"Son Heung-min? Another Name for Fairness" Why the MZ Generation is Enthralled by 'SON'

Failure and frustration... Ultimately EPL Top Scorer
Fair system, fierce competition... Hard work leads to the top
Youths "Feel like succeeding in a job," "Fair reward" cheers

Son Heung-min celebrates his 30th A-match goal with a heart ceremony.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We pay the price yesterday today, and pay today for the price we will receive tomorrow. There is no postpayment. Why were Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi able to rise to the top? I think it's because they worked that hard. They are still flying without coming down, which means they are still making efforts. (Son Heung-min's first essay / Brainstore, 2019)

When Son Heung-min (30, Tottenham) became the top scorer of the 2021-2022 English Premier League (EPL), cheers erupted among young people in their 20s and 30s. Behind this was the fact that he ranked first in scoring in the EPL, the world's best football stage, and there was another meaning beyond that. Among the MZ generation (born from the early 1980s to the 2000s), unique evaluations such as "Fairness has won" and "It feels like passing a job interview" emerged.

Looking at Son Heung-min's book , which the reporter purchased at a bookstore in Jongno, Seoul, in July 2019, it is naturally filled with stories about soccer. It records the reasons why Son Heung-min started playing soccer, the background that made him have no choice but to play, and the sense of achievement and frustration that arose in the process. It is a poignant record of the growing pains and heartfelt struggles that a young man in his 20s inevitably experiences before becoming a soccer player.

In July 2019, Son Heung-min compiled his thoughts while playing soccer into the book . Through this book, Son Heung-min revealed that he also plays soccer for his fans. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

Youth are enthusiastic precisely at this point. Watching Son Heung-min, who rose to the top purely by skill through fierce competition in a fair system, they project their own 20s and gain hope. In other words, just as Park Se-ri's barefoot entry into a pond to save a ball and ultimately win the US Open in 1998 inspired the nation during the 1997 IMF financial crisis, Son Heung-min's top scorer news resonates with young people as a moving inspiration.

Kim, a man in his 30s who said he regularly watches Son Heung-min's games, said, "I think not all sports are fair," but emphasized, "The current result shown by Son Heung-min has more value than just being the top scorer for fans who have watched his growth." He added, "It is the result of fierce competition beyond simply scoring many goals."

Other young people showed similar reactions. Park, a man in his late 20s, said, "Son Heung-min hasn't always been good. He was sent off many times." He continued, "But even after failing, falling, and being frustrated, he ultimately became the top scorer," emphasizing, "That process is why young people are enthusiastic."

December 23, 2019 (Korean time) was a time of trial for Son Heung-min. In the 2019-20 EPL Round 18 home match against Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Tottenham lost 0-2. Son Heung-min started and played for 62 minutes but received a red card in the 62nd minute after colliding with Antonio R?diger while Tottenham was trailing 0-2. This red card marked Son Heung-min's third sending-off in one year, a record that drew sympathy as it was the first such occurrence in the EPL in nine years.

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, an English Premier League (EPL) team from England, started in the 35th round home match of the 2021-2022 EPL season against Leicester City held in London on the 1st (local time), scoring a goal and celebrating with his teammates. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Tottenham manager Jos? Mourinho criticized it as a "strange decision," but Son Heung-min had no choice but to accept it. Mourinho told British media Sky Sports, "Son Heung-min's reaction was not aggressive, so the red card was really strange," and "The referee's red card was a clear mistake." He added, "But since the team lost, I don't want to focus only on the red card."

However, Son Heung-min ultimately proved himself with skill. Considering only the situation, it can be said that a player with accumulated EPL red cards became the top scorer. The sweat and tears shed in the process were expressed through his performance. A fan in his 20s said, "Honestly, it was a bit thrilling," and evaluated, "He is a cooler player because he overcame difficult processes and reached the top."

The reason the MZ generation associates fairness with watching Son Heung-min's games is that young people are sensitive to unfairness. According to a 'Youth Policy Survey' released by the civic group 'Workplace Bullying 119' in January, 8 out of 10 young people feel unfairness in opportunities.

In this survey of 1,000 workers aged 20 to 50 (172 in their 20s, 244 in their 30s, 291 in their 40s, and 291 in their 50s), 75.1% answered that the older generation does not provide fair opportunities to youth. Especially among those in their 20s and 30s, a whopping 80.5% and 85.2% respectively said it was "unfair."

This sentiment among the MZ generation is also evident in the Incheon International Airport (In-guk-gong) incident. The 'In-guk-gong incident' refers to the conflict that arose after former President Moon Jae-in declared a zero era for irregular workers in the public sector in May 2017, when about 1,900 security screening workers employed by subcontractors of Incheon Airport Corporation were converted to regular positions, leading to collective opposition from existing regular employees and young job seekers.

Youth shouted slogans like "Do you mock our efforts?" and "Is this fairness? Is this a country?" expressing their frustration. This is why young people passionately call for fairness while celebrating Son Heung-min, who overcame countless setbacks to make history as the EPL top scorer.

Son Heung-min (30, Tottenham), who became the first Asian to win the Golden Boot in the English Premier League, is returning to Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 holding the Golden Boot trophy.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min is currently overwhelmingly leading in the 'Tottenham Player of the Year' vote conducted online by the British public broadcaster BBC. BBC nominated four candidates for 'Tottenham Player of the Year': Son Heung-min, Harry Kane, Eric Dier, and Cristian Romero. The player who receives the most votes from fans wins.

As of the 25th, Son Heung-min has garnered over 90% of the votes in this poll, which runs until the 30th (local time). Since BBC is conducting the vote among all football fans, it can be said that Son Heung-min is recognized not only by Tottenham fans but also by fans of other teams.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min's diligence, which has become another symbol of fairness for young people, is ongoing. He said this in his book.

"My greatest desire is to play the soccer I love best well. I spare no time or money to improve my performance. It's a boring life. Really tedious. But I endure it. If by doing so I can challenge for the Premier League title every season, be selected as 'Player of the Year,' score the 'Goal of the Year,' and make fans happy, I am willing to accept a '24-hour soccer' lifestyle."