[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu took a swipe at the national soccer team for giving inappropriate interviews after winning a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

On the 7th, Lee Kyung-kyu shared his thoughts on the Asian Games soccer team’s remarks regarding military service exemptions in a video titled “Lee Kyung-kyu, a Military Veteran, Furious After Watching the Military Exemption Interview” on his YouTube channel, “God Kyung-kyu.” He pointed out, “That’s something the players should discuss among themselves,” adding, “Even if they feel that way, it’s not something they should be saying publicly.”
Previously, after the men’s national soccer team won the gold medal, Yang Min-hyuk said, “Since there’s the reward of military exemption, I think we played the game focusing solely on that,” and captain Lee Ki-hyuk declared, “I’m not going to the military,” while holding up the gold medal. Criticism poured in after Park Seung-soo even posted a photo of himself wearing a “discharged soldier” cap, and the players eventually apologized.
Lee Kyung-kyu drew a parallel, saying, “It’s like if someone asked me, ‘Why do you host this show, Mr. Lee Kyung-kyu?’ and I replied, ‘Because they pay me, don’t they?’” He added, “I get paid, but think about how offended the viewers must feel.” He continued, “That’s not how you should speak; you should say you played for the honor of the country and for the nation.”
He also noted, “Player Lee Young-jun was discharged from the Gimcheon Sangmu team,” explaining, “He was discharged but came all the way from Europe—to win a gold medal.” He reiterated his discomfort, stating, “Medals are the crowning glory of sports,” and added, “You shouldn’t say you won it to avoid military service.”
Lee Kyung-kyu pointed out, “Many people are understanding because he’s young, but it doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old—it was wrong.” He added, “How must the Gimcheon Sangmu players feel after seeing that interview? They play for 1.5 million won a month. How envious must they be?”
He also remarked, “There are certain topics in our country that are off-limits. You shouldn’t touch on the military—it’s a sensitive issue.”
Lee Kyung-kyu explained that these remarks stem from an attitude issue, stating, “Attitude is the most important thing. The young players who competed in the Asian Games made a mistake. However, I hope this serves as a lesson for them to think, ‘I need to be more careful.’ I’m sure they’re reflecting on it deeply.”