"This Is How You Give a Winner’s Interview": Choi Siwon Recalls Son Heungmin... Lee Kangin’s Remarks Spotlighted Again

Backlash Over Football Team’s “Military Exemption” Claims
Past Interviews with Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in Revisited

Amid ongoing controversy over remarks and actions related to military service by some members of the South Korean men’s football team who won the gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Choi Siwon, a member of the group Super Junior, shared a stern message by posting a past interview of Son Heungmin. In addition, as comments made by Lee Kangin, who received a military exemption thanks to the Asian Games gold medal, are being highlighted again, the post-victory statements of senior and junior players are drawing comparisons.

On the 5th, Choi Siwon shared a video on his social media (SNS) of the interview conducted by Son Heungmin after the South Korean men's soccer team won the gold medal at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. Choi Siwon SNS

On the 5th, Choi Siwon shared a video on his social media featuring an interview conducted by Son Heungmin after the South Korean men’s football team won the gold medal at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. At that time, Son Heungmin resolved his military service obligation by winning the gold medal, but he placed emphasis not on the exemption, but rather on the meaning of playing for the national team and on the victory itself.

In response to a question about the special military exemption, Son Heungmin said, “More than that, we came here to win, and that was always our goal. I think I told the players that was the most important thing,” conveying this intent. He also expressed that playing as part of the South Korean national team was an honor, and revealed his unique feelings towards the flag and the national anthem. When sharing this video, Choi Siwon commented, “This is how you do a victory interview.”

This has been interpreted as a statement aimed at members of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team who have recently been embroiled in controversy over the military exemption. Choi Siwon also left comments on posts criticizing the national team players' behavior and remarks. He pointed out that these comments would have been hard to make if they had considered the sacrifices of soldiers fulfilling their duties for the country and the people, and had been aware of the dignity and responsibility that comes with being a national team member, adding, “It is truly regrettable.”

Meanwhile, comments made by Lee Kangin after winning the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games are also receiving renewed attention. Right after the Hangzhou victory, when asked about the military exemption, Lee Kangin responded, “Honestly, military service was not that great a burden,” admitting that being exempt made continuing his football career more convenient, but also stating, “Since it’s something every South Korean man must do, I don’t have any special thoughts about it.” He emphasized that the significance lay not in resolving his military obligations, but in achieving his first win as a member of the national team. Lee Kangin added, “Winning in a match representing South Korea made it an even more special and rewarding experience,” expressing his gratitude to his teammates, coaching staff, and the fans who supported them.

Both Son Heungmin and Lee Kangin received exemptions from military service due to their gold medals, but in their interviews immediately following the victories, they put more emphasis on pride in playing for the national team and the victory itself, rather than on the military exemption. In contrast, the remarks and actions of some players following their gold medal at the recent Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have sparked fierce criticism.

First, team captain Lee Gihyeok, after the 1-0 win over Japan in the finals, explained, “If we hadn’t won the gold medal, I would’ve had only nine days left before enlistment,” raising the gold medal and proclaiming, “I am not going to the military.” Yang Minhyeok also stirred controversy in his post-victory interview by saying, “I didn’t think medals or trophies were important,” and, “Since there was the reward of a military exemption, I focused on that alone during the match.”

Seungsu Park posted a photo wearing the so-called "discharge cap" in the locker room after the game on his social media, which drew criticism. SNS

Seungsu Park faced criticism after posting a photo of himself wearing the so-called “discharge cap” in the locker room after the game on his social media. Likewise, Choi Woojin was criticized for uploading a video in which he limped on one leg and then took out his gold medal from his shoe, evoking specific incidents in the minds of viewers.

As the controversy grew, the players issued a series of apologies. Lee Gihyeok, as captain representing the team, said, “I should have taken responsibility for every word I said, but I failed to do so,” apologizing to those currently fulfilling their mandatory military duty for making remarks and actions focused on the military exemption in a moment of excitement.

Yang Minhyeok also apologized, explaining that his comments about the military exemption being a motivator for achieving good results had been misunderstood, and that he had no intention of belittling the efforts of those currently serving or those who would serve in the future. Seungsu Park likewise apologized, saying that he wore the cap, which a fan had given him, without much thought, and bowed his head, remarking, “I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I didn’t properly consider the meaning of the cap.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.