By Dan Coombs

Manchester United fans react as Park Ji-Sung requests song change

Manchester United cult her Park Ji-Sung has asked fans to stop singing his song.

The fan chant in honour of Park is deemed to be offensive and the former Red Devils’ midfielder wants to draw a line and have it no longer be sung.

Park made the request speaking to the club’s podcast.

The fan chant refers to South Koreans enjoying ‘eating dogs’, something with Park says is now outdated and offensive.

The former title winner explained: “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.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former United teammate added: “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.”

During his Red Devils’ career, Park won five Premier League titles, three League Cups, and one Champions League.

Park has always been a very understated figure, on and off the pitch. It’s rare he speaks in the media.

So this feels like really worth paying attention to. It is a matter Park feels strongly about, and he has now found the voice to do so.

As he says, it is 2021, and the song probably shouldn’t have been acceptable 10 or 15 years ago. It’s time to move on, change the lyrics, and respect his wishes.

Reaction

Here is a look at how fans on social media responded to Park’s request…

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Dan Coombs

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