Recently, coach Kim Sang-sik said goodbye to three Korean assistants, including Lee Seong-joo (interpreter), Choi Sung-rak and Yoo Seung-min (physiotherapist). The reason is that all three assistants are university students and must return to their home country to continue their studies.
In a recent interview with the Korean press, interpreter Lee Seong-joo shared: "When I learned that the Vietnamese team was looking for a language assistant for coach Kim Sang-sik, I was very interested and excited. An offer from Vietnam through a fairly reputable third party helped me get this job.
I admit that the workload and pressure are very hard. But every time I see the Vietnamese players with smiling faces, ready to ask questions with sympathy, I feel more motivated to continue working hard with the tasks assigned by the coaching staff.
If one day I say goodbye to Vietnam and return to Korea with another busy job, the memory of the ASEAN Cup will always be in my mind. That's for sure."
Meanwhile, assistant Choi Sung-rak said: "This is a great opportunity for us to learn a trade. When I came to Vietnam, I was able to try my hand at the role of a physical therapist. Not only did we support the players with massage and recovery after each training session or match, we gradually communicated with the Vietnamese players through gestures and language. Gradually, just by looking at their facial expressions, we knew what they wanted to express."
Currently, the position of Korean-English interpreter for coach Kim Sang-sik has been added. The new assistant of the Korean coach has been in Vietnam since before Lunar New Year.
