Drawing the Big Picture
Korean soccer fans take a keen interest whenever one of their own makes the leap to Europe.
It might be different if plenty of players were thriving there, but only a tiny handful ever managed to survive and put in strong performances. Outstanding displays by Korean players on European soil were far from common.
So when a Korean player scored or put in a good shift for their club, fans felt a swell of pride. That pride burned even hotter when one of their own transferred to a bigger club.
I hope a Korean player gets to play for Real Madrid someday.
Will the day ever come when one of ours starts for Barcelona?
Will I live long enough to see a Korean player start for Bayern Munich?
When will Korean players face each other in a Korean derby at El Clásico?
Because of that, the news that Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon were linked to numerous European clubs—prestigious ones at that—set the hearts of soccer fans ablaze.
The fans' interest only grew.
And then, a few days later, soccer fans were hit with shocking news.
The fact that Jung Hyuk had turned down offers from teams widely regarded as the best in the world was more than enough to leave soccer fans reeling.
And the shocks didn't end there.
Oh Jung-hoon had also rejected recruitment offers from major clubs. The news left fans stunned all over again.
Then, a few days later, a new article dropped with fresh information. It was a completely unexpected bombshell that upended every fan prediction—and one that finally tied the whole situation together.
"I'm planning to go to Southampton."
The moment the words left Jung Hyuk's mouth, the office of Park Young-nam Sports Agency fell silent. Everyone except Jung Hyuk looked at each other, trying to make sense of what they'd just heard.
Then his father spoke, looking utterly baffled.
"Hyuk, you don't mean the Southampton I know, do you?"
"Yes, that's right. Southampton FC of the Premier League."
Jung Hyuk answered. This time Park Young-nam asked, his face full of shock.
"Uh... is there a reason? There are so many better teams..."
He was so flustered he was even stuttering. Why on earth would he pass up great clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool for a much lower-tier Southampton FC?! From his perspective, it made no sense. Still, even in that state, he tried his best to hear Jung Hyuk out. It was a question everyone in the office was dying to ask.
Jung Hyuk smiled and answered.
"I'm drawing the big picture."
"What kind of big picture?"
Park Young-nam shot back immediately.
"The manager. Mauricio Pochettino, Southampton's manager. I'm going for him."
Jung Hyuk said he was transferring for the manager. That only made Park Young-nam more confused.
"Huh...? Manager Pochettino? You mean the current Southampton manager? But is he even that great of a coach? He hasn't really shown much yet, has he?"
"No. Not yet."
Not yet. That was the key. Because Jung Hyuk had returned from the future, he knew just how excellent a manager Mauricio Pochettino was. Right now he hadn't proven himself and wasn't getting recognition, but soon he would become one of the most respected managers in the world. Of course, the people in the office couldn't understand Jung Hyuk's thinking. They didn't know the future. Jung Hyuk knew that, so he had no intention of making them fully understand. Instead, he offered the most appropriate reason he could think of.
"I did some research on Manager Pochettino. Turns out he's someone who really gives young players opportunities. He took over the team in a tough situation and is still managing to lead them pretty well—he's got ability."
He took a sip of the green tea he was holding to wet his throat, then continued.
"We need to be a little cold-blooded about this. Jumping straight to a big club might look good. Joining a team like Barcelona or Bayern Munich would look cool right off the bat. You'd get a ton of attention. Oh, and you'd probably make more money too. If you hang in there and develop well, you might even break into the first team. Even if you don't make the first team, just training with the first-team players from time to time would teach you a lot. You could take that experience and transfer somewhere else to become a good player. So I don't think that's a bad path either. But..."
Jung Hyuk paused for a moment and turned his head. He glanced briefly at Oh Jung-hoon sitting diagonally across from him, then looked back at Park Young-nam.
"What I said to Jung-hoon a little while ago applies to me too. In my opinion, the fastest way for a young player to grow is to play a lot of matches in a good league and rack up experience. Looking at it that way, I concluded that going to Southampton FC is the best option."
His father urgently asked,
"Couldn't you get opportunities at Barcelona or Bayern Munich too? Watching your videos, it seemed like you'd get plenty of chances even at a top club."
Jung Hyuk shook his head.
"No, Father. Pushing out the starting members of top teams isn't easy. It's not just a matter of skill. Becoming a first-team player—especially a starter—requires meeting a lot more conditions than you'd think. For example, you have to listen to the manager, properly understand his tactics, and be able to play the way he wants in the positions he wants. You also have to have good chemistry with your teammates, of course. The players currently starting have gone through all those processes. Of course, I'm confident I could become a starter even at Barcelona or Bayern Munich."
It wasn't a lie. It wasn't bluster either. Jung Hyuk truly believed he could become a starter at clubs like Barcelona or Bayern Munich. He had that much faith in his own ability. The problem was time.
At least three years.
If he spent about two years in the second team rapidly raising his stats and adapting to the team's style, he could get registered with the first team. After that, he'd get gradual opportunities as a substitute. After about another year, he could fully establish himself as a starter. This was the confidence and conviction that came from having played in Europe before. In three years, he was sure he could become a starter at any club. But three years was a long time. Because of that long stretch of time, Jung Hyuk had no intention of going to Barcelona or Bayern Munich. He looked his father in the eyes and spoke in a firm tone.
"But I want to start as a regular even a little sooner. In the world's best league. So for now, I'm going to Southampton FC."
"...Alright. I understand."
His father nodded. He intended to respect his son's choice. And then Oh Jung-hoon, who had been listening to the entire conversation, opened his mouth with a determined expression.
"I'll go to Southampton too."
The transfer of Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon to Southampton FC proceeded quickly. Park Young-nam proved his outstanding abilities, handling the paperwork, negotiations with the club, and communications with speed and precision. After flying to England and completing their medical tests without issue, Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon returned to Korea for a few days. And now they were all gathered at the airport, ready to depart.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?"
Jung Hyuk's father looked at Park Young-nam with a worried expression.
"Of course! I'm still young. And I've lived on my own for a long time, so I can cook pretty much any Korean dish. I'm great at laundry too. I'll take full responsibility and make sure Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon can focus solely on soccer."
Park Young-nam answered with a hearty laugh. The full story went like this. Since Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon had decided to leave for England and were minors, the opinion arose that they needed a guardian. Jung Hyuk insisted that living with just Oh Jung-hoon would be enough, but on this point both sets of parents refused to budge. In the end they couldn't break the parents' stubbornness, and the conversation shifted to whose parents would live with them in England. The discussion dragged on. At middle age, giving up life in Korea to live in England where they couldn't even speak the language wasn't easy. They had to be careful. That was when Park Young-nam stepped in. He said he would take care of Jung Hyuk and Oh Jung-hoon and live with them. And in that moment, Jung Hyuk pressed a hand to his forehead.
We're living together again in this life too?
Before his regression, Jung Hyuk had spent most of his life in England with Park Young-nam. Of course, Park Young-nam's care was excellent. Just as he said, his cooking was superb and his housekeeping skills were top-notch. He made it so the player could focus solely on soccer. But he wanted to live differently this time around. He had no desire to live with a bunch of sweaty guys. Originally, Jung Hyuk's plan had been to live with Oh Jung-hoon only until they became adults, then go independent.
Sigh... Once this hyung digs his heels in, he never backs down...
He tried to persuade him—aren't you busy? Shouldn't you focus on agency work in Korea? Before the regression, Jung Hyuk had always seen Park Young-nam living a hectic life. Commuting between England and Korea for work, he always looked exhausted. Having seen all of that, he could say those things. But Jung Hyuk's words didn't get through at all. Both sets of parents grabbed Park Young-nam's hands with words of gratitude, and Park Young-nam just laughed heartily and kept repeating to leave it to him. Jung Hyuk's opinions no longer reached their ears. And so, in this life as well, Jung Hyuk ended up living with a bunch of guys.
"Well then, we'll be off."
Jung Hyuk, Oh Jung-hoon, and Park Young-nam. The three men boarded the flight to England.