Aidan Banan
Writing 150
Dochterman
November 5th, 2021
Son Heung-Min: The Cultural Significance of International Recognition
Son Heung-Min- A consensus top 20 footballer in the world. Star forward for Tottenham Hotspur and captain for the South Korean Men’s National Team. In Europe, and throughout Asia, Son is one of the most popular athletic and celebrity figures. Before his claim to fame, Manchester United was by far the favorite soccer team for South Koreans, but Son’s existence propelled the mediocre Tottenham team to be by far the most popular among South Koreans. He is so popular that South Korean teenage girls line up on the street wherever he is and faint in the presence of the superstar. However, here in America, the overwhelmingly common answer I get when bringing up Son Heung-Min is, “who is that?”. The common answer to this question would be the distance gap between America and South Korea or the fact that soccer is not popular in the United States. However, I am more interested in the fundamental difference in values between the two nations, and the role this has played in few Americans knowing who the best Asian soccer player in the world is.
While some may argue that Son Heung-Min has not translated to the United States because of soccer’s lack of popularity here, I argue that the difference in cultural values and sports culture between South Korea and America raised Son to be a reserved and polite individual and athlete, which does not fit the mold of an American sports star. Therefore, Americans are missing out on an appreciation and cultural understanding of South Korean culture.
South Korean culture is built on values of status and respect. From a young age, it is common for parents to teach their children that they cannot repay their debts to their parents. Thus, their children become more diligent and respectful towards their parents, in hopes their parents will be proud of them(Bennett). These characteristics often translate into adulthood, and we see South Korean men being more polite and reserved than the average American man. In a sports context, South Korean fans are reserved and don’t necessarily stand out. They cheer for their teams, but in a generally respectful manner, by not offending opposing teams in any way.
On the other hand, American culture is very different. The United States is a diverse mix of customs and traditions, resulting in different households raising their children in different ways. We see less respect shown by American children compared to South Korean children because elder status is not preached religiously. This results in American children not seeing them as, in a way, inferior to their parents, teachers, or other older figures, which may cause them to stand up for themselves. Since they are not as reserved from a young age, it is more likely they are more outspoken as adults. This translates into American sports culture as stereotypical fans don’t care whatsoever about disrespecting the opposing team. They scream crazy chants, wear ridiculous costumes, and encourage conflict on the field. American sports fans let all of their emotions out in the stands, while you see many South Korean fans cheer more politely.
These cultural differences are the reason Son is not popular in America. As a result of his upbringing in South Korea, he is a stereotypical South Korean man. He is quiet, he is respectful, and he does not see himself as the superstar he is because he was raised to believe he is inferior to his elders. Son is just 29 years old, with no children. He is still a fairly young man, and he does not see himself as a celebrity figure to his fans, to his parents, and his nation. Therefore, Son does not talk trash to his opponents, show off, or show extreme emotion on the pitch because he was raised to believe these actions are disrespectful, and because he sees himself as nothing more than a talented soccer player.
As one of the top goal scorers in the Premier League, many would expect some extravagant signature celebration from Son. Maybe knocking over the corner flag, embracing the fans by pointing to them, or an extravagant dance. However, Son simply shapes “his fingers into the motion of pretending to take a picture with a camera”(Goal), and smiles. He does this because when scores a goal, it is a good memory, so he takes pictures to have good memories in his mind(Goal). There is nothing flashy about a subtle camera click that has a personal connection to him. Moreover, we see many popular American athletes making custom shoes with exotic colors and intricate designs. Going along with Son’s humble personality, he wears the basic Adidas X19+, a laceless pair of cleats (Football Boots). Typically a white background with some simple pop of color, Son veers away from any statement-making bright red or pure gold cleats many top players wear. Lastly, Son is a team player. In a post-match interview after scoring 2 goals, and defeating Dortmund 3–0, “Son refused to take credit for the victory and instead praised defender, Jan Vertonghen, saying that the Belgium defender was so good that he could play in any position on the pitch”(BBC). This behavior shows that Son doesn’t have the arrogance and self-confidence most stars possess. He doesn’t always need the ball, and his teammates’ success is as important as his, which isn’t common among many star athletes. Kobe Bryant, for example, believed he was the best basketball player in the world and made sure everyone around him knew it as well. He created the Mamba Mentality, which preached passion, honestly, and fearlessness. This often meant criticizing his teammates and treating every minor error as a big deal. He knew his team’s success was directly reliant on him getting the ball, so he treated his teammates as secondary options, and himself as the first option. As a result of this superior behavior and branded mentality, Kobe Bryant has the most loyal legion of fans the sports world has ever seen.
While some argue the unpopularity of Soccer in America is the reason for Son’s poor translation to America, I argue cultural differences are the primary reason. Soccer is undoubtedly unpopular in America. Its viewership is much lower than other prominent American sports, and Major League Soccer has gained little recognition among American fans. However, we can look to Christiano Ronaldo to disprove the idea that Son hasn’t translated because of Soccer’s popularity. Christiano Ronaldo is a very popular athlete throughout America. If you were to ask around, most people would know who he is, but it’s not because of how good he is. Son and Ronaldo are both consensus top-tier soccer players in the world. They both have made huge impacts for their soccer clubs, and have impacted the game of soccer greatly. While Ronaldo is a slightly better player, he is not much better to the point where everyone in America should know who he is, and not who Son is. Similar to America’s top athletes, Ronaldo is a flashy, arrogant, and self-confident player. His signature goal celebration is jumping in the air, doing a 180-degree turn, and thrusting his hips. He flashes his abs periodically throughout each game, wears bright red or green signature cleats, and fully embraces the gaudy of his title. And these traits all stem from Ronaldo’s upbringing in Portugal. Portugal, like America, has been heavily influenced by western culture. They share core values of expressiveness and free thought, which can explain the popularity of Ronaldo in the United States (Cultural Atlas).
Son Heung-Min has celebrity status throughout Europe and South Korea, however Son’s personality as an individual and player has not translated to the United States because of his South Korean upbringing. His upbringing taught him respect, which shows in his fundamental play style and humbleness at such a high status. He has not fully embraced the fame he possesses, making for little exciting media about Son in the United States, and causing Americans to not fully embrace South Korean, and eastern culture. Therefore, the United States is missing out on valuable cultural knowledge of a nation that is critical to our world’s success.
Works Cited
Bennett, Sean. “Chapter 15 Korean Culture.” Chapter 15 Korean Culture, http://freebooks.uvu.edu/NURS3400/index.php/ch11-korean-culture.html.
“Korea Information — Sports.” Korean Cultural Center New York, https://www.koreanculture.org/korea-information-sports.
Pier. “Portuguese Culture — Core Concepts.” Cultural Atlas, https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/portuguese-culture/portuguese-culture-core-concepts.
“Son Heung-Min Celebration: What Is the Meaning behind Tottenham Star’s Camera Gesture?” Son Heung-Min Celebration: What Is the Meaning behind Tottenham Star’s Camera Gesture? | Goal.com, https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/son-heung-min-celebration-what-is-the-meaning-behind/1swct743e00az1jdg2eukkc4tt.
“Son Heung-Min: Tottenham’s South Korean Star — CBBC Newsround.” BBC News, BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47240470.
“What Boots Does Son Heung-Min Wear?” What Boots Does Son Heung-Min Wear?, https://www.footballboots.co.uk/sonboots.html.
