"Lee Hyun-joong's military service resolved, Japan is also too happy..." Why such praise? Even Japan congratulates Korea on the gold medal [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

In a display of class, Lee Hyun-joong (25), the "ace" of the Korean men's national basketball team who shone brightly while winning the gold medal on Japanese soil against their archrival, deeply moved the entire nation of Japan.

On the 22nd, the Japanese media outlet "The Answer" highlighted Lee Hyun-joong, stating, "It is truly admirable. I was moved to tears by the actions of the Korean ace who captured the hearts of Japanese people the day after the Korea-Japan match." The report added, "Japanese fans were deeply impressed by the class and character Lee Hyun-joong demonstrated while playing in Japan's B.League last season."

Shortly after the final match, Lee Hyun-joong made a surprise appearance on an official video from the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) social networking service (SNS), offering heartfelt thanks to Japanese fans. In the video, he expressed his gratitude: "Dear Japanese fans, thank you so much. Even while wearing the Korean national team uniform and competing, you sent me warm support."

He then bowed his head in the stands of the arena, saying, "I saw many fans holding Nagasaki Velca uniforms and cheering tools from last season. Thank you very much."

Japanese fans did not hold back their praise for Lee Hyun-joong, who appeared directly on the opposing nation's Olympic Committee official channel the day after the intense Korea-Japan final to leave a classy message. On social media, reactions poured in: "Congratulations to Lee Hyun-joong. You are truly an amazing player. Thank you for playing in Japan," "Despite burning with fierce determination, he never forgets respect and consideration. He is overly kind to fans," "A truly humble and wonderful player," and "It's incredible that he appeared as a guest on Team Japan's official channel."

Especially, many voices expressed shared joy over Lee Hyun-joong receiving military service exemption benefits through this gold medal win, calling it a celebration for all of Asian basketball. Some Japanese fans commented, "Lee Hyun-joong's resolution of his military service is a great benefit not only to Korea but to all of Asian basketball," and added their support: "We hope he secures a regular NBA contract alongside Yuki Kawamura."

Last season, Lee Hyun-joong played as the main scorer for Nagasaki Velca in Japan's B.League, earning the Playoffs Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and leading his team to their first-ever championship. Recently, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA ahead of the 2026–2027 season and continues his challenge.

Previously, on the 20th, Korea defeated Japan 67-57 in the men's basketball final at the Aichi Nagoya International Arena during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, claiming the gold medal for the first time since the 2014 Incheon tournament after a 12-year gap. At that time, the organizing committee failed to provide official shuttle buses, forcing the cancellation of all shooting training on the day of the match, while blatant biased officiating favoring the host nation Japan piled up severe misfortunes.

However, against Lee Hyun-joong's solo performance, even home-field advantage proved useless. After finishing the first half tied 28-28, he dominated the court in the decisive third and fourth quarters by continuously sinking three-pointers from angles where the rim was invisible, securing offensive rebounds and drawing offensive fouls. With an astonishing record of 27 points, 18 rebounds (4 offensive), 3 assists, and 2 steals, Lee Hyun-joong put on a one-man show and shed emotional tears as the final buzzer sounded.

While local media outlets such as "The Answer" and "TBS News" remarked, "Korea's treasure Lee Hyun-joong exploded, shattering Japan's dream of winning gold in basketball. He is completely NBA caliber," Lee Hyun-joong demonstrated true sportsmanship off the court, completely captivating even fans from the opposing side.

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*This content was translated by AI.