The Taegukgi on His Chest
At a press conference held this afternoon, the Korea Football Association announced the final 22-man entry that will compete on the Olympic stage.
The roster is built around the core of the side that lifted the U-23 Asian Cup trophy, blending that stable foundation with a handful of fresh faces — and it is the newcomers drawing every eye.
By far the boldest selection is Kim Hanbin. Just one month into his professional debut, the forward has already shaken the K League to its core. Despite having zero prior national team experience, he was called into the preliminary squad, delivered a string of standout performances across two friendly matches, and earned his place on head coach Baek Seungnam's final entry list.
Coach Baek voiced high expectations, saying, "Kim Hanbin is a striker equipped with the aerial dominance this team has lacked, along with exceptional finishing ability."
Joining him is Jeonbuk forward Lim Kyuhyun, who built a promising partnership with Kim Hanbin in the friendlies, adding further depth to the attack.
Meanwhile, of the 28 players named to the preliminary squad, 9 were regrettably cut from the final list — joy and heartbreak split right down the middle.
The 19 confirmed players will now report to the Paju National Football Center alongside the three wildcards — Cha Kangmin (DF), Choi Sang-won (MF), and Kim Yeongyun (GK) — for a final week of training, before flying out to the Olympic host nation to begin their hunt for a medal.
Hanbin was deep in his usual scroll through the online communities when he felt a light tapping on his back and turned around.
It was Cha Kangmin, who had joined the squad at the Paju training center once the final roster dropped.
"Hey, put the phone down and get downstairs. They say we've got profile and uniform photos to shoot."
"Oh, yes sir. Let's go."
The moment they descended the stairs, the first-floor lobby came into view — already bustling with camera crew staff hurrying every which way.
There's no time to get to a studio, so they brought the photo team here instead.
With so little time left before the Olympic tournament, it seemed the profile and team photos were being squeezed into a punishingly tight schedule.
A staff member spotted the two of them and hurried over, handing them two uniforms each.
"Kim Hanbin! Cha Kangmin! Over here, please. Change into the uniforms prepared here, then head on over to that side."
"Yes, understood."
Hanbin took the uniform from the staff member's hands. It was the familiar crimson kit, yet somehow subtly different.
He turned it over this way and that, and when he found the difference, he turned to Cha Kangmin standing beside him.
"Huh? Hyung, this doesn't have the tiger — you know, the football association crest that's normally on the kit. There's a Taegukgi stitched on instead?"
"That? Olympic regulations — no country is allowed to wear its federation crest, so you swap it for the national flag instead. Honestly, in a way, a jersey with the Taegukgi over your heart is a kind of privilege only Olympic national team players ever get to wear. Feels pretty badass, doesn't it?"
Cha Kangmin said it with a proud roll of his shoulders.
"Ohhh..."
Marveling at the fact he'd never known, Hanbin looked down at the flag-emblazoned uniform once more.
He pulled the jersey over his head to change — and at that exact moment, quiet gasps rippled through the room.
"Whoa..."
Wondering what was going on, Hanbin glanced around to find several of the crew preparing the shoot unable to tear their eyes off his body. Soon the murmuring began.
"Wow, his physique is insane... How does a footballer get a body like that?"
"I've shot body profiles for plenty of personal trainers, and... wow... I've genuinely never seen a physique like that..."
Under the flood of stares and whispered comments, Hanbin felt his face heat up and hurriedly pulled on the jersey.
Cha Kangmin, watching the whole spectacle from the side, strolled over smirking and jabbed him in the ribs.
"You little rascal. Changing slowly on purpose so everyone could get a look, huh? Absolutely dying to show off that body of yours?"
Hanbin shot back with an incredulous look.
"What are you even saying! I changed as fast as I possibly could!"
After a brief round of scuffling, the official profile shoot began in earnest.
"One, two, three! Good, excellent! Perfect! Now turn slightly to the left, confident expression! One, two, three!"
Click— click—
As the camera flashes fired without pause, the photography director reviewed each incoming shot and marveled to himself.
Kim Hanbin... this kid could genuinely make a fine advertising model.
Kim Hanbin had been thrust into the national team spotlight in a shock call-up, and his standout performances in the recent friendlies were steadily building his popularity.
On top of that, if he delivered on the Olympic stage that was now just around the corner... becoming an Olympic star was all but guaranteed.
Footballers in particular, given their athlete profile, were frequently tapped as models for sports brands, athletic apparel, and health-related advertising — supplements and the like.
By that measure, Kim Hanbin's physique and looks were more than enough to win over any advertiser.
Once the Olympics wrap up, the ad industry is going to come calling for Hanbin in force... I should secure his contact information ahead of time.
The photography director finished his lightning-fast mental calculation and resumed the shoot.
When everything was wrapped, the director approached Hanbin and struck up a conversation.
"Great work today, Mr. Hanbin. When the model's this good, the shoot flies by."
"Not at all. It's all thanks to your direction, Director."
Hanbin replied with a shy smile.
The director hesitated for a moment as he looked at him, then carefully extended a business card.
"Um, Mr. Hanbin — if it's not too much trouble, could I perhaps get the contact information for your agency?"
"I'm sorry... my agency?"
Hanbin's face filled with question marks at the completely unexpected request.
The photography director smiled at his reaction and explained.
"Ah, you see, our company runs an advertising agency alongside the photo studio. Watching you today, I couldn't help thinking you'd make a truly outstanding model, so I thought I'd mention it."
"Oh..."
"If we formally reach out with an advertising offer later, I can promise you the terms will never be unfavorable to you, Mr. Hanbin! So if you could just give me your agency's contact..."
Hanbin listened for a moment, then answered with an awkward, sheepish expression.
"Ah... um, Director. That's very kind of you, truly... but I don't actually have an agency yet."
At the words no agency, the photography director doubted his own ears.
He stared at Hanbin, stunned.
"I'm sorry... you're saying you don't... have an agency...?"
His voice carried bewilderment laced with a note of open disbelief.
Hold on. In this day and age, a professional footballer — one getting this much attention — has no agency? Is that even possible?
Cha Kangmin, who had been eavesdropping on the whole exchange, cut in with an air of utter incredulity.
"Yo, you still don't have an agent?"
"Nope, hyung. Still nothing."
Hanbin answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Cha Kangmin shot back, flabbergasted.
"Hey, then how the hell did you sign with Suwon? You negotiated your salary with no agent or anything?"
At that, Kim Hanbin fixed Cha Kangmin with a long, level stare — the look of a man asking what kind of nonsense this was supposed to be.
His eyes carried a silent message: Is this hyung actually an idiot... or is he doing this on purpose?
"Ah..."
Only then did Cha Kangmin remember that he himself had been deeply — very deeply — involved in Hanbin's contract negotiations.
"Ahem, HEM! Ah... right. I went with you and handled that, didn't I. Haha..."
Cha Kangmin cleared his throat awkwardly and steered the conversation elsewhere with a strained smile.
"Anyway! A player at your level should've been getting calls from every agency worth its name in the country by now. Nothing come in separately?"
Hanbin shook his head before answering.
"No... well, nothing directly, no. I've gotten a few interview requests from reporters and broadcasters, but those all came through the club too..."
He replied, tilting his head in puzzlement.
Cha Kangmin hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then seemed to remember something.
"Hey, have you checked your email and stuff like that? Normally when an agency contacts a club, the club won't hand out a player's personal phone number — privacy, obviously — but they'll usually pass along an email address. Something could've landed there."
"My email?"
Hanbin pulled out his phone and tapped the mail app — one he hadn't opened once in years.
Dozens upon dozens of messages flooded the inbox, notifications popping up one after another.
✉ [M&B Sports] We formally propose an agent contract to Kim Hanbin.
✉ [Global Sports Agency NNM] We want to work with Korea's finest talent, Kim Hanbin.
✉ [Watterman Sports Group] Offer of a contract to Hanbin Kim.
✉ [Agency VVS] Kim Hanbin — we will serve you on the very best terms.
...
Contract offers from agencies filled the entire screen.
Beyond those, dozens more offers stacked on top of one another.
Scrolling through the endless wall of subject lines with his finger, Hanbin turned to Cha Kangmin.
"Uh... hyung. Are all of these actually real contract offers? They're not spam or something?"
With that, Hanbin handed his phone over.
Cha Kangmin took it and began scanning the inbox. An intrigued smile spread across his face.
"Ooh... there are quite a few big names in here. M&B Sports is one of the top-tier mega agencies, and NNM is a global outfit with branch offices all over Europe? I can see the occasional overseas offer in here too... Huh!"
Scrolling further, Cha Kangmin suddenly brightened as if he'd spotted a familiar name.
"This one's our company! The boss is always groaning about being busy — guess he couldn't pass up signing Kim Hanbin after all. Kek kek."
Chuckling at his own joke, he handed the phone back to Hanbin.
Hanbin still wore a dazed expression as he asked again.
"So... these people are all genuinely, actually trying to sign me? None of it's spam?"
"Hey, dummy. These days agents tail little kids' youth tournaments just to shove contracts at promising players. A talent at your level hits the open market and nobody moves? That's what would be strange. Right now, you're a premium commodity."
Cha Kangmin said it as if stating the obvious.
"Hmm... then should I just sign with your company? You'd be there, and... I feel like I could trust it more."
After mulling over the mountain of companies, Hanbin moved to choose Cha Kangmin's agency.
But Cha Kangmin waved him off at once.
"What? Hey, hold on. Our company isn't that great. Not bad either — just a solidly average mid-tier shop. A big fish like you needs to choose more carefully than that."
He thought for a moment, then offered his advice with a serious face.
"Listen... don't rush into anything. My take? Ride it out as-is until the Olympics are over, and decide then — it won't be too late. Put on a proper show at the Olympics, and you'll be able to sign on far better terms than anything that's come in so far."
"Ah... I see..."
Hanbin nodded at Cha Kangmin's practical counsel.
"......"
And beside them both stood the photography director, unable to wedge himself into the conversation, staring blankly at nothing at all.
The Olympic squad's official departure day. From the crack of dawn, the departure hall of Incheon International Airport was packed with a sea of people.
At the center of it all stood the U-23 squad, immaculate in their matching team suits.
"Over this way, please! Just one more!"
"Kim Hanbin! Slightly to the right!"
"Choi Sang-won, look here and give us a fist pump!"
Dozens of journalists had dug in before the team, and the camera flashes erupted without end.
For Hanbin, who had never in his life stood before this many reporters and this many spotlights, the whole scene felt surreal.
Once the brief team photo session ended, the media interviews began immediately.
With the players lined up in a row, the reporters took turns raising their microphones.
"Cha Kangmin! Your first group-stage opponent at this Olympics has been decided — it's France. And Kylian Mbappé, widely regarded as the best player in the world right now, has joined their squad as a wildcard. As a national team defender, how do you plan to stop him? We're curious!"
Every eye in the hall turned to Cha Kangmin.
"Mr. Mbappé is a truly outstanding player, of course. Honestly speaking, since I've never faced him directly, it's hard to say anything definitive. But football isn't a sport you play alone. If our squad bands together as one, defends as a unit, and covers for each other — the opponent will certainly be a difficult one, but I believe it's absolutely a match we can fight."
The reporters nodded along at Cha Kangmin's textbook answer.
The next question flew straight at Hanbin.
"Kim Hanbin! You showed a brilliant performance across the last two friendlies — please share your resolve heading into the Olympic tournament!"
"Uh... as our Cha Kangmin hyung just said, if the squad becomes one and fights as a single unit, I don't believe there's an opponent we can't beat. As a member of this team, I intend to pour out everything I have for the victory. Thank you."
With the joint interview over, the squad cleared departure procedures and made their way down the jet bridge.
"Hey, Hanbin. You ever been on a plane before?"
"Nope, first time."
At Hanbin's answer, a smile bloomed across Cha Kangmin's face.
Kangmin put on a grave expression and leaned in.
"Hey, you know you take your shoes off before boarding, right? Basic etiquette."
"......"
Hanbin simply stared at him in silence, his eyes laced with a generous helping of pity.
Kangmin averted his gaze with an awkward cough.
"Khm... sorry."
"Well, at least you apologized quickly. If you'd kept denying it to the end, you'd have looked truly pathetic, you know?"
As Hanbin deadpanned, a faint flush crept up Cha Kangmin's face.
"I said — ugh — I'm sorry, alright!"
They passed through the jet bridge and settled into their seats, and only then did it truly sink in: they were really leaving.
Hanbin gazed out the window at the airport scenery, then turned to Cha Kangmin beside him.
"Hyung... can we actually beat Mbappé? I looked him up, and apparently the salary Saudi offered him was 280 billion won. That's 280 times your annual pay."
Cha Kangmin snorted, thoroughly unimpressed.
"Hey, if his salary's 280 times mine, does that mean he's 280 times better at football than me too?"
Kangmin crossed his legs and went on.
"He's got two arms and two legs, same as me. If you get spooked by a name and start trembling before you even step onto the pitch, you've already lost that match. Be a man and clash with him head-on at least once — what kind of fight do you have if you're scared before it even starts?"
Kangmin paused for a beat, then added with a smile.
"And who knows? Maybe I shut Mbappé down cold this tournament, and an offer from Europe comes in for me too? Kek kek."
"Hmm..."
At Hanbin's icy response, the space between Cha Kangmin's brows began to twitch.
"Hmm...? Hmm?! You little—!"