'Original Maskman' Kim Taeyoung "Mask Discomfort Makes It Hard to Secure Visibility"

Only 60-70% of Normal Performance
Psychological Inhibition Disappears the Moment They Enter the Field
"There Must Be a Lot of Pressure and Stress, but I Hope They Smile After the Game"

[Asia Economy Culture Intern Reporter Young Kim] Kim Tae-young, the 'original mask man' who wore a mask while playing due to a nasal bone fracture during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, expressed concern about Son Heung-min (30, Tottenham Hotspur), the captain of the national team participating in the World Cup wearing a mask after an orbital fracture injury, saying, "(If normal performance is considered 100) it seems to be only about 60-70%."

On the 2nd, Kim Tae-young appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "It is difficult to secure the field of vision when wearing a mask." He explained, "You have to move your eyes left and right a lot and make instant judgments like this, but the mask blocks exactly that angle, so it is very uncomfortable visually," adding, "Also, it is a bit difficult to instantly judge the speed of the ball coming, its velocity, and the drop point."

When the host asked, "Even if wearing a mask, there might be psychological inhibition like 'What if the injured area is hit by an elbow or head from the side?'," Kim Tae-young replied, "There are such concerns before going out to play, but once you enter the field, honestly, those concerns disappear."

Son Heung-min playing a match wearing a mask. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim Tae-young added that seeing Son Heung-min heading the ball even while wearing a mask was "very heartbreaking and regrettable." He continued, "Heung-min, you must have had a lot of worries, burdens, and stress due to the facial injury, but I hope you shake all that off and, as the captain of Korea and the leader who leads the team, give your all in today's match and that you all smile after it ends."

When asked if there are any standout players in the Korean national team, he said, "Players like Cho Gue-sung and Lee Kang-in seem to be creating a synergy effect for the team, and their performance seems to have improved." Regarding Lee Kang-in's starting appearance, he said, "That is a matter for the coach to decide. Even if a chef cooks, the taste of the dish changes depending on which ingredients are added first," adding, "I think that is also part of the coach's plan."

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-young suffered a nasal bone fracture during a match in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. He then played wearing a facial protective mask and became a key figure in the semifinal success. Twenty years after Kim Tae-young participated in the Korea-Japan World Cup wearing jersey number 7 and a mask, Son Heung-min is also playing in the Qatar World Cup wearing jersey number 7.