Chapter 199
Manchester United’s Asian tour officially kicked off with their arrival at Incheon International Airport.
[Robin van Persie absent from Asian tour due to World Cup injury.]
Despite a squad missing many key players due to World Cup commitments, fans welcomed the Manchester United players with warm applause.
Thus, Manchester United landed in Korea.
“Jinho, are you by any chance KIM’s son?”
Some United players expressed surprise at my popularity in Korea.
I gained a new nickname: Rocketman Junior.
Well, Rocketman Junior or even the son of North Korean Kim would all be jokes, after all.
After a famous British broadcaster erroneously reported that a North Korean midfielder won the Ballon d’Or, most people already knew I was from South Korea.
“I told you. In Korea, if you’re good at football, you’re a king! Hey, Jinho! We’re best buddies, right?”
Evra, who had visited Korea before, flaunted his knowledge about the country and began to show off.
[Schedule of K League disrupted by Manchester United’s visit. Netizens express dissatisfaction.]
Anyway, Manchester United’s visit stirred up a lot of buzz.
[Professional Football Federation, “An unavoidable sacrifice for the development of Korean football.”]
The K League schedule was postponed due to United’s visit, and the Professional Football Federation’s inadequate response led to much controversy among Korean league fans.
[Manchester United’s visit sparks active fan service, making headlines.]
Was it thanks to the active fan service by the United players?
[Cristiano Ronaldo’s kimchi eating broadcast. “Kimchi is delicious.”]
└ Damn, eating bulgogi and saying kimchi is tasty is just ridiculous.
└ Hahahahahaha
└ Ah, this is just absurd, I burst out laughing.
[Manchester United squad touring Gyeongbokgung in traditional hanbok.]
[Son Jinho feeding Ronaldo, dressed in a royal attire, spicy chicken noodles.]
└ Wow. That ramen is super spicy.
└ Son Jinho, hiding a Coolpis? You really are malicious, haha.
└ It’s nice to see the players getting along well.
The sentiment among Korean league fans quickly improved.
[Before the event match, Park Jisong’s retirement ceremony is set to take place at Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium.]
└ T.T Looks like an era is ending.
As match day approached, fans began sending warm shouts of support to the players, despite the sweltering heat.
“Glory! Glory, Man United!”
***
Before the match began, Jisong’s retirement ceremony was held once again at Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium.
A touching scene started as a child, inspired by Jisong, approached and handed him a bouquet.
Highlights of Jisong, the father of foreign football, were played.
“Park Jisong! Thank you for all your hard work!”
Jisong received applause from Korean football fans during his retirement ceremony.
Amidst many congratulations, Jisong, often misunderstood as just a pretty face, retired.
As the event ended, the whistle of the referee signaled the start of the match against the Korean All-Stars.
Ilkay Gündoan, who missed the World Cup due to injury, started as a starter.
“Jinho!”
Despite being a while since we played together, we had pretty good chemistry.
“Waahh!”
By the way, every time I received the ball, roars and cheers erupted from the stands.
It felt as if this place had become another Old Trafford.
[Here is another Old Trafford!]
Huh? Why is that actually real?
***
[Title: Another Old Trafford Banner Thread.]
(Fans hanging up “Here is another Old Trafford” banners.jpg)
These guys pulled out the banners as soon as the match started.
└ Didn’t they get roasted last time? Have they not learned yet?
└ For real, these guys haven’t changed one bit since the old days.
└ I saw some kid using informal speech towards Jisong earlier.
└ Sigh, what uneducated folks, tsk tsk.
└ Huh? Why is Son Jinho approaching the banner area?
└ Is he signaling to take it down?
└ Wow, haha, he really is a top-tier guy when it comes to personality.
***
Son Jinho gave a thumbs up to the fans taking down the banner and then ran back to defend in Manchester United’s half.
The crowd cheered and clapped for Son Jinho.
[What a wonderful scene of mutual respect.]
Son Jinho bowed his head towards the audience to express gratitude.
[The match will resume with a goal kick from the Korean league all-stars.]
And the resumed match unfolded with notable intensity.
Among the players selected as Korean All-Stars, some showed impressive performances and expressed a desire to break into Europe.
[The All-Star team is blocked by Chris Smalling. Following that is a counterattack from Manchester United!]
However, enthusiasm alone couldn’t bridge the gap in skill levels.
[The ball is headed toward Son Jinho!]
Son Jinho easily evaded pressure with a slight upper body feint, then sent a through pass to Kyle Walker, who was overlapping.
Immediately, he dashed forward.
“Drop back!!”
The Korean league all-star players, panicking at United’s trademark quick transition, urgently began to return to their defensive line.
“Delay it!!”
Kyle Walker, known for his speed even in the Premier League, easily tore through the right side with sheer speed.
Kyle Walker’s cross soared in, and Son Jinho inside the penalty box attempted a volley shot with his left foot.
As the shot hit the net perfectly, the stadium erupted with a howl.
“Woohoo─!”
Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium was filled with howling cheers.
***
[The friendly match ended with Manchester United winning 4-1.]
[Son Jinho, stopping a Manchester United fan who was about to hang the “This is another Old Trafford” banner.]
[Alex Ferguson praising Son Jinho, “To receive respect, one should also show respect to others.”]
[Cristiano Ronaldo, “Even without the banner, I could feel the love from Korean fans abundantly.”]
[After the match, the last two to stay and provide fan service were Ronaldo and Son Jinho.]
└ Ronaldo, tired, was passing by when Son Jinho stopped him for an autograph, T.T.
[After finishing their schedule, Manchester United departed for Japan, waving to fans… “See you again next time!”]
***
After the match with the Korean league all-stars ended, my family took the first flight back to the UK.
I joined the team to complete the Asian tour schedule.
The next stop for Korea was Japan.
True to a nation once claiming the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, my Ballon d’Or win was framed as a victory for Asia.
In the airport, I received a warm welcome from Japanese football fans.
“Nihon e wa jotto arimasen.”
As I greeted with my clumsy Japanese.
“Hey──!”
“Do you speak Japanese?”
“Jotto….”
“Sugee──!”
The enthusiastic reaction unfolded.
Well.
Maybe it would be better not to mention my new nickname, Rocketman Junior. It might trigger some trauma for the nice Japanese fans.
Anyway, just like in Korea, United players enjoyed Japanese culture and showed positive reactions.
Some friends from Japan spent free time in Akihabara.
Others, including me, played games in the hotel room.
For several days, we worked while enjoying tourism.
As match day approached, we played at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
– I want to feel the walls of the world! Thank you sincerely for competing with us!
Before the match started, adhering to the opposing coach’s sincere request, we did our best to play the first half.
[Son Jinho records 3 goals and 3 assists only in the first half.]
└ Damn, this is our legendary first team, you bastards!!
└ Korean legend’s first team >>> Unapproachable >>> Japanese legend’s first team, hahahaha!!
└ That’s not something to laugh about. Japan may be saying that for a mental win, but we’re serious, haha!
└ Wow. Damn, what’s going on?
└ Is Tokyo being bombed? Haha!
└ ???: Is Paris, no, is Tokyo on fire?
└ Tokyo hot lol
I managed to gain the nickname “Tokyo Hot” from Korean netizens.
As the first half ended, during the following halftime.
Seeing the dazed opponent coach, players, and fans, I pondered whether I should still give my all in the second half.
“Um… could you please, just a little bit?”
Thanks to the second appearing Kobe’s coach, the second half progressed in a friendly match style.
[It’s in! Vissel Kobe!! They successfully netted a consolation goal!]
[Players who regained confidence actively pressed on…]
[…Ugh… once again…. Son Jinho’s long-distance shot shakes Vissel Kobe’s net.]
[Incredible! Son Jinho! A shot taken from below the halfway line! It was perfectly placed into the goal!]
.
.
.
The match ended.
[Son Jinho achieved a hat trick in just the first 45 minutes against Vissel Kobe.]
[The friendly match concluded with a score of 8-2.]
[Vissel Kobe showing sad expressions.]
[Don’t hang your heads, Kobe! It was just that the wall of the world was too high!]
[Asia’s best player, Son Jinho speaks about Shinji Kagawa. “Kagawa is still a world-class player.”]
[Son Jinho did his best to fulfill the request for sincerity. Was his fan service also top-notch?]
[“Tokyo Hot” Son Jinho… capturing the hearts of Japanese women with his flashy techniques!]
└ Damn, the headline’s ridiculous, haha!
***
After finishing the schedule in Japan, we headed towards China.
“Cristiano, did you memorize the sentence I taught you?”
I educated Ronaldo about Chinese culture.
“Heh. Of course, Son Jinho. ‘I love Beijing Tiananmen.’ Perfectly memorized.”
