The whole world praises his son as ‘the best in the world’, but there is a father who refutes, saying, “It is absolutely not ‘world-class'” Hansako. Although he confessed that “to be honest, I loved my son a lot,” people laugh, parody, and go crazy while watching the video. It is the story of Son Woong-jeong (60), the father of Son Heung-min (30), who is playing for Tottenham Hotspur, and the coach of Son Soccer Academy.
Coach Son has always avoided public relations and media exposure as much as possible, but the more he hides, the more curious he is regarding the father who helped his son grow into one of the best footballers in the world. The video in which Director Son said “Heung-min is absolutely not world-class” in an interview in the past has been viewed over 3 million times, and comically parodied videos are also recording hundreds of thousands of views. Even a video showing Son’s old career as a professional soccer player during his active career has been viewed more than 2 million times.
His book ‘Everything starts with the basics’ (Seo Seojae), published in October last year, has grown three to five times in sales since May when Son Heung-min became the top scorer in the English Premier League. There is also a reverse run in the bestseller rankings of each bookstore. The author’s autograph session held at the Kyobo Bookstore in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th was a small event scheduled for an hour, but lasted for nearly two hours as a lot of fans flocked to it. Among academics and critics, there is a saying that “If Director Son Woong-jung puts his mind to it, it will have a huge ripple effect on the lectures, publishing and broadcasting industries.” Their analysis is that director Sohn’s leadership and philosophy have an appeal that transcends gender and generations.
◇#I don’t want to be the father of the crowd #Heung-Min Son
However, Director Son seems to have no intention of doing so. The press and lecture circles have been pouring in requests for roles for a long time, but the number of times they have been accepted is counted. The only thing that showed his true feelings was his involvement in the book he wrote and the documentary Son Heung-min aired on a cable channel in 2019. On the 12th, when Gangwon Education Superintendent Shin Kyung-ho suggested, “I want a Son Heung-min street to be built in Chuncheon,” Director Son said, “There has been talk like that for years, but that’s not the case.” said
Why is he so stingy? Son’s acquaintances said, “He is a person with excessive humility and is extremely wary of causing trouble to his son. Even though he’s in his 60’s, the way he greets each other at a 90 degree angle wherever he goes is often talked regarding among soccer fans.
“In front of the question, ‘How proud are you, how proud are you, how happy are you? That’s right, fear. I said when Heung-min received awards from childhood, he said, ‘Congratulations, you worked hard, and when you come home, separate the awards and plaques and come in.’ When they are satisfied with their achievements, they sit down. I was afraid of it.” – from ‘Everything starts with the basics’
Director Sohn’s endless humility and low attitude is not a simple appearance or risk avoidance, but a philosophy that supports life. The correct attitude toward life, as he says, is ‘people’s outing, low in popularity’. “People should be afraid of being famous, and pigs should be afraid of gaining weight.”
Fans give their thumbs up, saying, “It is thanks to his father’s philosophy that Son Heung-min, who has become a world star, maintains a humble attitude.” A cultural critic said, “If you become famous even a little, don’t you have a strong climate to gain money or popularity? “He said.
◇#I am a third-rate soccer player#relentless self-reflection
Born in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do in 1962, coach Sohn started playing soccer when he was in the sixth grade of elementary school and played professional players at Sangmu Soccer Team, Hyundai Tiger (currently Ulsan Hyundai), and Ilhwa Chunma (currently Seongnam FC). retired 7 goals in 37 professional games. Regarding his active days, coach Son devalues himself as a ‘third-rate player’ and ‘run like a dog running in shock’.
But the football world is different. On October 18, 1983, the Chosun Ilbo reported that Son Woong-jung, who participated in the 38th National Junior High and High School Soccer Championships for the Blue Dragon Flag, performed his first official hat-trick and his first hat-trick in the match once morest Youngwang High School. From the time he entered Chuncheon High School through Soyang Middle School, his speed and dexterity gained a reputation.” Also, “63 kg at 1m72cm. As a soccer player, he is relatively short, but his quickness, shooting handling, and dribbling are top-notch in high school. Sohn Woong-jung showed a humble appearance, saying, “It’s my first time playing soccer, so I’m more confused than happy.”
“I was ashamed of the content of the football I played. Even if I didn’t have the basics, I had to pay the grades. I ran to death, and my body quickly broke down. Having dreamed of becoming a youth soccer coach has given me the realization that we shouldn’t be doing what we’ve always been doing.”
Instead of rationalizing his active career that fell short of his football ideal, he gave his son a football education that emphasizes the basics through desperate reflection, and as a result, his son grew up to be one of the best players in the world. Son Heung-min said, “My football is entirely my father’s work.”
“When Heung-min first signed with Hamburg, when he scored his debut goal in the Bundesliga, people said that he was ‘a player who appeared like a comet’. However, there is no such thing as a player who appeared like a comet in this world. It was only then that the basic skills that were built up one following another were only realized.”
◇#Beginning #Responsibility #Strict education
Fans say that Son Woong-jung’s charm is ‘leading by example’. When coach Son was teaching young Son Heung-min, he always demonstrated first and trained the same. In a video of him doing push-ups while doing push-ups to the players of the Hand Soccer Academy, comments like “I’ve never seen a teacher like that in my life” and “I really admire you” are lined up.
Director Son said in the book, “Exercise ‘with children’ is my training principle. I only do it for the children and I don’t stand with arms crossed.” In fact, Son Heung-min also said regarding the harsh training as a child, “I mightn’t stop because my father trained the same next to me.”
“I raised my children really harshly. It repeats as if dripping water fell and pierced the rock. It required persistence and persistence. That’s where the basics start. My father mightn’t have told me that he was scared, but she must have been bored and exhausted. When she trained Heung Yun-i and Heung-min-i, she even heard a voice saying, ‘Are you a stepfather?’ Looking back on those harsh times, I feel very sorry for the children. There are many times when I still cry alone in my heart.”
◇#Children do not belong to their parents
Coach Son said, “I never thought that Heung-min would be successful as a soccer player or make some money by becoming a professional player while playing soccer together since childhood.” The reason he taught Son Heung-min strictly was that it was never his own greed or greed as a parent. Rather, he said, “It is because the greatest happiness is to show off my skills on the pitch as a soccer player.” He said that he might enjoy greater happiness as a soccer player only when he was taught rigorously and became a proper player.
“There is one thing that parents make a big mistake. Children do not belong to their parents. Even if it is a child born to me, the child has another life unique to the child. If you are anxious and anxious, take a look. It all stems from the greed of the parents.”
Although he was a strict father during training, the reason for the strong relationship between the rich and the father is that coach Son said, “It was because he had to put his heart into it and take care of it following death.” He also said, “Don’t be swayed by your emotions or damage your personality. In a way, I tried to keep things that were taken for granted.”
“When parents are calm, children become strong. The children had to develop the power to control themselves. If you can’t control yourself, you can’t control any situation. If you don’t control, you are controlled. You have to be able to control the public road and life by yourself and lead it in the direction you want.”
◇#Unstoppable rich chemistry
Because of director Sohn’s bitter impression, some people misunderstand Son Woong-jung and Son Heung-min as an authoritarian relationship. However, this is limited to training. “They look like close friends, exchanging jokes without hesitation outside of football,” said a person who watched the two of them. In the football world, there was an evaluation that “the two have good personal chemistry”. Director Son is serious and strict in everything he does, while Heung-min Son is optimistic and friendly, so they created a synergy of growth.
Regarding director Son, fans also say, “It looks scary, but it’s like a ‘tsundere’ that only my son knows.” Coach Son always hugs his son when he goes to the game and says, “Today, empty your mind, let go of greed, and don’t worry regarding winning or losing, come and play a happy game.” However, he does not eat properly that day.
“When Heung-min has a game, I give up eating. This is because there is not a day when Heung-min doesn’t pretend to eat anything on the day of the game. It was because I was so nervous that I might not even open my hardened face for a moment. The only sound in my heart watching the game is, ‘Today, Heung-min should finish a happy game without injury… ‘to be. I have never been able to comfortably watch a game, and I am destined to not be able to comfortably watch the game of my favorite soccer player.”