Former national soccer player and much-loved "Jjin Geon-Na-Bly" dad Park Joo-ho is suffering from unexpected cyberbullying.
Park Joo-ho played in the 2025 Nexon iKON Match held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 14th and scored the winning goal with a deft chip shot in the 43rd minute of the second half. Shield United secured a 2-1 victory with this goal and won the championship for the second consecutive year, and cheers erupted at the venue.
However, immediately after the match, malicious comments such as "no sense" and "why is he playing if he's not a legend" poured in online. Even his children Na-eun, Geon-hoo and Jin-woo were put on the chopping block, drawing fans' ire.
On the 15th, Park Joo-ho wrote on social media, "I fully understand the feelings of fans who were hoping for a penalty shootout between world-class goalkeepers. I, too, know well how special that matchup would be if it took place at the venue, so I deeply empathize with your disappointment," showing a mature attitude of empathizing with fans' regret.
He added, "Although it was an unforgettable memory for me as well, I humbly accept that there are various reactions given how great fans' expectations were," and bowed his head saying, "I respectfully apologize to the event organizers and participants who ran with me."
Meanwhile, Park Joo-ho married his Swiss-born wife Anna in 2015 and has two sons and a daughter. He shared his family life on KBS2's The Return of Superman and was called the "Jjin Geon-Na-Bly dad," and his wife Anna announced her cancer battle in 2022 and is currently recovering.
Their eldest, Na-eun, who is 10, dreams of becoming a musical actor, and 7-year-old Geon-hoo is growing up pursuing his dream of becoming a soccer player.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]