"It's time to stop” - Ji-sung Park requests Manchester United fans to stop singing his chant, explains it's a racist insult
Former Manchester United midfielder Ji-sung Park has urged fans to stop singing a chant about him due to the racial implications it could have on people from his country. It comes after the Red Devils faithful sang the same chant against Wolves last month when the Wanderers presented their new signing and Park's compatriot Hwang Hee-chan.
"I’m really sorry for him [Hwang Hee-chan] to hear that," Ji-Sung Park was quoted as saying. "I know that United fans don’t mean any offense to him for that song but still I have to educate the fans to stop that word [dog meat], which is usually these days a racial insult to the Korean people."
Park Ji-Sung: “I really request the fans to stop singing that word [dog meat]. It causes discomfort to Korean people when they hear that song. It's time to stop." #MUFC https://t.co/KFmRr4dVPU
Park went on to add:
"That particular word is very discomforting for Korean people, and I really feel very sorry for the younger players who heard that kind of song. In Korea, things have changed a lot. It is true that historically we have eaten dog meat but these days, particularly the younger generation, they really hate it. The culture has changed."
"I really request the fans to stop singing that word. It causes discomfort to Korean people when they hear that song. It's time to stop," Ji-sung Park added.
🎉 Happy 38th Birthday, Park Ji-Sung!
🏟 435 Games
🇰🇷 100 Caps
⚽ 71 Goals
🎯 46 Assists
4 🏆🏴 Premier League
3 🏆🏴 League Cup
2 🏆🇳🇱 Eredivisie
1 🏆🇳🇱 KNVB Cup
1 🏆🇯🇵 J2 League
1 🏆🇯🇵 Emperor's Cup
1 🏆🇪🇺 UCL
1 🏆🌍 Club World Cup
👏 Cult hero. https://t.co/pQJPLv5QFo
Ji-sung Park joined Manchester United from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2005. He represented the Red Devils for seven years before leaving for Queens Park Rangers in July 2012.
During his seven-year stint, the Korean made 204 appearances for the Premier League giants across all competitions. Park recorded 28 goals and 29 assists in that time.
Manchester United on a poor run of form
It was a dream start to the season for Manchester United as they picked up three victories and one draw in their first four games across all competitions. However, the Red Devils have failed to maintain that level of performance in recent games. They have now recorded just two wins in their last six games.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are already out of the EFL Cup and their Champions League outing has failed to impress thus far. As it stands, Manchester United occupy fourth position in the Premier League table with 14 points from seven games. They definitely need to raise their level to compete for the title.