Marvelous Cha … The Second Cha’s Boom

Mr. Cha Bum Kun (49), the commentator of MBC said critically “It is a just delaying tactics” as his son Cha Du-ri (22) entered the ground just before two minutes of the end of the soccer game between Korea and Poland at 4th of June. Mr. Cha had thought his son as a cub until then.

However, Mr. Cha was exited as Korea joined to the best 8 of the World Cup after having defeated Italy at 18th of June. When the announcer was introducing Korean players on the ground as the hero of joining the best 8, Mr. Cha added “My son was there too”. It was the time for Mr. Cha to appreciate his son as a genuine soccer player.

The next day, the main topic was focused on the overhead kick of Cha Du-ri everywhere; in works, at home, etc. It was an ignition of Cha Du-ri’s boom.

Until then, soccer fans around the training center for the Nation team were crazy about Ahn Jung-hwan. However, the subject to be crazy changed and Cha Du-ri’s every movement became the focus of attention of the fans and made them utter an admiring cry.

“It was a marvelous overhead kick” said a senior lady who was around Daejun Ground where the nation team was training. As she said, all of generation, from teenage to senior citizens, was crazy about Cha Du-ri.

Cha Du-ri’s Internet home page (www.chaboom.wo.to) made by a fan was not popular until then, but is now crowd out by a lot of access with loading up writings.

After the game between Korea and Italy, foreign influential media and club teams began to appreciate him. In particular, German Bayer Leverkusen for that Cha senior played once has already contacted him.

Soccer site Dailysoccer.com (www.dailysoccer.com) reported that Leverkusen had proposed the intention to take on Cha Du-ri. Leverkusen’s manager Reiner Calmund said “We will propose only contract condition to him, and if he accept it we will provide him to accumulate indispensable experience to be international player.” It was the first time for him to be proposed from a foreign club team.

Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com