Manchester United legend and former midfielder Park Ji-sung has requested that the United faithful stop singing a famous chant about him because it is deemed to be racist among South Korean individuals.
Park Ji-sung, now retired, joined the Red Devils in 2005 following a modest £6.6m move from PSV.
The South Korean then spent seven years at Old Trafford where he lifted 11 major trophies, including four Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.
Arguably one of the club’s most memorable and well-loved players, the terraces of Old Trafford continue to remember their former midfielder by singing his name loud and proud.
However, their chant, which includes reference to eating dog meat, as well as bitter rivals Liverpool, has been slammed by Park, who has requested it stop being sung.
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Speaking to the club’s official website, the ex-midfielder, who was best known for his tireless work rate, said: “I know that United fans don’t mean any offence 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.
“Listening to the chant even 10 years later now, I feel sorry for the younger me who tried to overcome this discomfort that I felt back then.
“I also feel responsible for the young people who are still discriminated against as Asians or Koreans, and struggling with that kind of discomfort.
“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 dislike it. The culture has changed.”
Whether or not the United faithful respect the former midfielder’s wishes and agree to stop singing the chant remains to be seen.
However, one thing is for sure – it will certainly be an interesting one to follow over the duration of the 2021-22 season.