Super Junior member Choi Siwon has shared an old interview of Son Heung Min amid controversy over comments made by several members of South Korea’s national soccer team about military service benefits following their Asian Games win.
While Choi did not directly criticize the players, his message accompanying the video—“This is how you do a championship interview”—has been interpreted by some as a subtle jab at their comments and attitudes following the win.
On October 5th, Choi shared a video of Son’s interview following South Korea’s victory over Japan in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games final. Son dedicated the victory to the Korean public after winning the gold medal.
Son was also facing a mandatory military service requirement at the time, which could have affected his professional soccer career. In the interview, he thanked the public for supporting the team, saying that citizens had “worried and cheered for us as if it were their own matter.” He added that although he was wearing the gold medal, “it is not my medal, but the citizens’ medal.”
The post came shortly after controversy erupted over comments and actions by several players on South Korea’s U-23 national soccer team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
South Korea defeated Japan 1-0 in the final on October 3rd to win its fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal. However, comments about the military benefits that come with the victory drew criticism and overshadowed some of the celebration.
In a post-match interview, Yang Min Hyeok openly said that he had played with the expectation of receiving the military benefit rather than simply winning a medal or trophy. Team captain Lee Ki Hyuk, who was only days away from beginning his mandatory military service, celebrated by saying, “I’m not going to the military.” Park Seung Soo also shared a photo from the locker room showing himself wearing a cap associated with completing military service.
Some have defended the players, noting that mandatory military service is a serious career issue for South Korean male athletes. Others, however, criticized the players for placing so much emphasis on avoiding military service immediately after representing the country and winning an international competition.
The controversy has since expanded into a broader debate over South Korea’s military service benefits for elite athletes. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has expressed disappointment over the players’ remarks, while some politicians have called for changes to the current system.
Under South Korea’s current system, Asian Games gold medalists do not receive a complete exemption from military service. Instead, they are required to complete basic military training and then fulfill their military obligation as art and sports personnel. This includes serving for 34 months in their professional field and completing a required number of volunteer hours.
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