A long-running playful tradition among Korean Re players has created another 'victim.' The young defender Takaido, wearing a Tottenham uniform, drew laughter by revealing the playful Korean he learned from Korea national team forward Son Heung-min.
Since Park Ji-sung joined Manchester United in 2005, Korean players have naturally eased team atmospheres with lighthearted jokes while adapting to new teams. A representative prank is teaching foreign teammates the Korean sentence "나는 바보입니다". Short and simple, the structure leads learners to say it nonchalantly without knowing what it means, so it often became a topic within teams.
The 'originator' of this prank was Park Ji-sung. At the time, Patrice Evra, a Manchester United teammate, appeared on an entertainment program and caused a roar of laughter by shouting "나는 바보입니다" with clumsy pronunciation. He had imitated the phrase Park Ji-sung jokingly taught him, and the moment solidified into a kind of tradition for the many Korean Re players who followed.
Over time the number of victims grew. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Kim Min-jae, who moved to Bayern Munich, taught the same Korean phrase to team veteran Thomas Müller. In a video released on Munich's official channel, Kim Min-jae guided players to say "나는 바보입니다," and Müller and De Ligt followed with accurate pronunciation, creating a sea of laughter. When Kim Min-jae explained, "That phrase means I am a fool," the squad laughed once more.
This culture continued in England's Championship. After Eom Ji-seong moved to Swansea City, a clip of teammate Joshua Key saying "나는 바보입니다" was posted on the club's social media and became a hot topic among fans.
And this time a new figure 'fell for' it: Son Heung-min. In an interview with Tottenham's official channel, 2004-born defender Takaido, asked what Korean he knew, named "바보" without hesitation. Takaido said with a laughing expression, "I know what it means. It means fool." He added, "Son Heung-min hyung taught me. Sonny told me 'you are a fool'," explaining and revealing Son Heung-min's playful personality.
This anecdote is special not just because of the wordplay. It also shows that Korean players are smoothing team atmospheres in unfamiliar environments. Even amid different languages and cultures, lighthearted jokes break down barriers, and the process of teammates mimicking Korean and laughing together serves as an important factor in strengthening team bonds.
The 'tradition' running from Son Heung-min to Park Ji-sung and Kim Min-jae has become a culture that symbolically shows how naturally Korean players have integrated into teams around the world.
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