SEOUL-. Shohei Ohtani He is possibly the most beloved Japanese athlete in South Koreaa testament to his charisma, which managed to alleviate all animosity between the two countries.
Since arriving in South Korea on Wednesday with his wife for the first major league game on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, the NBA superstar Los Angeles Dodgers have captured attention.
Many Korean fans wear Ohtani jerseys and cheer him on in the stadium. The manager of the Korean team asked for his autograph and in press reports and social networks they have praised him.
This is not new for the player who plays both hitter and pitcher and who in December signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract to join the Dodgers. But receiving this attention in South Korea is unusual due to animosity over Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945.
“Our social atmosphere has often made it difficult for us to openly say that we like Japan,” admitted Lee Jon-Sung, a sports culture expert at Hanyang University in Seoul. “I think Ohtani might be the first Japanese athlete we can name. Maybe some even consider him an honorary Korean citizen.”
Many of his followers in Crea say they love him because of what they consider good manners and his excellence in baseball.
“Ohtani has been good to the Korean fans, so I think that’s why everyone likes him,” said Park Sungjin, 40, who is wearing an Ohtani jersey before the Dodgers’ exhibition games Sunday against the Kiwoon Heroes.
Ohtani, who is considered in Japan as “the perfect person,” knew how to captivate Korean fans. Before arriving in the country, he posted an image on Instagram with his fingers in the shape of a “heart” and an emoji with the Korean flag.
Upon his arrival, he told reporters that he has always respected the South Korean team and considered it “one of his favorite countries.”
“The country Ohtani likes the most is South Korea. The Japanese person they love the most in South Korea is Ohtani,” says a message in Korean published on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.
Relations between the two countries have improved since last year when South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took a major step toward addressing a colonial-era dispute over Korean forced labor — one of the most important issues in restoring ties.
Source: AP
