National team forward Hwang Hee-chan, who was invited to attend a Bucheon FC 1995 match, shared his childhood memories of Bucheon.
Bucheon lost 0-3 to Gimcheon Sangmu in the 19th round of the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 at Bucheon Sports Complex on April 1.
The match was a home game to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bucheon’s city promotion. Bucheon organized several events to 토토사이트 mark the occasion, including inviting Wolverhampton Wanderers international striker Hwang Hee-chan to perform the ceremonial kickoff. Hwang, who grew up in Bucheon as a child and still has family living in the city, has expressed his love for the city by donating money to the city’s low-income vulnerable population.
Speaking to reporters before the match, Hwang said, “Thank you for inviting me to the 50th anniversary of Bucheon City’s promotion. I came to watch many Bucheon matches when I was in elementary school. I’m very happy to be invited to the stadium that I dreamed of when I was a kid,” he said.
“I have so many memories. I came to almost every home game. I remember trying to catch autographed balls and eating delicious food while watching the game. The Bucheon players were really good at that time. Watching them made me dream of becoming a professional player,” he said, recalling his childhood memories.
Hwang continues to follow the Bucheon team today. “Almost every time I came to Korea, I came to watch Bucheon play. I would quietly put on my hat and watch,” he says. “There are some juniors who did the same. So even though I don’t always watch Bucheon matches live, I check the results and news.”
He also mentioned the names of Bucheon players he played with in the past. “I was close to Choi Jae-young in middle and high school. When I heard he was playing for Bucheon, I had high hopes for him. I know he’s injured now. It’s a shame. Lee Jung-bin also played with the national team. Besides them, there are many other players that I have high hopes for.”
After reaching the semi-finals last season, Bucheon is competing in the top half of the table and challenging for promotion this year. Hwang Hee-chan wished Bucheon the best and hopes for promotion. “I always wish them well. It’s a team with a lot of history. They’re still competing at a high level, and I hope they can get promoted to the K League 1 this season and show their fans something good,” he said.
Before kickoff, Hwang Hee-chan stepped in front of the 6,103 fans in the stadium. He took the microphone in front of the fans to congratulate them on the 50th anniversary of the city’s promotion and to wish them victory, and then joined Bucheon Mayor Choi Soo-ik and Bucheon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Kim Jong-hum to cut the ribbon. He also participated in the halftime raffle and had a great time with the Bucheon fans.
