South Korean players pose for a photo after winning the gold medal at the men's football final against Japan at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Saturday. [Yonhap]
South Korean players pose for a photo after winning the gold medal at the men's football final against Japan at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Saturday. [Yonhap]

As controversy continues to swirl over military service exemption remarks made by members of South Korea's gold medal-winning football team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a new dispute has emerged over a celebration video posted by Choi Woo-jin of North Jeolla Province's Hyundai. In the clip, Choi limps on one foot before pulling out his gold medal — a performance some viewers said evoked images of a soldier recently wounded in a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone.

Choi was one of the members of South Korea's under-23 national team who beat Japan in the tournament final on Saturday to claim the gold medal and, with it, an exemption from mandatory military service.

The controversy stems from a video Choi posted on his social media after winning the gold. In it, he walks with an exaggerated limp before removing his shoe, from which the gold medal then drops — a parody of a popular challenge trend among runners in which participants pretend to be injured, limp to the finish, and reveal a medal hidden inside their shoe.

Some online users, however, said the video reminded them of a recent incident in which a South Korean soldier suffered a serious ankle injury in a North Korean landmine explosion along the western front of the DMZ, and expressed their displeasure.

As the backlash spread, Choi deleted the video and posted an apology on his social media on Sunday.

"I have come to learn that many people felt uncomfortable and upset about the gold medal celebration video," Choi said. "I want to make it absolutely clear that the celebration in that video was never intended to evoke, belittle, or mock any incident involving our military personnel."

He said the video was filmed at the request of fans who had come to cheer at the venue, using an existing celebration video as a reference. "I should have checked more carefully and been more aware — I was careless in that regard," he said.

"I, too, deeply understand the gravity of that incident and the weight of the sacrifices made by our soldiers," Choi said. "It never occurred to me that my performance could in any way be taken as demeaning to that event."

He added that, regardless of his intentions, he was reflecting on the need to be more careful and thoughtful about content that can reach a wide audience, and offered a sincere apology to anyone who felt offended.

"I extend my deepest gratitude and respect to all the soldiers of the Republic of Korea who are dedicating themselves to our country at this very moment," he said. "I also offer my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to those who have sacrificed in service to the nation, and to their families."

Meanwhile, South Korea's men's football team claimed the gold medal after defeating Japan 1-0 in the Asian Games final. With 20 of the squad's players — excluding three who had already completed their military service — set to receive exemptions, the team has faced a wave of criticism over a series of ill-considered remarks and gestures related to the exemption. These include comments by Lee Gi-hyeok and Yang Min-hyeok saying they would not have to serve in the military, as well as a photo posted by Park Seung-su showing himself with a military discharge cap.


choigo@heraldcorp.com