Kim Hee-chul Sheds Tears in Support of Son Heung-min’s World Cup Apology

Super Junior’s Kim Hee-chul was moved to tears after reading Son Heung-min’s public apology following South Korea’s elimination from the World Cup.

On November 30th, Son took to social media with a heartfelt message, beginning, “I’m at a loss for words. I can’t ignore what happened, nor do I want to shy away from reality.”

The soccer star expressed his remorse, stating, “First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize to the people of South Korea and all the soccer fans who have supported us. As a fellow soccer enthusiast, I can only imagine how disappointing and frustrating it must have been to watch our performance.” Son continued, “I feel a deep sense of responsibility for failing to repay the time, energy, and unwavering support you’ve all shown us. I am truly sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone who believed in us and stood by our side until the very end.”

Determined to regain the fans’ trust, Son pledged, “I will give my all in preparation for when you need me again. While I’m deeply sorry and heavy-hearted, I kindly ask that instead of harsh criticism towards all the players, please send us your warm encouragement and support, even though I know it may be difficult.”

In response to Son’s post, Kim Hee-chul left a tearful emoji, capturing the attention of many. Actor Lee Si-eon also showed his support by commenting, “You did an amazing job.”

Fans who read Son’s apology flooded the comments section with messages of support. “You worked incredibly hard,” “Son Heung-min is our pride and joy,” “You’ve been through so much,” and “Seeing you play soccer happily is what makes us happy,” were among the encouraging words left by netizens.

Earlier, the South Korean national team suffered a heartbreaking loss to South Africa in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup qualifiers, failing to advance to the Round of 32.