At the 2023 Asian Cup, captain Son Heung-min and youngest-class Lee Kang-in collided, Son Heung-min's finger injury, and Jordan lost 0-2 and failed to advance to the semifinals. As a result, Lee Kang-in, the national shot-dol, became a public defender. As Lee Kang-in went to London and apologized to Son Heung-min, and Son Heung-min forgave, the “ping-pong gate” came to an end. 토토
It is not just yesterday and today that a national curse like Lee Kang-in appears at a major event with great public interest. This is a scene that has been experienced a lot in Korean society. The public interest turned into anger through the process of the failure of the tournament, and a scapegoat was designated to relieve this anger. And it really brutally shot back. This time, it was just Lee Kang-in.
Why does the Korean society constantly reveal itself like this? How does Korea look to foreigners? “Football Paradise,” a global soccer news release, reported foreigners' view of the “ping-pong gate.” Here's how they see each other.
No words are enough to express how angry South Korea is about falling in the 2023 Asian Cup.
Many posts have been posted online pointing out the incompetence of manager Jurgen Klinsmann and president of the Korea Football Association Chung Mong-kyu. And there was a disgusting offensive aimed at Lee Kang-in.
The abuse on the 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has revealed ugly parts of Korean society that are too frightening for them. It is a toxic component of Korean culture. It can negatively affect the lives of Koreans and soccer players. It is time to realize this.
The background of this situation is the news of the alleged clash between captain Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in ahead of the semifinals against Jordan in the Asian Cup. Many Koreans were shocked. The simple fight over table tennis later turned into a national scandal, with companies canceling Lee Kang-in's advertisements and some Korean soccer fans demanding that Lee Kang-in be banned from playing for the national team permanently. The direct hit of the Ping Pong gate came to Agingin.
Korea inserts moral provisions into its celebrities. Any hint of wrongdoing, regardless of what is confirmed or claimed unilaterally, can lead to burial. This process happens too quickly. Whether proven true or proven to be false, the subject can lead to ruin with tremendous criticism.
For example, just a few months ago, an actor named Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was accused of using illegal drugs and was eventually found dead. Despite several negative drug tests, the Korean police called him several times to investigate and present him to the media. Negative public opinion led to his burial, which eventually drove him down the road.
I thought the Korean public would have learned from this witch hunt. But I saw thousands of disgusting posts on social media directed at Lee Kang-in. Some of them called for his retirement from the national team, while others accused him of deliberately interfering with the success of the Asian Cup. It was a terrible way to aim for a player who was considered the next star of Korean soccer.
Lee Kang-in is not the only soccer player suffering from the abuse of his fans. Striker Hwang Sun-hong, who recently became the interim coach of the Korean national team, was constantly criticized for his poor performance in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Hwang was not saved until he scored the winning goal in the first match against Poland in the 2002 World Cup, even though he was one of the most talented players of his generation.
Of course, fans in other countries criticize their national team players. But not as fast as Korea, which boasts the fastest Internet speed in the world. Koreans are always looking at their cell phones.
Fans who don't know Lee Kang-in are asking what kind of crime Lee Kang-in committed to get that much hate. Instead of talking about Lee Kang-in's world-class skills, it's very sad to have to explain that the table tennis controversy has erupted into a national scandal.
It makes no sense to cover up even when a soccer player is admitted to be guilty. However, it is too much to bury a soccer player due to a simple locker room problem. It is not a crime that can be punished by law.
He also knows that Korean team sports, which have a Confucian culture background, have a culture of respect for seniors. However, the obsession with a top-down approach can cause toxicity to the national team. Guus Hiddink did not break this mold in the 2002 World Cup, unlike previous Korean soccer teams. The result was a semifinal.
The next coach should take steps to find a balance between respecting tradition and protecting young players. The new generation of players born after 2000 does not think or play the same way as their predecessors. Like it or not, more emphasis is placed on creativity and showmanship.
The Korea Football Association is expected to appoint a new coach around May. Some fans hope to take the time, reflect on how they treat their players, and realize that what they say can actually come out as a result.
