iKON Son Heung-min (33, LAFC) was attacked by women.
Tottenham drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in the second leg of the Coupang Play Series at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd at 8 p.m. Tottenham returned to London after completing the Asian tour.
Son Heung-min could not hold back tears in his last match for Tottenham. It was his final match with the team he had dedicated 10 years to. Moreover, he played his last match with teammates in his home country. Son Heung-min, who started the match, shed tears after passing the captain's armband to Ben Davies in the 20th minute of the second half. He has achieved a lot during his past 10 years at Tottenham.
A scene arose that caused misunderstanding. It was raining when Son Heung-min was conducting an interview with broadcasters after the match. A female announcer held an umbrella while Son Heung-min held the microphone and conducted the interview.
In the same situation, Ben Davies directly held the umbrella in his left hand while holding the microphone in his right hand to engage in the interview. Female fans attacked Son Heung-min, saying, "Western players are considerate of women," and "Korean men are not like that."
Although Son Heung-min is a famous player, he does not represent all Korean men. However, the attacks continued. Women remarked, "Son Heung-min is only used to being treated well," "Did the female announcer get a job to hold the umbrella?" and "The mindset of all Korean men is like this," thereby shifting their target to all men.
This issue became particularly significant in the United States, which is sensitive to gender equality. The New York Times covered the incident involving Son Heung-min on the 8th in an article titled, "Should the soccer star have held an umbrella for the female interviewer?"
The New York Times reported, "A single photo of soccer star Son Heung-min triggered a serious gender conflict controversy in Korea. Korean women are criticizing Son Heung-min, saying he should have held an umbrella."
Korean women have expanded their interpretation that the actions of Ben Davies from Wales represent all Western men. However, Western women often feel that men are dismissive of overprotection. They do not understand why Korean men hold women's handbags.
In fact, Son Heung-min is in an unfair situation. He was holding the microphone equipment in his right hand, making it impossible for him to hold the umbrella.
The New York Times pointed out social issues, saying, "The younger generation in Korea experiences significant gender conflict. Korean men face special circumstances, as they are drafted into the military. While men seek compensation for this, women do not allow it. This serious gender conflict leads to a decline in birth rates."
[OSEN]