent announcement that North and South Korea will submit a unified women’s team, under a unified flag wearing unified jerseys. Testwuide says the South Korean women were stunned by the decision so close to the Games, and admits he is quietly glad the men’s team have not been asked to do the same.

“It would definitely conflict, it would be a really hard thing to swallow. When you have such a tight bond with the guys, and then you’re bringing in 12 other guys who you don’t even know, you don’t know their skills, you don’t know anything about them, two weeks before the Olympics – it’s a tough scenario.

“But at the same time it’s one of the biggest things in the world, if these two countries can come to peace. It’s a big step in the right direction for both countries. It’s just kind of sad that it happened at the last minute.”

What he is not conflicted by is his national identity. He is a proud American, who misses his mum and dad and the Colorado Rockies, and he is a proud South Korean, too. That part has come about more by luck than judgment, but Testwuide has embraced it all the same.

“I’m playing for my country, South Korea, and I’m with these guys, my team-mates. These are the guys I’ve battled with for the last five years. It would be pretty easy to go into a game against the US because I know these guys have my back, and I definitely have theirs.”