Soccer player Son Heung-min (33) became embroiled in a 'bad manners' controversy during an interview with a female reporter, but it has been confirmed that this stemmed from a misunderstanding.
On the 5th, a photo with the title 'If you understand, it feels disillusioning as a Korean woman' was posted on an online community, featuring an interview scene with Son Heung-min and Ben Davies.
The photo was taken after the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd, showing the two players being interviewed by the reporter in the rain.
In the released photo, Son Heung-min is seen holding the microphone with his hands behind his back during the interview, while the female reporter beside him is holding an umbrella over him. In contrast, Ben Davies, who is on the same team, is seen directly holding the umbrella and offering it to the reporter.
The writer posted only the two photos without any further explanation, but it is interpreted as an attempt to highlight Ben Davies's mannerly behavior.
The post recorded 120,000 views and over 1,800 comments in just one day. Netizens reacted negatively, saying, 'Foreigners have different basic manners,' and 'Son Heung-min is not an ill-mannered player, but the habits learned since childhood are important.'
However, another netizen revealed photos taken from a different angle of the situation at the time, causing public opinion to turn.
At that time, Son Heung-min was holding broadcasting equipment connected to earphones in his hand behind his back. It turned out that he was in a situation where it was difficult to hold the umbrella himself. In contrast, Ben Davies had the equipment attached to his pants, freeing one hand, which allowed him to hold the umbrella directly to show consideration for the reporter.