Captain Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) has been caught up in a scandal.
A woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, who claimed to be pregnant with Son's child and demanded money from him, were arrested by the police and appeared in court on the 17th. They are facing charges of extortion and attempted extortion.
The offending woman is reported to have extorted 300 million won from Son last June by claiming she was pregnant with his child. The woman’s 40-year-old boyfriend additionally demanded 70 million won from Son. Ultimately, unable to tolerate it any longer, Son's side filed a complaint against them for extortion, and the case became publicly known.
Son's agency claimed that "Son Heung-min is a clear victim." The police are focusing their investigation on whether the ultrasound photos used to threaten Son by the offending woman were manipulated.
Fans are in shock. This is because Son Heung-min has maintained a good image without major incidents since turning professional. Son is reported to have handed over 300 million won along with circumstances that he had sexual relations with the woman. Fans are shocked to learn that the woman wrote a memorandum agreeing to maintain confidentiality in exchange for money.
Fans criticized, "Isn't it true that Son Heung-min had sexual relations with the woman?" and "If Son Heung-min was innocent, why did he give her 300 million won?" They also noted that as the national team captain, his actions are inappropriate.
Other fans are arguing that even famous players should have their privacy respected and protected. Fans stated, "Isn't it possible for Son Heung-min to date?" and "The offender who threatened public figure Son Heung-min and committed a crime is the bad person. Son Heung-min is the victim," adding, "It's not a socially objectionable issue since Son Heung-min is not a married man."
Son Heung-min is set to play against Manchester United in the Europa League final on the 22nd. This is a golden opportunity for Son, who joined Tottenham in 2015, to escape from being titleless. It is undoubtedly a bad situation for Son to have personal life issues arise just as a championship opportunity comes after 10 years.
Fans are greatly concerned that Son Heung-min may be mentally shaken and that it could affect his performance in the game.
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