What Crime Did the Bakery Commit... Soccer Fans Flood Hong Myung-bo's Favorite Shop with Malicious Comments After It Becomes Known

Some Soccer Fans Launch Rating Attacks on the Bakery
Voices Criticizing Soccer Fans' Behavior Beyond Limits Also Emerge

At a hearing on the Korea Football Association, the bakery frequently visited by Hong Myung-bo, the national football team coach, has been overwhelmed online. During the inquiry into the football association's current issues held by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 24th, Lee Im-saeng, the technical director of the Korea Football Association, mentioned a bakery. In early July, Lee said he visited near Coach Hong Myung-bo's residence for the coach interview and stated, "It is a bakery that Coach Hong often goes to, so I was able to meet and talk from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m."

Korea Football Association Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is responding to lawmakers' questions during the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's inquiry on the Korea Football Association held at the National Assembly on the 24th.
[Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@]

In response, netizens left comments on the bakery's Kakao Map homepage and social media platforms such as "It’s a recommended restaurant by Myung-bo and Im-saeng," "The bakery became famous because of the hearing; how about launching products like Hong Myung-baguette bread or Im-saeng cream bread?" "We came on a bakery pilgrimage," "Is this the famous hideout of Hong Myung-bo and Im-saeng?" and "Do they open after business hours for us too?" Some even engaged in rating attacks.

However, since the bakery has no direct connection to the football association issue, there were also voices criticizing some netizens for going too far. On an online community, several users pointed out, "The owner did nothing wrong, so why are people doing rating attacks? Please restrain yourselves," and "What wrong did the bakery do? Let’s not do rating attacks on innocent places."

Although the store is not directly related to the football association issue, some football fans are flocking to the store's SNS and leaving many comments.
[Photo by Instagram]

Earlier at the football association hearing, Coach Hong, who appeared as a witness that day, mentioned 'volunteering' as the reason for accepting the coaching position, which drew fierce criticism from football fans. They said, "Where in the world is there volunteering that pays 2 billion won a year?" Furthermore, despite the controversy surrounding his appointment process heating up for over two months and his appearance before the National Assembly, he firmly stated, "I have no intention of resigning."

Regarding the arrogant attitudes of Coach Hong and Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, football commentator Park Moon-sung and former football association strategy reinforcement committee member Park Joo-ho actively voiced their opinions, gaining strong sympathy from football fans. Commentator Park pointed out several administrative and operational issues of the football association and explained why Chairman Chung Mong-gyu and Coach Hong Myung-bo do not pay attention to public opinion.

Park Joo-ho, former head of the Korea Football Association's Strengthening Committee, is attending the full meeting of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held at the National Assembly on the 24th, responding to questions from lawmakers.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Park said, "First, Chairman Chung and Coach Hong have lived different trajectories from us," adding, "(Chairman Chung) was born into a large conglomerate family, and (Coach Hong) grew up as the top elite from a young age. I thought they might have different ways of thinking from ordinary people, so they don’t pay attention to us."

He continued, "Second, outsiders cannot specifically intervene in the football association," explaining, "For example, we (ordinary people) have no involvement in personnel decisions within the football association. No matter how much the public and fans shout 'Chung Mong-gyu out, Hong Myung-bo out' at the stadium, the association’s stance is, 'So what are you going to do about it?'" He also urged Chairman Chung to resign, saying to his face, "There is no awareness of what the problem is with the Chung Mong-gyu regime. There is no empathy and no ability to resolve it."

Additionally, Committee member Park Joo-ho practically denied Lee Im-saeng’s claim that he received 'delegation of final decision authority' from the five strategy reinforcement committee members. Park said, "I remember talking for about a minute with (Technical Director Lee Im-saeng)," adding, "We talked about seeking consent, but from my feeling, it was more like a notification."