Neighbor’s Misfortune, Sports Vessel “Honey Jam”
Some Japanese fans begrudgingly support the Rising Sun flag
Korea cheers more for Costa Rica’s victory
Even the UK likes to quit 4 years ago
Smiles on the faces of Korean journalists at the Central Media Center (MMC) as Japan lost 0-1 to Costa Rica in the second leg of the Group E group stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup held at Al Rayyan Ahmad Bin Stadium Ali in Qatar on the 27th (Korean time).
▲ The flag of the Rising Sun appeared in the stands of the Qatar World Cup
The match between Japan and Costa Rica in Group E of the group stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup was held at Al Rayyan Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar on the 27th (local time). A Japanese soccer fan cheers with a rising sun flag in the stands. 27.11.2022 Yonhap News
In the Japanese game, which has a strong wind at the start, you have to go to the original stadium and see it for yourself. However, as time overlapped with the Korea national football team’s press conference before the game against Ghana, they gathered at the MMC to watch the game on TV with reporters from other countries.
Journalists from other countries at the MMC watched as if they were enjoying themselves as Korean reporters made happy faces at Japan’s defeat. I was about to have a coffee, but a British journalist asked me a question. “You look happy. But why are you so hostile?”
In fact, there are many reasons why Korean reporters were happy to see Japan lose to Costa Rica that day. There must be a long historical background and hidden economic rivalries.
But the main reason is the “Flag of the Rising Sun” that appeared in the stadium. On this day, some Japanese fans waved the rising sun flag in their hands even before entering the stadium. For us, who have gone through 36 years of Japanese colonial rule, seeing them waving the flag of the rising sun, a symbol of imperialism, is inevitably uncomfortable.
Of course, it is not very pleasant for Japan to be the first Asian country to reach the round of 16 and set the record for the most victories in Asia at the World Cup. But talking about it is too long.
So I asked. “Why were you so happy when Korea beat Germany four years ago?”
Indeed, England were one of the happier nations as Germany lost 0-2 to South Korea at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and failed to advance to the round of 16 after finishing bottom of the group stage.
The BBC said: “Germany finished this tournament in bottom place. Korea also sent Germany home. This is the World Cup,” he said happily. The Sun even published a big ranking of group F to which Korea and Germany belonged, and teased Germany, saying, “Cut it and pull it out when you feel depressed”.
Upon hearing the response, the British reporter walked off with a laugh, saying, “Maybe we would have done it even if France had lost.”
▲ Heung-Min Son of the national football team scores an extra goal in the 51st minute of the second extra time of the final of the Group F, 3rd group stage match of the Russia 2018 World Cup against Germany, held at the Kazan Arena in Russia on the 27th (local time). Son Heung-min scored the third goal after Brazil’s 2014 World Cup match against Algeria and last match against Mexico, recording the most goals by a Korean player in the World Cup together with Ahn Jung -hwan and Park Ji-seong.
Kazan Yonhap News
Perhaps the greatest attraction of sport, which is keeping the body healthy and the mind right, is that it allows us to release the unpleasant emotions within us in a way that isn’t so dangerous. If you rejoice when your neighbor, who is usually a little uncomfortable, suffers an accident, you become a ‘bad person’, but in sports, even if you consider it ‘fun’, nothing serious will happen. So if you blame yourself for cheering for a while at your neighbor’s defeat, you don’t have to.
Reporter Kim Dong Hyun
