Son Heung-min, a forward for Tottenham Hotspur, issued a warning, saying that the Asian Cup was "all about commitment" as South Korea attempted to snap a 64-year title drought.
On Monday, the Koreans began their campaign in Qatar with a 3-1 victory over Bahrain. This is Captain Son's fourth tournament appearance.
However, he had a terrible time in front of goal, missing two excellent opportunities before earning a late yellow card for diving into the Bahrain box.
"We have a fantastic team and amazingly talented players, but it's all about commitment," Son said afterward.
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"We have an unbelievable team but haven't won it for 64 years, so it's pretty long.
"We have just one aim -- to make it special with this team and make it a special year."
Lee Kang-in, an attacking midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, outperformed Son against Bahrain, scoring two goals in the second half to rescue Jurgen Klinsmann's team.
South Korea's squad for the tournament also includes Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae.
Son made his Asian Cup debut in Qatar in 2011 and was part of the team that lost to Australia in the 2015 final.
He said, "You can't compare any team" from previous tournaments, but he is confident in the current side's abilities.
"I want to make a special Asian Cup for myself and for my country," he said.
