The Korean soccer world is buzzing with unexpected events ahead of the Asian Cup semifinals. The physical clash between Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham) and Lee Kang-in (23, Paris Saint-Germain) became a hot topic. The incident spiraled into a controversial “lower pole award” controversy, with Son Heung-min dislocating his finger in the process. In the meantime, there’s even a controversial post on a thrift store app saying that Lee Kang-in’s jersey is being sold cheaply because he can’t get rid of it.
Increase in posts selling Lee Kang-In jerseys on the Classifieds app
In the wake of the controversy, there have been an increasing number of listings on Craigslist for Lee’s jersey. In particular, the official jersey that Lee purchased when he moved to PSG even had a UEFA Champions League badge on it, which caught the attention of fans. However, recent events have left fans disappointed, and some have made no secret of their desire to retire the jerseys.
Outrage spreads to Lee’s model companies
The outrage from soccer fans has even reached the companies that Lee has modeled for. Chicken brands and telecommunications company KT are receiving direct messages from soccer fans, such as boycotts. In the case of KT, a YouTube video of player Lee Kang-in’s daily life in Paris has been met with controversy and many negative comments on the video.
Fan reactions and social controversy
Fans’ fierce reaction to companies associated with Lee Kang-in has escalated into a social controversy. Some netizens have suggested that it’s inappropriate for a soccer team’s internal problems to extend to unrelated companies, and argue that it’s important to distinguish between criticisms of individual players’ behavior.
This incident is more than just a soccer game, it’s sparking a conversation about social interaction and fan culture. The importance of unity, communication, and public accountability within the national soccer team is once again being emphasized. Many are interested to see how this controversy will be resolved and what the future holds for soccer.
