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Crowds of fans ignore Son Heung-min’s pleas as he starts military service in Korea
new
Gary Jacob
Monday April 20 2020, 12.00pm, The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/topic/armed-forces
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/topic/south-korea
Son, second right in the black cap, begins a three-week programme on Jeju Island
Son Heung-min entered the South Korean navy today to undertake three weeks of mandatory military service.
The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who is also captain of his national side, is such a popular figure that his first mission had been to ask fans not to gather outside the gates of the complex on the volcanic Jeju Island, 64km south of the Korean Peninsula, so they would not break social distancing rules and spread coronavirus.
Unfortunately they did not listen. Arriving by car and wearing a tracksuit, green jacket and facemask, Son was met by crowds of fans, around 80 local residents and more than 20 reporters and photographers. It has become a theme in South Korea for fans to want to pass on their good wishes to famous sports people and artists as they enter military service.
With the Premier League season suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, Son returned home with his parents to fulfil his commitments. He must complete a basic programme of around 23 days despite gaining an exemption from the full 21 months’ military service by winning a gold medal with South Korea in the football tournament at the Asian Games in 2018.
Son is the country’s top footballer and one of the biggest sports stars above many baseball players. Last summer a six-part documentary about his life called Sonsational was aired in the country and watched by millions of people. During the club’s tour to Asia last summer one fan got so excited that they jumped the advertising hoardings to try to get to Son, only to be stopped by a club coach.
Son took the idea and a few minutes later sneaked up on his team-mates, pretending to be a pitch invader. A member of the backroom staff was ready to pounce on him until they realised who it was — he is the club prankster at Tottenham.
He is a popular figure at the club: on his first day at Tottenham back in 2015, after signing from Bayer Leverkusen, he arranged for Korean food to be delivered for his team-mates at the training ground.
Son has a legion of loyal fans who watch him play for Tottenham
After his first home game he was swamped by requests for interviews from the Korean media. His father stopped him and Son bowed three times to the media in respect. Since then he stops to chat to them after every game. When Son scored a hat-trick early on at the club, his father was waiting for him outside White Hart Lane, clutching the match-day ball.
Outside the training ground in Enfield, a group of around 30 Korean fans assemble every day in a nearby layby. Son knows they are there, pulls over and signs autographs. Yet the 27-year-old is a reluctant star. He lives with his parents in a three-bedroom flat in Hampstead, north London.
Son has enlisted with the 9th Marine Brigade which is said to be the usual choice for people in the arts, sport and social services. In addition, civilians have to spend three weeks with the navy but four weeks with the army.
During his military service Son faces challenges including a 30km group march, chemical warfare training and live-firing exercises as part of the three-week programme.
new
Gary Jacob
Monday April 20 2020, 12.00pm, The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/topic/armed-forces
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/topic/south-korea
Son, second right in the black cap, begins a three-week programme on Jeju Island
Son Heung-min entered the South Korean navy today to undertake three weeks of mandatory military service.
The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who is also captain of his national side, is such a popular figure that his first mission had been to ask fans not to gather outside the gates of the complex on the volcanic Jeju Island, 64km south of the Korean Peninsula, so they would not break social distancing rules and spread coronavirus.
Unfortunately they did not listen. Arriving by car and wearing a tracksuit, green jacket and facemask, Son was met by crowds of fans, around 80 local residents and more than 20 reporters and photographers. It has become a theme in South Korea for fans to want to pass on their good wishes to famous sports people and artists as they enter military service.
With the Premier League season suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, Son returned home with his parents to fulfil his commitments. He must complete a basic programme of around 23 days despite gaining an exemption from the full 21 months’ military service by winning a gold medal with South Korea in the football tournament at the Asian Games in 2018.
Son is the country’s top footballer and one of the biggest sports stars above many baseball players. Last summer a six-part documentary about his life called Sonsational was aired in the country and watched by millions of people. During the club’s tour to Asia last summer one fan got so excited that they jumped the advertising hoardings to try to get to Son, only to be stopped by a club coach.
Son took the idea and a few minutes later sneaked up on his team-mates, pretending to be a pitch invader. A member of the backroom staff was ready to pounce on him until they realised who it was — he is the club prankster at Tottenham.
He is a popular figure at the club: on his first day at Tottenham back in 2015, after signing from Bayer Leverkusen, he arranged for Korean food to be delivered for his team-mates at the training ground.
Son has a legion of loyal fans who watch him play for Tottenham
After his first home game he was swamped by requests for interviews from the Korean media. His father stopped him and Son bowed three times to the media in respect. Since then he stops to chat to them after every game. When Son scored a hat-trick early on at the club, his father was waiting for him outside White Hart Lane, clutching the match-day ball.
Outside the training ground in Enfield, a group of around 30 Korean fans assemble every day in a nearby layby. Son knows they are there, pulls over and signs autographs. Yet the 27-year-old is a reluctant star. He lives with his parents in a three-bedroom flat in Hampstead, north London.
Son has enlisted with the 9th Marine Brigade which is said to be the usual choice for people in the arts, sport and social services. In addition, civilians have to spend three weeks with the navy but four weeks with the army.
During his military service Son faces challenges including a 30km group march, chemical warfare training and live-firing exercises as part of the three-week programme.
