Hong Grealish or Dr. Hong. Hong Yun-sang, born in 2002, is a ‘Seonggol Youth’ member of the Pohang Steelers (hereinafter referred to as Pohang). He lived in Pohang since elementary school and made a name for himself as ‘the best player in his class’. Afterwards, he flew to Europe and experienced a new world early on. He now spends his time doing maintenance in Pohang. For another leap in the future.
It was a good start from Pohang. Hong Yun-sang scored his debut goal with a header in his first K League 1 game against Daejeon Hana Citizen (hereinafter referred to as Daejeon). In that game, which Pohang won 4-3, Hong Yun-sang scored a dramatic goal that decided the game in extra time in the second half. He added another goal in the next game, against Gangwon FC. Hong Yun-sang, who returned to Pohang last summer, has currently played in 6 games in K League 1 and scored a total of 2 goals. It is a refreshing start that is above average.
21-year-old Hong Yun-sang dreams big. He plans to fight for Pohang’s glory in Korea, but when the time comes, he plans to advance to Europe again and make the moments he imagines in his head a reality. He has that much strong faith in himself. came to hear the story of Hong Yun-sang, who is in the midst of his growth. Hong Yun-sang’s interview can also be found as a video on the YouTube channel ‘Haebangchon Soccer Company’.
b11: Let’s start with this question… Do you know Dr. Hong?
“I knew you would ask that question. These days, every time I meet someone, everyone asks me that. When I’m walking, everyone taps me and says, ‘Do you know Dr. Hong, too?’ So there’s no way I don’t know Dr. Hong. The Pohang brothers also call me Dr. Hong. “Call me. I think I’ll do that now. I’m actually grateful. You’re paying attention to me somehow.”
b11: Who usually looks for Dr. Hong within the team?
“First of all, when you go to the weight room at the Songra Clubhouse Performance Center, there is a TV. The brothers play Dr. Hong’s song there. Then they say, ‘Dance.’ (Some of the brothers do it.) There are many. There are many. (Kim) Seungdae, ( Ha) Chang-rae hyung, (Park) Chan-yong hyung, etc…
b11: Not only Dr. Hong, but even Hong Grealish have many nicknames. Which do you like better?
“Actually, it doesn’t matter what. You can call me by my name. The reason it doesn’t matter what happens is because I’m interested. (Do you like Jack Grealish’s play?) Honestly, no. Of course, Jack Grealish is very good at soccer! I like Jack Grealish because he seems to have star quality. I thought there was something to learn in that respect as well.”
b11: So, if I could be a different player for just one week, what would it be?
“There are too many. But if I had to choose, it would be Eden Hazard from his Chelsea FC (hereinafter referred to as Chelsea) days. I watch a lot of Eden Hazard videos on YouTube. The positions overlap. I think the playing style is a bit different, but Eden Hazard from his Chelsea days. “I envy him because he has a personality that I don’t have. (So, do I want to resemble Eden Hazard from his time at Chelsea?) I don’t think that’s the case. I want to create my own style. I think I have my own style.”
b11: Is there anything you’re into other than soccer these days?
“It may sound a bit harsh when I say this, but golf! And a restaurant tour? Other than this, our daily lives are similar. I don’t play games. I go golfing with (Kim) Junho. I pay for lessons. I’ll play golf someday when I’m older. “I’m learning as a hobby, just for fun. (Gareth Bale suddenly comes to mind) That’s right. If that happens, it’s dangerous. So it’s just a hobby.”
b11: Are there any other ways to pass the time?
“I talk on the phone a lot. My friends, my brothers, and even my parents. It’s because I’m far away from home (Jeju Island). This is also a habit I developed after going to Europe. I end up making phone calls first. Sometimes it takes an hour. “Rather than calling many people, I think I only call people who are close to me.”
b11: What are 3 wishes for 21-year-old Hong Yun-sang?
“Play soccer without getting hurt. Pohang wins, and then go back to Europe.”
b11: Since the number of fans has increased, I think the number of requests for photos has also increased.
“That’s right. But maybe because I don’t take pictures well, I’m not good at taking selfies. Sometimes, fans ask me to take pictures by myself, but every time, I’m told, ‘Why can’t I take pictures like this?’ (laughter). I’m really not good at taking selfies. Take a picture…”
b11: What is your biggest fear in life?
“I’m afraid of disasters or catastrophes. This is a different topic, but I like disaster movies. I also like space. I also enjoy watching science fiction movies. I like to imagine things like that. At the same time, I also imagine a lot about soccer. (Imagine) “Do you get help when you see it?) I tend to create good thoughts while imagining things. I think it also helps build confidence.”
b11: How to manage yourself
“I try to go to bed before 11 o’clock as much as possible. I have a habit that I developed since middle school. I go out an hour before working out and make up for what I lack with strengthening exercises. In Europe, I go out two hours early. I tend to go to work early and leave late. “
b11: Do you also remember the feelings you had when you left for Europe a few years ago?
“It was really difficult to go to Europe. But I had a strong desire to go to Europe since I was young. It was a dream. I also remember the first time I heard a specific proposal. At the time, I was eating out with my family in Jeju Island and I got a call from my agent. “After the negotiations had progressed to some extent, he spoke to me. I felt very good.”
b11: What was it like when you just moved to VfL Wolfsburg?
“At that time, I went with an injury. I had a stress fracture. The coronavirus was so severe that there were no games. So, I went to Germany and focused on personal exercise for about a month. After that, I played in practice games to get in shape. (After that, I went to Austria. (I moved to a club) It was there that I finally felt the bottom. I realized that I had grown up as a flower in a greenhouse. When I played at youth level in Korea, I was always number 1. So, I think going to Austria was the most difficult time of my life. .At the same time, I also learned the most.”
b11: I think I learned a lot in Europe as there was a lot of adversity.
“First of all, Europe was very different from Korea. And the difference between the professional stage and the youth stage was heaven and earth. I had no choice but to worry about what I had to do to survive in the professional world. The war-like atmosphere of training, the attitude toward soccer, and Europe. I saw it from the players. I also felt that there was a territoriality towards the competitors. But I understand it. There was nothing we could do. The 11 people who did best in training were going to play in the upcoming match. You can’t cut corners in training. You had to fight like that day by day. . So, whether I play or not, I grow.”
b11: It was a difficult trip to Europe, but I don’t think it was easy to make the decision to return to Pohang.먹튀검증
“Honestly, I had a strong desire to play more in Europe. Because I had nothing to show in Europe yet. I was filled with the thought that it would be too disappointing to go back like this. So I thought about it repeatedly. The conclusion I came to was, ‘First of all, I want to play some soccer.’ Although I was struggling abroad, I thought it was right to build my confidence by playing soccer in the K-League and in Pohang, where I felt most comfortable. When I returned to Korea, the reason I wanted to come to Pohang rather than another club was because of comfort.”
b11: I wonder how willing you are to go back to Europe.
“If I didn’t have the confidence to go to Europe again, I wouldn’t have come back. Playing soccer in Europe is a life I’m thankful for. It was a dream stage for a soccer player. I’m confident. I want to do well in the K-League and move forward again.”
b11: This is ‘Pohang Seonggol’, which I came up with step by step from Pohang Youth. I think you must have great pride.
“It still doesn’t feel real that I’m playing for Pohang. When I was a ball boy in Pohang when I was young, I remember (Shin) Gwang-hoon, Seung-dae, (Hwang) Ji-soo, and (Son) Jun-ho. Seung-dae was there. “Even though we’re playing together now, I still can’t believe it.”
b11: Your debut goal in your debut match at Pohang, it must have been a dream-like moment.
“It’s really luck. There’s a story behind it. I joined Pohang in early July and my debut was on August 20th. I couldn’t play in real life for a month and was only playing practice games. During that period, Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong called me once. Then he said, ‘If you debut prematurely and fail to show, you could end up as a mediocre player. Come to me when you’re ready, and I’ll give you a chance.’ So I worked hard on my body. I focused and trained. I did. I went to the coach right before the Daejeon match and said, ‘I’m ready. Please put me in now.’ We had this conversation before we got off to a good start. Thanks to the coach’s sincere advice, I was able to prepare well for my debut match.”
b11: I was impressed by your determination to dominate the K-League upon returning to Pohang. It was a great feeling of confidence.
“I have that kind of personality. Since I was young, what my parents always told me was to be confident wherever I go and there is no reason to be discouraged. Thanks to that, I was able to always be confident from a young age. You should always have confidence.
b11: We are with director Kim Ki-dong, who is known as a training expert.
“I felt something right from the moment I came to Pohang. This is my first time talking about this. I thought that if I continued to learn soccer under coach Kim Ki-dong, I could really grow. He is exceptional in terms of tactics and charisma in controlling the team, and in addition, he is good at detailing things. “He has a good personality. D.T.I. Not to mention he communicates well with the players. He’s close but also keeps his distance well. As players, he can’t relax, but he doesn’t suffer from tension either.”
b11: If you were to pick a benefactor in Hong Yun-sang’s 21 years of life, who would it be?
“I would feel sad if I had to pick someone, but I think it’s my family. My family always supports me so that I don’t lose confidence and have courage. I especially get a lot of strength from my mother. Maybe it’s because I’ve been away from my family since I was young, but I feel more attached to them. I also call you often. When I scored my debut goal in Pohang, my mother was very happy. At that time, I said, “It’s still too early to like me, mom.” (Then when can you like me?) About 3 to 4 years later. Until I rise higher.”
