The Golden Dragons, who returned home after clinching a historic gold medal in the recent 2019 SEA Games, will depart for Korea Republic on Friday.

Midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai and goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung are just some of the familiar players named for the training camp, but Doan Van Hau - who plays for Netherlands' SC Heerenveen - will not be joining his compatriots due to club commitments.

The tournament kicks off on January 8 and will act as the qualifying campaign for the Tokyo Olympics, with the top three sides to book their tickets to the Games this summer, which will be the first to be staged in Asia since Beijing 2008.

But while Japan’s place is already secured as hosts, Moriyasu believes that the AFC U23 Championship provides the perfect platform for the future and one which could help fill his side with belief should they repeat their feat of 2016 by claiming the title.

Holders Uzbekistan will be looking to repeat their feat from China two years ago while Japan are aiming to return to the form that saw them lift the AFC U23 Championship trophy in Qatar in 2016.

But, after initially being scheduled to take place in mid-2013, the inaugural edition of one of the newest competition’s in the AFC calendar came in 2014 when – as the then AFC U-22 Championship – Iraq conquered all before them in a tournament that saw a number of Asia’s modern-day stars play key roles.

The AFC U23 Championship, that began in 2014 as the AFC U-22 Championship, has been filled with fantastic fixtures and great games throughout the three editions of the tournament hosted so far in Oman, Qatar and China PR.

Here are five classics to enjoy and whet the appetite for the action to come at Thailand 2020.

Hao Wei, who replaced Guus Hiddink at the helm in September, picked seven Shandong Luneng players to complement his roster for Thailand 2020, which also serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Thailand will host 15 teams from January 8-26 and besides regional glory, the fourth edition of the Championship is also offering three spots in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The young War Elephants were drawn with 2013 champions Iraq, Australia and debutants Bahrain, who they will play their Group A opener against, in Thursday's official draw in Bangkok.

The fourth edition of the Championship will be played across three cities - Bangkok, Buriram and Songkhla - with the tournament kicking off on January 8, and the final to be played on January 26.

Besides Continental glory, 15 of the 16 teams will also be competing for places in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the top three sides will join hosts Japan as Asia's representatives next July.