On the evening of October 3, the final of the men's football tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was held at Toyota Stadium in Japan. South Korea defeated Japan 1-0 with a goal from Eom Ji-sung in the 15th minute of the second half, securing their fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold medal. South Korea has won gold at the Asian Games men's football tournament since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, followed by victories at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang, 2022 Hangzhou, and 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, achieving four consecutive championships.

Due to player recruitment issues, Lee Young-jun joined the team late, but he quickly found his form, scoring 3 goals in the tournament, including goals in two consecutive matches, becoming one of the key contributors to South Korea's gold medal victory.

In a post-match interview, Lee Young-jun spoke about his feelings after winning the championship: "I feel relieved. Because my teammates' military service issues have been resolved, to be honest, there was pressure before. But I feel I did what I had to do by scoring goals and helping to create a good atmosphere for the team."

However, Lee Young-jun admitted that after actually winning the gold medal, he felt a strange sense of emptiness.

"Actually, even though we won the gold medal, I suddenly felt a bit disoriented. Because the goal has been achieved, there's now a sense of emptiness after the relief. Lee Seung-won and I looked at each other, and it felt like we were both thinking, 'It's finally over now.'"

In fact, Lee Young-jun faced considerable external pressure during this tournament.

He explained: "I know many people outside were saying, 'Since his military service issue is resolved, why pick him?' So at the time, I thought I couldn't let such talk continue; I had to do better and repay the head coach's trust in me."

For Lee Young-jun, this Asian Games held another layer of significance. Having played in the Swiss league for a long time, he was not very familiar to South Korean fans due to game times and broadcasting issues.

"I play in the Swiss league, so it's not easy for domestic fans to watch my games, so many people might not know me as a player. This Asian Games allowed me to play alongside some already well-known players, which helped more people become aware of me. I hope everyone can get to know me better, and if I have the opportunity, I also hope to join the South Korean senior national team."

"Letter from a Private" played in the locker room

After South Korea won the gold medal, Lee Young-jun played a special song in the locker room — "Letter from a Private."

When asked why he chose this song, he said with a smile, "I just wanted to ask them, 'Do you know this feeling?'"

Lee Young-jun recalled his military service experience: "When I boarded the bus for the ROK Armed Forces Athletic Corps, this song was playing, and I immediately cried. Living with those people in the training camp, and then everyone having to leave, that feeling was really strange."

At this point, he smiled again and said, "So I originally wanted Bae Jun-ho and Kim Ji-soo to experience this feeling too."

Previously, after South Korea won the Asian Games gold medal, several players who had not yet fulfilled their military service obligations would receive related military service benefits. For Lee Young-jun, who had already served, he clearly understood the significance of this gold medal more than the younger players on the team.

After the match against China, Lee Young-jun's celebration also attracted attention. When asked if he made the celebratory gesture because the Chinese fans were particularly vocal, he replied, "The Chinese fans were very loud at the time."

Subsequently, this statement also drew attention from some Chinese media. Lee Young-jun revealed that he received many private messages, but did not pay much attention to them: "I didn't really look at them much. But I will embrace these moments too."

Unwilling to exclusively claim the "Handsome Bus"

Regarding the "Handsome Bus" that outsiders joked about, Lee Young-jun repeatedly waved his hands in disagreement.

"I disagree. What is the 'Handsome Bus'? I'm not that great." (This borrows from Korean online slang "XX Bus," which means something similar to "one person carrying the whole team/leading the team to victory." For example, if a player performs exceptionally well, fans might say they "got on his bus," thus forming the moniker "XX Bus.")

However, he then added with a smile, "But I'll take credit for it when the other guys aren't looking."

Previously, Yang Hyun-jun had joked that if he went to Scotland, he would treat everyone to a meal. In response, Lee Young-jun laughed, "He said he would treat me if I went to Scotland. I'll just quietly send him my account number."

Finally, as a player who has already served in the military, Lee Young-jun also offered some words of encouragement to his teammates who received military service benefits for winning the Asian Games gold medal.

He said, "I know very well how precious the one year and six months that were originally supposed to be spent in the military are, and I also know how much can be accomplished during that time."

"So whether you are my friends, younger brothers, or older brothers, I hope you can make good use of this time and do even better."

【Related Information】

"Letter from a Private" is a classic Korean folk song, written and composed by Kim Hyun-sung. The most widely known version is the re-recorded version by legendary Korean folk singer Kim Kwang-seok in 1993. In Korean culture, "private" refers to a new recruit who has just enlisted. The song delicately describes the inner feelings of loneliness, determination, and reluctance of a young man saying goodbye to his parents, boarding a train to a training center, and facing himself with a shaved head in the mirror. It is considered a classic tear-jerker that Korean men listen to before enlisting, and a must-sing at farewell parties in KTVs. The song has also appeared in several films and television works, most famously as an interlude in the movie "Joint Security Area," further enhancing the film's depiction of soldiers' involuntary emotions.

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