the Perfect Match

I never watched a single football match and I never payed any interests in football games in my past life, only these days because of Ahn Jung-hwan, I started showing interests on football and foot volleyball, I only wish I could understand a single word of Korean, so that I wouldn't have to wait for extra days for the translation. See, how strong the impact of a country's softpower will be, no wonder he is a national representative, and he was always teased by the other Dads because of his title, "national representative Ahn Jung-hwan! National representative Ahn Jung-hwan!" everyone would clap their hands and nag him, and soon they would get what they want.

Ahn Jung-hwan was the most admired soccer player of his generation, the doyen of soccer play, flashback to 2002, he was the protagonist of Korean soccer filed, the Korean national team was on the highest rank in history. However, I DIDN'T know all of the above. He was only a quiet dad in the show, he looked like a over-weighted clumsy middle aged man. I was disappointed for the 2nd season of Papa! Where are we going？at the beginning. Then suddenly Ahn Jung-hwan was standing on the soccer playground, he was totally another person, he was funny and charming, he talked a lot and joked around. I think started falling for him from that moment. The 2nd season was really tedious, Ahn Jung-hwan was only motive for me to watch it. 

Ahn Jung-hwan's paradoxical personality and the tension between him and his son Ri Hwan attracted me. He is always the most quiet one in variety shows, but when he talks, his words are sharp and he makes quips. When people are tickled by his wisecracks and burst out laughing, he has the most calm expression on his face and sits like an outsider; He is prudent, he bows his head and exchange courtesies with the others, when there is a group of people, he always stands at the side↓

However, when he sits on the commentator's seat, he is permissive rather than prescriptive, sometimes his words have to be beeped out. He is a perceptive commentator, when the second he opens his mouth, the rating percentage increases. He is not a carefree person, the TV program record he's first time of airing, when it was cut, he wiped perspiration on his forehead and had a deep breath. On the contrary, when he sit with the other commentators, you could tell the difference, the rest looked well trained and he looked like on a vacation, sit pretty laidback. 

Ahn Jung-hwan announced his retirement on 2012, he burst out of tears in the press conference, it was a heart broken scene. However, he intended to erase soccer from his life after retirement, it seems he had enough of it. Gradually he is inflated like a balloon, his handsome face now looks like a full moon. He said that when he was a player he had to diet, now he wants to enjoy life. I don't know if it was his true thought, because he used to be a successful sports man, which mean he has more stamina than other ordinary people, if he is willing to lose wight, he should be able to. But why didn't he? If it is possible, I reckon everyone wants a fit body and healthy look, not mention he was such a handsome man. Ahn Jung-hwan's life is like riding on a roller coaster: he was born without a father, when he was little, his mother was far away from him, when he grows up, she was on a huge debt, his childhood was filled with starving and humiliation. The he opened a door and stepped into a new world, he became a soccer player → he became a handsome soccer player → he became a handsome national hero soccer player! → He won the heart of a Miss Korean! OMG, his life was on the highest peak ever, it was nothing more than a fairy tale. Very soon, the roller roaster went down, he lost his contract and stayed at home for half year, then his age wasn't allow him to run as fast as he used to be, he had to retire. A soccer player like him must have various opportunities, but he said he was on huge pressure, and suffered insomnia, he claimed that he was helping his wife doing their family business, but his wife exposed that he almost became an alcoholic. We didn't know how much profit they made out of their family business, obviously his stomach has been growing. 

Ahn Jung-hwan said that he played soccer to avoid suffer starving, then he was selected to a higher rank and gradually he started to make a living out of it, then his goal had changed, he was not only playing to fill his stomach, but also to be wealthy, the he gained fame and admiration, he becomes a national representative. From a outsider's view, his life was everyone envies, you couldn't imagine a better life then his. However, he didn't choose to be a soccer player, he had to play and play hard, because that was the only way to get food, he didn't cherish the memory of soccer playing. It seems to me that a slice of remorse is hidden at the bottom of his heart, what if he was born in a wealthy family or what if he had a loving parents, would he choose to play soccer? Soccer would only be one of his options, he might choose to become a engineer, doctor or scientist......Because he is Ahn Jung-hwan, he wouldn't have a chance to try other fields. Fortunately he has a son, like the other parents he is trying to implant his childhood dream into Ri Hwan's brain, also like the other families, there are conflicts between father and son. Among those kids, Ri Hwan didn't get as much attention as the others, when it came to soccer, his expression changed, that impressed me. He didn't get along with his Dad, but he showed deep reverence to the soccer player Ahn Jung-hwan.

When we test the quality of a rope, we try it's weakest part; when we judge a person's character, we see from his brightest part. When Ri Hwan was scared, Ahn Jung-hwan scolded him; when Ri Hwan said: Appa, I will clean your car; Appa, I will clean the floor, you can have a rest, he forgot to praise him; when Ri Hwan started developing his own interests, craved to be allowed to play soccer, he didn't want to support and encourage him. His relationship with his son is not equal, he should respect Ri Hwan as an adult and build trust between them. Poor Ri Hwan, a smart kid, he even has to play soccer at his dad's back, how much pressure he has to carry.

Okay...In conclusion....life carries on, there is no conclusion.