Why S. Korean Football Player Cho Gue-Sung Is Gaining Popularity?

Source: Koreaboo

The South Korea vs. Ghana FIFA World Cup 2022 encounter resulted in an unexpected rise in Cho Gue-popularity. sung's The 24-year-old was able to steal the show thanks to his attractiveness and is now an internet heartthrob. Cho Gue-sung, who is playing in his first FIFA World Cup, is a forward for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and the South Korean national team.

One player is receiving attention as South Korea progresses to its first World Cup knockout phase since 2010, and not just for his soccer prowess. The football player allegedly had to switch off his phone because he was receiving too many marriage offers, according to a recent New York Times article. In just one week, Cho Gue Sung's Instagram account went from 20,000 to 2.6 million followers.

Who is Player No. 9?

Following his match against Ghana, Cho Gue-Instagram sung's following has multiplied. Because of his jersey number, many people who were not familiar with the Korean football squad started referring to Cho Gue-sung as "Player No. 9."

Fans also mention his vibe in addition to his appearance. Videos of Cristiano Ronaldo retaliating against rival players and reports that he complained that Cho urged him to leave the field quickly while being substituted out only served to win over fans.

Cho’s Gained Popularity 

Netizens took notice of Cho Gue-sung's appearance when BTS' Jungkook appeared for a photo with the South Korean team after his performance at the World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar on November 20. Cho's popularity coincides with the globalization of Korean popular culture, also known as Hallyu or the "Korean wave," which is typified by K-pop stars like BTS and Korean TV shows like "Squid Game" or "Extraordinary Attorney Woo."

On social media, fan reactions to Cho have been recorded in a variety of languages, including Korean, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic. Videos about "Cho Gue sung" have earned 25.5 million views on TikTok, and 224.4 million people have used the hashtag #조규성, which is his name spelt in Korean.

Qatar World Cup

The World Cup campaign of South Korea was over after it advanced to the round of 16, losing to Brazil. Cho Gue-sung has been engaged in conducting interviews for news programs since he and his other colleagues returned to South Korea.

Son Heung Min, the team captain, already received praise abroad while playing forward for Tottenham Hotspur, and he can now add Calvin Klein underwear model to his list of accomplishments. Jeong Seung Won, who is ranked 10, and Cho Yu Min have drawn new followers to the sport. Jeong Seung Won has been compared to K-pop idols. However, Cho Gue-sung, Korea's "player number 9," has reportedly had the brightest star on the internet.

On December 8, Cho Gue-sung and the rest of the national football squad attended a dinner hosted by South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee. The first lady, Cho Gue-sung even took a selfie.

Cho Gue-Sung’s Background

Cho Gue-sung (also known as Korea number 9) was born on January 25, 1998, in Ansan, South Korea. Prior to beginning his professional football career, he was a student at Gwangju University. Since his World Cup debut on November 25 against Uruguay, the 24-year-old player has been on everyone's radar. He signed with Anyang, the squad he had previously played for, two years after turning professional, and at the end of his rookie campaign, he had scored the third-most goals in K League 2.

In 2021, he received his first call-up to the Korean national team, and in September of that same year, he earned his first cap while playing for Korea against Lebanon in a world cup qualifying match. He struggled greatly with self-doubt during his adolescent years, chose to enter the civil service, and thought about quitting sports.

Wrap-up

Talk about how Cho could capitalize on his unexpected popularity has been fuelled by his sudden celebrity. On the Nike website, he is identified as an athlete, and his otherwise blank Instagram bio features Nike. There are reports of interest from numerous teams outside of South Korea.

Although other soccer players have garnered widespread attention in South Korea, a nation where people "have always fawned over those in the spotlight, be it footballers, idols, or actors," David Tizzard, an assistant professor of Korean studies at Seoul Women's University, noted that Cho was winning recognition on a global scale.

Written by Anusuya Dey