Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Park Chan-hyuk Receiving Jeers
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Park Chan-hyuk receiving jeers.
***
[Title: (Live) Union Berlin Declares It Will Continue Donation Campaign Before Every Match.]
As news of Union Berlin fans' spontaneous donations spread worldwide, people unfamiliar with German soccer culture showered them with praise.
Mainly reactions from Asia, including Korea.
But in Europe, where soccer culture was similar to Germany's.
[Union Berlin, Infusing Romance into Football.]
└ Those guys are just trying to light red flares.
└ Come to think of it, they didn't light any flares in the last game?
└ Oh no, watching a soccer match without flares? Horrifying.
They quickly grasped the true essence hidden in the article.
Meanwhile, as Union Berlin brought heartwarming inspiration to a harsh world stripped of romance.
"Chan-hyuk, a gift arrived for you from Korea."
"...From Korea?"
"Yeah."
"All of that is the gift?"
"Yep. So, Chan-hyuk, do you think you could translate our homepage into Korean for the Korean fans?"
New work was piling up for Park Chan-hyuk.
***
The term "global village" was in use, but compared to the future where a flick of the finger allowed real-time communication with anyone worldwide, information exchange was still slow.
So, I figured it would take a long time for reactions from Korea to trickle in.
But what I hadn't considered was that Korea at this time was parched for global attention.
'Would it die down if pork belly or kimchi prices skyrocketed?'
In the future, people would say not to introduce Korean food abroad because pork belly prices were rising.
Whatever.
It was just lighthearted banter among Koreans.
Most Koreans secretly swelled with pride seeing foreigners enjoy pork belly.
Anyway.
This was the era when Winter Sonata exploded in Japan, and the term "Hallyu" was starting to enter public consciousness.
News of an 18-year-old player(?) scoring a debut goal in Germany's fourth division made it to Korea's 9 PM broadcast news.
[Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk: Persistent Challenger in the Fourth Division.]
And even more astonishing was that this 18-year-old wasn't just any player—he was a team's assistant coach.
[Who Is 18-Year-Old Youngest Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk?]
└ Crazy, youngest assistant coach? Never possible in Korea.
└ From the start, an 18-year-old assistant coach doesn't make sense. Probably just a publicity name on the roster.
Though it was only the fourth division, the news of an 18-year-old serving as assistant coach sent Korean society into shock.
Alongside articles comparing European and Korean education cultures, criticizing Korea's creativity-lacking education.
The negative public opinion about a lottery winner using 'tax money' for soccer study abroad vanished in an instant.
I instantly became a young, promising leader striving for Korean soccer's development.
Amid public curiosity, interview requests from media outlets poured in.
It was a golden opportunity to promote Union Berlin in Korea, but I had to firmly decline.
- Uh~ son, what's going on?
"Dad, reporters..."
Click—.
Our family still hadn't shaken off the trauma from that day hounded by reporters.
Anyway.
As Korean interest in Union Berlin and me exploded.
'Wasn't my main job assistant coach?'
That's how I ended up with the new task of translating Union Berlin's homepage.
Of course, I was far too busy to take on more work.
"How about you handle the manager's mental care instead?"
I tried smoothly passing the precious task of Thomas Tuchel's mental care to the chairman, but Dirk Zingler firmly refused. He'd rather learn Korean himself to do the translation.
At this point, having Dirk Zingler learn Korean would be inefficient, so we decided to recruit Korean-speaking volunteers.
Truth be told, even setting aside my busyness, translating Union Berlin's homepage highlighted my German limitations.
My German had improved quickly through real-world practice, but I still knew far more words I didn't than ones I did.
Anyway, we recruited volunteers willing to work 'for free' at Union Berlin, centered around the Korean community.
Since it was unpaid volunteer work, I expected few applicants.
But thanks to recent Korean media coverage promoting Union Berlin.
"...These are all resumes?"
"Yes."
"They know it's unpaid, right?"
"Some probably applied without realizing."
"Scheiße."
Resumes flooded in from Koreans in the Berlin area, forcing Dirk Zingler and me to conduct interviews.
"Next applicant, please... Let's see, name..."
"Kim, Kim Sun-myung!"
And that was my first meeting with Kim Sun-myung, a computer engineering student at Berlin's university.
***
The interview for Union Berlin's unpaid volunteer resulted in Kim Sun-myung's selection.
His German seemed worse than mine, but I could feel his genuine love for Union Berlin.
'And most importantly...'
Other applicants cared more about the rice bowl than the cause.
With an 18-year-old snagging the assistant coach spot at the club, they figured they could climb higher.
'What kind of applicant shows up to an interview using informal speech?'
As I ground my teeth at some rude interviewees.
"...But is this part of the assistant coach duties too?"
Kim Sun-myung, now fairly close, asked about Union Berlin's weaknesses.
"Take care of this too. Finish it before you clock out."
"Huh."
I quietly handed him extra work.
Though a volunteer, I believed today's experience would one day greatly benefit Kim Sun-myung.
'...It will, right?'
***
Korea's soccer fervor had surged rapidly since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semifinal miracle.
In Korea, a sport's popularity often tied directly to international tournament results.
Building on the World Cup's strong showing, Korea's pro soccer league was quickly gaining traction.
With the 2006 Germany World Cup approaching, Korea's soccer heat was reigniting fiercely.
'Something interesting to report on.'
A sports reporter hunting for stories stumbled upon Union Berlin.
[Title: (Live) Why Is There Korean Swearing on Union Berlin's Homepage?]
└ Holy shit, so much work. Thomas Tuchel you bald bastard. < Did Park Chan-hyuk write this? LMAOOOO
└LMAOOOOOOOO
└ Wow, I was a bit put off by the 18-year-old assistant coach, but seeing this makes him feel like one of us lol
Union Berlin's story was plenty to pique Korean curiosity.
'This'll work.'
It hadn't been long since escaping the IMF crisis through gold-collecting campaigns. The scar lingered in people's hearts. The reporter quickly dove into Union Berlin's tale.
And the next day.
"Heh heh, not covering the Germany World Cup but heading to the fourth division? What a real journalist, huh?"
The sports newspaper reporter applied for an overseas trip to cover Union Berlin and got ripped apart by his senior.
***
Meanwhile, at the same time.
Union Berlin began training to prepare for the next match.
They had overwhelmed FC Anker Wismar, but lacking synergy, critical errors had occurred multiple times.
Watching Thomas Tuchel explain tactics to players like teaching children, Park Chan-hyuk nodded.
'No wonder he started his career as a youth coach. Unlike when he talks to me, he's explaining it in a way that's easy for the players to grasp.'
Unlike the opener where he'd played as a player, for this match, Chan-hyuk was decided to actively support Thomas Tuchel as assistant coach.
'A bit nervous.'
The last game was his player debut; this was his debut in his true profession.
'Whew. This is the main job moment, huh.'
***
Union Berlin's home ground.
Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
The stadium was so dilapidated it bordered on shabby, but Union Berlin fans loved it.
This place embodied Union Berlin's history and tradition fully.
"Our assistant coach will score!"
"Park! Park! Park!"
Ahead of the match against Tennis Borussia Berlin, Union Berlin's home fans entered the stadium singing chants.
"Boooooooo─!"
"Assistant coach, get on the pitch!"
Spotting Park Chan-hyuk sitting stern-faced on the bench beside the manager, they unleashed jeers.