KOREA FOUNDATION

INTERVIEW

“I came to Korea for my love for football”
ĐỗAnh Văn, 3rd year, Dept. of Football Science, Honam University

The “Park Hang-seo syndrome”emerged in 2018, with VietNam finishing second in the AFC U-23 Championship. The Vietnamese people’s love for and interest in football exploded at this time. ĐỗAnh Văn, a passionate student at the Department of Football Science at Honam University in Gwangju, came to Korea to learn more about football. We talked with him about his dream of taking Vietnamese football to the next level.

Hello. Please say hi to the readers of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.

Hello. I’m ĐỗAnhVăn, an international student from VietNam. At the Department of Football Science at Honam University, I am studying numerous aspects of football, from marketing and English football terms to football basicsand exercises used in actual football players’training.

How did you decide to study football in Korea?

To my knowledge, universities in VietNam do not have football science departments. In 2018, after watching the Vietnamese team, led by Coach Park Hang-seo, play in the final of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, I started dreaming about working for the VietNam Football Federation. After researching universities with football science departments, I decided to study in Korea.

Last year, Viet Nam made history by reaching the third round of the AFC qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup. As a football science major, what did you think of this achievement?

As someone who studies and loves football, I first checked out the formation, who the starters were, how the lines were selected, and who the opposing teams were. It was exciting to guess how the team would play depending on the formation.

South Koreans love to drink beer and eat fried chicken while watching football games. Is there a particular way how Vietnamese people enjoy football?

In VietNam, we watch football at cafés and restaurants and cheer for the team together. When the national football team wins, people ride their motorcycles and sing rally songs while waving photos of Park Hang-seo and the Korean flag.

Could you tell us about your future goals?

After graduation, I hope to gain experience in the Korean football scene, obtain a license, and return to VietNam. My ultimate dream and goal are to advance football in VietNam.