DinDin reflects on Son Heung-min controversy: 'I've spent 4 years repenting'

Singer DinDin has once again addressed the "Son Heung-min sniping" controversy sparked by his remarks ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, confessing that he has been reflecting on his words and actions ever since. Admitting he overstepped in his attempt to voice his opinions, he stated, "My greed to show my convictions was excessive," and revealed he has spent a long period offering apologies and engaging in self-reflection.

Appearing on the web variety program 'Alttalttalhan Chamgyeon' released on the 7th, DinDin candidly shared the background of his controversial remarks during the 2022 Qatar World Cup and his subsequent feelings.

Recalling the situation when he frequently appeared on football-related programs, he began by saying, "On broadcasts, experts would say 'advancing to the Round of 16 is possible,' but after the cameras were turned off, many expressed opinions that 'it is not realistically easy.'"

He continued, "As I kept hearing those stories, I became obsessed with the idea that I 'had to speak my conviction,'" and looked back on the moment, saying, "During a live radio broadcast, I made remarks to the effect of, 'Why do you keep feeding false hope? Everyone knows we won't make it to the Round of 16, so why say such nonsense.'"

The remarks caused a larger-than-expected ripple effect immediately after the broadcast. As some reports interpreted his comments as targeting the captain of the Korean national football team, Son Heung-min, a narrative of "sniping Son Heung-min" and "mocking the national team" formed, leading to intense criticism online.

DinDin revealed, "The next day, articles with titles like 'Son Heung-min Sniping' began to appear," and "The matter grew larger, and I received many messages from friends around me asking, 'Why did you say things on broadcast that should have been said at a drinking session?'"

The controversy spread even further when the Korean national football team dramatically secured their place in the Round of 16 by defeating Portugal in their final group stage match. DinDin, who was in self-isolation due to a COVID-19 diagnosis at the time, said, "The moment the national team advanced to the Round of 16, I thought, 'Now I am really in big trouble.'" He added, "Unable to even go outside, I spent two weeks watching articles continue to rise, which gave me time to reflect on myself."

He further reflected, "It wasn't that I didn't want the national team to advance to the Round of 16, but that I wanted to talk about realistic prospects," while admitting, "It was clearly a mistake that my way of expressing it was too strong. It would have been enough to say, 'I am rooting for the Round of 16, but it might not be easy,' but my biggest mistake was expressing it emotionally."

He added, "I have been going around apologizing for four years since then," recalling the time with his characteristic playful expression, but also conveying that he has felt a sense of responsibility for his remarks for a long time.

DinDin had previously mentioned the same controversy through his YouTube channel last March. At that time, he stated, "Back then, I was possessed by a kind of 'conviction disease' and a 'sense of justice,'" and "Articles were reported as if I had sniped Son Heung-min, and in the end, as a member of the public, I should have just cheered for the national team, so I still deeply regret why I spoke that way." He also repeated his apology, saying, "I even asked people I have connections with to convey my apologies on my behalf."

This confession carries more meaning in that it is not a new explanation to clarify the truth of the controversy, but a statement acknowledging responsibility and looking back on his thoughtless words and actions at the time. DinDin emphasized once again that he takes the impact caused by his remarks and the public criticism heavily even after time has passed, and that he will not repeat the same mistake.