Lee Dong-gook: My son was judged harshly because he is Lee Dong-gook’s son
Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Former footballer Lee Dong-gook said his son faces jealousy and heightened scrutiny because he is the son of a well-known player.
- Lee said people approach him as a coach rather than as another sports parent, while his son’s achievements are often attributed to his family background.
- He also recalled his son crying after an official criticized him for missing a penalty.
Former footballer Lee Dong-gook says his son faces a burden that comes with carrying a famous football surname. Lee discussed the issue on the tvN STORY entertainment program “What’s the Point of Leaving It?” with former baseball player Lee Jong-beom.
That is always there to some extent.
The two spoke about raising children who pursue careers in sport. Lee Jong-beom asked whether Lee Dong-gook noticed people looking at his son differently because he was following his father into the same sport, including possible envy or jealousy.
Lee Dong-gook replied, “That is always there to some extent.” He said that when he meets other players’ parents, he tries to approach them as a fellow parent, but they often treat him as a coach instead.
When I meet other players’ parents, I am also going there as a parent, but they keep approaching me as a coach.
He also said that even when his son reaches a certain level through his own effort, people continue to make comments about his “DNA” and ask who his father is. Those remarks, he said, lead to ongoing gossip.
Even when he reaches a certain level through his own effort, there is always talk about his DNA and who his father is.
Lee recalled one particularly painful incident after his son missed a penalty. An official reportedly said, “How could Lee Dong-gook’s son miss that?” Lee said his son heard the remark and cried.
How could Lee Dong-gook’s son miss that?
About this summary
Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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