Sangam Resonates with 'Wesongpare' at Park Ji-sung's Appearance... Double the Emotion from Devoted Fans' Tears

'2024 Nexon Icon Match' Held
Legendary Soccer Players Including Thierry Henry Gather
Fans Shed Tears as Park Ji-sung Scores PK Success

A fan showing tears over Park Ji-sung's performance at the '2024 Nexon Icon Match' held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News, captured from MBC broadcast]

The friendly match '2024 Nexon ICON Match (ICON Match)', featuring football legends from around the world, concluded successfully, and a fan moved to tears by Park Ji-sung's performance has become a hot topic.

On the 20th, the ICON Match between 'Shield United' (defenders team) and 'FC Spear' (attackers team) was held at Seoul World Cup Stadium. This event match was organized by Nexon, which services the football games 'FC Online' and 'FC Mobile', inviting legendary players. From before the match, the news that football legends from around the world would participate attracted great interest among football fans. In particular, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidi?, and other players who dominated an era visited Korea, making it even more of a sensation. Joining them were Korea's Park Ji-sung, Ahn Jung-hwan, Lee Chun-soo, Kim Byung-ji, and Kim Yong-dae on the FC Spear team, with Kim Nam-il and Park Joo-ho added to Shield United.

On the afternoon of the 19th, ahead of the '2024 Nexon Icon Match' held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Park Ji-sung, who participated as a coach for FC Spear composed of legendary world football strikers, is greeting fans during the event match.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, initially, Park Ji-sung was expected to serve only as a coach due to his knee condition and was unlikely to appear on the field. Yet, with about five minutes remaining until the end of the match, Park Ji-sung dramatically stepped onto the pitch.

Earlier, FC Spear was trailing 0-4 when Andriy Shevchenko, substituted in at the 38th minute of the second half, earned a penalty kick due to a foul by opposing goalkeeper Lim Min-hyuk, creating a golden opportunity. After securing the PK chance, with about five minutes left in regular time, FC Spear substituted Ahn Jung-hwan out and brought Park Ji-sung in. The stands erupted with passionate cheers. After Park Ji-sung successfully converted the penalty kick, a spectator wearing a 'Kyoto Purple Sanga' jersey?the team where Park made his professional debut?shed tears of emotion. Soon after, the stadium was filled with the sound of 'Wesong Parade,' Park Ji-sung's cheer song.

A fan wearing a Kyoto Sanga uniform is shedding tears at Park Ji-sung's goal. [Image source=MBC broadcast screen]

The reactions of domestic netizens who watched the match were also enthusiastic. In videos related to the game, netizens commented, "Seeing the fan wearing the Kyoto Purple Sanga jersey suddenly made me tear up too," "This is romance. This is why I can't quit football," "Thank you, Nexon," "I watched live, and scoring the goal and singing Wesong Parade was the most romantic moment," "I got choked up. It's not just respect for Park Ji-sung, but it reminded me of the days watching Manchester United matches late at night," "Although top legendary players gathered in one place, the symbolic significance of the name Park Ji-sung in Korean football is a different story," "It's moving. Haebeoji (Old man, a nickname for Park Ji-sung)" and other varied responses.