Canceled vacation because of offer from Vietnam
Coach Kim Sang-sik is supported by two language assistants during his work with the Vietnam team. They are Mr. Nguyen Anh Van, Korean-Vietnamese interpreter, and Mr. Lee Seong-joo, English-Korean translation assistant.
During official meetings (pre-match and post-match press conferences) throughout the 2024 ASEAN Cup, language assistant Lee Seong-joo assisted Mr. Kim Sang-sik in interpreting.
Journalist Jo Sung-ryong of Sport-G (Korea) had an in-depth interview with Lee Seong-joo and two physical therapy assistants, Choi Sung-rak and Yoo Seung-min.
It is known that all three boys are excellent students in Korea.
With interpreter Lee Seong-joo, he has spent half a year working as an assistant at the Vietnam national team.
"Previously, I did a similar job, but supporting the player scouting team. When I learned that the Vietnam team was looking for a language assistant for coach Kim Sang-sik, I was quite interested and excited. But because I was just a university student, I thought it would be difficult for me to be selected.
Luckily, an offer from Vietnam through a reputable third party helped me get this job. At that time, I was on vacation. Realizing this was a great opportunity, I decided to fly to Vietnam and accept this experience-rich job," said interpreter Lee Seong-joo.
Not for money
The salary for interpreter Lee Seong-joo in the Vietnamese team is not too high, somewhat more modest than the income in Korea.
"If it was for money, I would definitely take another job in Korea, with a higher income. But what I learned while working for the Vietnamese team is many times greater than that amount of money," said assistant coach Kim Sang-sik.
He continued: "I realized that football is not just limited to 90 minutes. A match does not take place within the limits of the field. On a personal level, I meet a lot of people, deal with many tasks and am busy with administrative work.
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 Board."
Interpreter Lee Seong-joo happily said: “What makes me feel great is the recognition. After Vietnam won the ASEAN Cup, my friends in Korea called me. They said that Korean television and social media were also interested in the tournament.
'You're famous, Lee', I can hear that over and over again from a friend without getting bored.
Closing the ASEAN Cup journey with the Vietnamese team, Lee Seong-joo will still be with the Vietnamese team in the near future.
He confided: "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."
Two Korean students assist with physical therapy
In addition to Lee Seong-joo, the Vietnamese team also has two Korean assistants who are also university students, namely Choi Sung-rak and Yoo Seung-min. Both had the opportunity to learn while working for the Vietnamese team, through the prestigious introduction of Professor Lee Seung-jae from Mokpo University.
"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," Choi Sung-rak confided.
