"Son Heungmin, It's Even Better That He Cried Well" Yale Psychiatry Professor Applauds

Appeared on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block" and Gained Public Attention
"Depression in Men Is Diagnosed Less Often Than in Women"
"Impact of Emotional Expression Restrictions from a Young Age"

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heungmin is wiping away tears after the friendly match against Newcastle United in the 2025 Coupang Play Series held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Na Jongho, a professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, applauded football player Son Heungmin, who is set to leave Tottenham Hotspur after 10 years and join a new team, saying, "It is even better that he cried well. He showed that a man who cries well can still be strong."

On August 4, Professor Na Jongho wrote on his Facebook, "I am glad that Son Heungmin cried well. Son Heungmin, who showed that a man who cries well can still be strong, you have worked so hard all this time," adding, "Men, you don't need to cry only three times in your life. It's okay to cry three times a day."

Na Jongho is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in psychology and from its medical school, trained at Harvard School of Public Health and NYU Hospital, and is a specialist in addiction psychiatry. He actively participates in both domestic and international efforts to improve mental health awareness and became known to the public through his appearance on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block." He also brought public attention to the stigma around mental illness with his statement, "Depression is not a crime." Recently, he has expanded his social role by leading the mental health campaign "MIND SOS" together with former World Bank President Kim Yong.

Professor Jongho Na (left) of Yale School of Medicine is speaking on tVN's "You Quiz on the Block." YouTube Diggle capture

Professor Na stated, "Depression in men tends to be diagnosed less often than in women. Because of the strong male image set by society?men who do not cry even when sad, or do not say they are struggling even when things are hard?men tend to be restricted from expressing emotions, especially sadness, from a young age." He added, "In addition, men's tendency not to rely on others is closely linked to suicide risk."

Meanwhile, on August 3, Son Heungmin ended his 10-year journey with Tottenham Hotspur after a friendly match against Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium as part of the Coupang Play Series. Son Heungmin played for 65 minutes in his farewell match before being substituted, and shed tears as he said goodbye to his teammates. He hugged each member of the squad to mark the end, thanked the fans who came to see him, and left the pitch.

His next likely destination is Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. According to highly reputable local journalists and international media, an official announcement is expected as early as Wednesday, August 6 (local time). The transfer fee is expected to be about $26 million (approximately 3.61 billion KRW), with an annual salary of $8.7 million (approximately 1.2 billion KRW).