'Girl's Day' Lion: Referee's Controversial Remarks Answered by Ji So-yun: "I Cannot Say I Received an Apology... It Felt More Like an Explanation"

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea’s women’s soccer star Ji So-yun (Suwon FC Women) directly addressed the controversy surrounding a sexually harassing 'Girl's Day' remark made by the officiating crew during a recent WK League match, revealing her deep distress.

According to NEWSIS, Ji met with reporters on the afternoon of the 7th prior to a training camp for the women’s football tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at Cheonan Korea Football Park. "My heart felt very heavy," she said. "However, what happened was wrong." She added, "I hope this incident fosters mutual respect and consideration between referees and players."

She continued, "I hope such incidents never happen to any player again. To achieve that, improvements are needed in education, communication methods, and systemic structures." She emphasized, "If a young player had heard those words, they would not have been able to say anything. I have played in many countries, but this is the first time I have heard such remarks. I was greatly flustered, but everyone can make mistakes. I hope this mistake does not happen again."

During a WK League match last month, Ji So-yun approached the officials to discuss a call. Referee Bae Seon-young used the term 'Girl's Day,' an euphemism for menstruation, during a wireless communication process. When Ji strongly protested, Referee Bae pulled out a yellow card. Unable to contain her anger, Ji threw a water bottle, prompting the referee to fiddle with a red card in their back pocket. The officiating team initially denied using the word "menstruation," but later admitted to using that euphemism.

Ji So-yun, the party involved, could not hide her bitterness over what she perceived as an insincere apology. She stated, "(The party) came to apologize and we met, but while they apologized, I cannot say I accepted it." She added, "It felt more like an explanation than an apology, which made my heart feel even heavier."

Despite the great shock, she reaffirmed her resolve as a veteran of the Ji So-yeon-eun (CEO) team to maintain composure and focus on the final Asian Games. This tournament marks Ji So-yun's sixth career Asian Games. Having won three bronze medals in previous tournaments (2010, 2014, 2018), the 1991-born player is looking higher, as this is effectively her final stage.

Ji said, "It is being held nearby in Japan, and North Korea is also in our group. It feels like this might be my last time, and I really want to change the medal color." She concluded, "As a veteran of the team, I will not let this controversy weigh heavily on me. From now on, I will focus only on the Asian Games and move forward."

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*This content was translated by AI.