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Hello guys, this is my first thread at WATRB. I am writing it because I see the need to direct some traffic in the right direction regarding this topic.
I see a good number of long-standing QPR supporters on this forum who repeatedly criticize the new Korean fans who have started supporting or following QPR after Park's transfer. Most of these critics endlessly repeat that Korean fans follow particular football players (Park) instead of the club (QPR), and conclude that they either can't understand or accept these fans. Some of them go as far as to telling these new fans to get out of here, in all sorts of ways (explicitly or by abuse).
While I think that more members of this forum actually do understand how such a phenomenon occurs and are fine with it, the ones who do not understand appear to be much more vocal about it, to the point that it is causing a lot of argument and conflict on this forum. So, here are my two cents.
Very recently, I was told, "we support teams over here and not individuals so the whole team ethos on this board is probably hard for you to grasp". Actually, I understand that perfectly. I support particular sports teams rather than the player too -- for example, I support the Fighting Illini NCAA basketball team, because UIUC is my alma mater. Korea has a football league of its own, which is not on par with the EPL, obviously, but Korean football fans do support their own clubs. Korean football fans who live in Incheon would more likely than not support Incheon United FC, whereas those who live in Seoul would support FC Seoul. This is the same with the professional baseball league in Korea, people support a particular team. It really is no different from your average English football fan supporting QPR.
To further aid your understanding, here is some background on how some Korean football fans became fans of QPR. It all began with following a team, specifically the national football team of South Korea. You do also follow your national team (I presume England), do you not? It was no different for Koreans. However, with England football was its own creation and English clubs flourished in the game for over a century, whereas with Koreans the first real breakthrough in international competitions was in 2002, when South Korea's national team defeated numerous excellent teams such as Portugal, Italy, and Spain to place fourth in the World Cup. This was also the first World Cup that Korea (and Japan) hosted, which vastly increased the level of interest that an average Korean individual had in football. Tens of millions of Koreans roamed the streets cheering during this World Cup.
During this renowned World Cup, it was Ji Sung Park who trapped an incoming ball with his chest, juggled it up and volley-shot to score the winner against Portugal. The national team then eventually went on to place fourth. Naturally, all of the members of this national team became national heroes at the end of the World Cup. This was how Park first became one of the favorite players of all Koreans -- by playing on the national team which played so well, and more so by contributing to its impressive run.
If you were in the Koreans' shoes, would this event not have endeared you to the players who constituted the team, simply because he did not belong to your own local club? Of course not. Then, it just so happened that Ji Sung Park continued his success at the club level at PSV Eindhoven and Manchester United, which made him special even amongst the famous players of the 2002 national team. It also greatly helped pique Korean football fans' interest that Park was playing in Guus Hiddink's club, as Hiddink was the mastermind who led S. Korea to its World Cup run in 2002, and then the most renowned football club in the world. As more time passed, Park gradually became the most successful Korean (and arguably Asian) football player in recent history, and that is how Park became the current-day icon of football in Korea.
Let's shift this perspective to that of the average English football fan. The average English football fan supports a particular club, but also follows the EPL in general and its players as well, and also follows the English national team during international competitions. The average English fan would have at some point, to some extent, followed David Beckham's career, because he was a national football icon playing for their national football team. A good number of these English football fans would have followed and supported L.A. Galaxy because of Beckham, while still supporting Manchester United and/or the English national team which Beckham was no longer a part of.
This is not really different from the situation of Park and Korean football fans who are now fans of QPR, but it is just amplified in the case of Park because English football fans have their own great league whereas Korean fans have a league of lesser quality. There really is nothing hard to understand about it, nor is there anything wrong with it. It may not be your way, or even the average English football fan's way, but there is a good reason for it and no one should be criticizing Korean fans about how or why they currently support QPR and Park. In converse, neither do Korean fans have the right to criticize English football fans about which clubs they support and why, but on this forum I really have not seen that happening. It's been pretty one-sided.
Everyone certainly has a right to criticize or even blast Park about his performances, but to criticize fans of Park and more generally, Korean football fans, about their support for Park and QPR, is uncalled for, closed-minded and destructive. There is a fine line between frustration and hate, please check yourself before crossing over.
Accept your fellow fans and your differences. You will be a better man (or woman) for it.
I see a good number of long-standing QPR supporters on this forum who repeatedly criticize the new Korean fans who have started supporting or following QPR after Park's transfer. Most of these critics endlessly repeat that Korean fans follow particular football players (Park) instead of the club (QPR), and conclude that they either can't understand or accept these fans. Some of them go as far as to telling these new fans to get out of here, in all sorts of ways (explicitly or by abuse).
While I think that more members of this forum actually do understand how such a phenomenon occurs and are fine with it, the ones who do not understand appear to be much more vocal about it, to the point that it is causing a lot of argument and conflict on this forum. So, here are my two cents.
Very recently, I was told, "we support teams over here and not individuals so the whole team ethos on this board is probably hard for you to grasp". Actually, I understand that perfectly. I support particular sports teams rather than the player too -- for example, I support the Fighting Illini NCAA basketball team, because UIUC is my alma mater. Korea has a football league of its own, which is not on par with the EPL, obviously, but Korean football fans do support their own clubs. Korean football fans who live in Incheon would more likely than not support Incheon United FC, whereas those who live in Seoul would support FC Seoul. This is the same with the professional baseball league in Korea, people support a particular team. It really is no different from your average English football fan supporting QPR.
To further aid your understanding, here is some background on how some Korean football fans became fans of QPR. It all began with following a team, specifically the national football team of South Korea. You do also follow your national team (I presume England), do you not? It was no different for Koreans. However, with England football was its own creation and English clubs flourished in the game for over a century, whereas with Koreans the first real breakthrough in international competitions was in 2002, when South Korea's national team defeated numerous excellent teams such as Portugal, Italy, and Spain to place fourth in the World Cup. This was also the first World Cup that Korea (and Japan) hosted, which vastly increased the level of interest that an average Korean individual had in football. Tens of millions of Koreans roamed the streets cheering during this World Cup.
During this renowned World Cup, it was Ji Sung Park who trapped an incoming ball with his chest, juggled it up and volley-shot to score the winner against Portugal. The national team then eventually went on to place fourth. Naturally, all of the members of this national team became national heroes at the end of the World Cup. This was how Park first became one of the favorite players of all Koreans -- by playing on the national team which played so well, and more so by contributing to its impressive run.
If you were in the Koreans' shoes, would this event not have endeared you to the players who constituted the team, simply because he did not belong to your own local club? Of course not. Then, it just so happened that Ji Sung Park continued his success at the club level at PSV Eindhoven and Manchester United, which made him special even amongst the famous players of the 2002 national team. It also greatly helped pique Korean football fans' interest that Park was playing in Guus Hiddink's club, as Hiddink was the mastermind who led S. Korea to its World Cup run in 2002, and then the most renowned football club in the world. As more time passed, Park gradually became the most successful Korean (and arguably Asian) football player in recent history, and that is how Park became the current-day icon of football in Korea.
Let's shift this perspective to that of the average English football fan. The average English football fan supports a particular club, but also follows the EPL in general and its players as well, and also follows the English national team during international competitions. The average English fan would have at some point, to some extent, followed David Beckham's career, because he was a national football icon playing for their national football team. A good number of these English football fans would have followed and supported L.A. Galaxy because of Beckham, while still supporting Manchester United and/or the English national team which Beckham was no longer a part of.
This is not really different from the situation of Park and Korean football fans who are now fans of QPR, but it is just amplified in the case of Park because English football fans have their own great league whereas Korean fans have a league of lesser quality. There really is nothing hard to understand about it, nor is there anything wrong with it. It may not be your way, or even the average English football fan's way, but there is a good reason for it and no one should be criticizing Korean fans about how or why they currently support QPR and Park. In converse, neither do Korean fans have the right to criticize English football fans about which clubs they support and why, but on this forum I really have not seen that happening. It's been pretty one-sided.
Everyone certainly has a right to criticize or even blast Park about his performances, but to criticize fans of Park and more generally, Korean football fans, about their support for Park and QPR, is uncalled for, closed-minded and destructive. There is a fine line between frustration and hate, please check yourself before crossing over.
Accept your fellow fans and your differences. You will be a better man (or woman) for it.
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