Korea Waka: After Dem Commot, Son Heung-min Heat Still Dey for Street

Wetin make me stop for Korea waka no be Myeongdong signboard, no be di near-perfect speed of airport express into city. Na one plastic ball inside Hongdae small street. Korea team don already commot, match schedule for phone news no need scroll again. But by nine o'clock night, Hongdae still get people wey dey wear red national team jersey. Two university student use dem school bag form goalpost, dey play three-against-three for convenience store front. Ball roll touch food delivery bike wheel, nearly enter barbecue restaurant. Di people wey dey around no shout, dem just dey laugh dey shout one name: 'Sonny!' Dat name be like heat wey never cool finish, still dey hang under street light.

Hongdae street football and street dance show no far reach twenty metres. Left side na speaker, clapping, and girl raising phone. Right side na sound of leg rubbing cement floor. One boy wear old Tottenham jersey stop ball too far, im friend use Korean dey yab am. E bend head laugh, immediately use im heel pass di ball back. Korea football emotion no dey outside like South America, and e no dey fold neatly like Japan. E be more like Hongdae night tteokbokki sauce — sweet taste dey come first, pepper taste dey come later, and just when you think say e don finish, your throat go still dey hot for small time.

Next day I go Gyeongbokgung Palace. Hanbok rental shop for Gwanghwamun outside don open early-early. Rows of pink, blue, cream skirt dey shake small as breeze blow. If you wear hanbok enter palace, dem no dey charge entry fee — almost every travel guide dey write dis rule. But na only when you stand near palace wall, you go understand how wonderful e be: tourist wey wear sneakers dey carefully hold skirt climb step, guard-changing drum sound dey come out from gate arch, far side Sejong Daewang bronze statue front get pikin dey chase ball wey no dey visible. Tradition here no be something inside glass case — selfie stick, subway card, iced Americano, and jersey fit carry am enter di same picture.

For Gyeongbokgung side, I meet one retired footballer. E no be big name, e just talk say e don play K League Two before, and after knee injure am, e dey train youth for area. Wetin surprise me be say e wear one old FC Seoul jersey, stand for roadside dey use mineral water bottle as tactical board, dey teach three teenage pikin when full-back suppose push up. Im finger draw diagonal line for ground, di pikin dem bend down dey look. Tourists dey pass, thinking say na some kind street performance. Dat na Korea detail wey only person wey go fit see: football no dey always inside stadium ticket booth — sometimes e dey under palace wall tree shade, where person wey no dey enter field again still dey explain am.

Night I go back Euljiro, I keep my first barbecue for one small restaurant wey no get English menu. Di madam cut pork belly into bite-size, garlic slice fall inside grill pan corner oil. Kimchi grill until di edge burn small. One uncle for di next table see say I only dey drink water, e just push one small glass of soju come my side, talk say if you dey watch ball, na so you suppose drink — even if Korea team no dey di match again. Dem phone still dey replay Son Heung-min clip, somebody sigh, somebody talk say e don do enough already. Soju taste clean when e enter, but di after-effect dey come slowly, like wetin dis World Cup leave for Korea: dem lose, but e never cold finish.

Busan Jagalchi Market change dat remaining heat into smell. Three o'clock afternoon, seawater, fish smell, ice, diesel, and spicy soup steam from di upstairs canteen mix together, like wall wey dey move. Octopus inside tank dey stick to glass. One aunty use iron tong knock am, sea bream suddenly turn body, water splash reach my shoe. Busan no dey soft — e dey use seafood smell drag you comot from Seoul coffee shop and palace. Outside market, pikin dey kick ball for jetty side. Ball roll reach fish seller leg front, di seller use rubber shoe gently tap am, pass am back sharp-sharp. Dat one kick be like Busan pass any tourism promotion video.

After I return from Busan to Seoul, I specially enter ITX go Chuncheon. Han River outside window dey small-small narrow. City dey fade into low mountain, reservoir, and quiet station platform. Son Heung-min hometown no use big banner package itself as holy ground — at least when I come down, I no see dat kind overdeveloped excitement. Chuncheon be more like place wey know say dem get pride, but no dey rush to shout am. Dakgalbi street iron plate dey sizzle, cabbage don turn red from sauce. TV inside shop dey show sports news. Di owner hear me talk 'Son Heung-min', e smile, point im wall sign poster, talk say plenty people now dey come Chuncheon no be for Nami Island, but to see where e start from.

Sunset time I waka go riverside. Some secondary school pikin dey train shooting for open space, goalpost na two school bag. One boy shoot miss, instead of vex, e imitate Son Heung-min signature celebration — form im finger like camera, 'snap' im friends. Everybody laugh loud, after laugh, dem continue dey run. Di fact say Korea don commot from World Cup, for Chuncheon e suddenly no dey heavy like before. National team match go end, players go old, advertisement go change person. But when one pikin dey imitate im idol movement, dat remaining heat go dey reignite again.

Before I leave Korea, I go back Hongdae. Dat small street still dey make noise. BBQ smoke dey comot from exhaust pipe, soju bottle dey clink-clear for table. Street football don change set of people — di ball still be dat same worn-out plastic ball. One boy wear Korea team red jersey trap ball under im shoe sole, look up check di match commentary for nearby screen, come talk: 'Next time ba.' E talk am softly, like e no be to comfort anoda person, but to give imself one more breath.

Dis na di Korea waka wey I remember: no be just ticking Gyeongbokgung, Hongdae, Jagalchi Market, and Chuncheon one by one. Na how, after dem don commot, you still see one country dey preserve passion. E dey hide inside dat cup of soju wey dem suddenly push give you for BBQ shop. E dey inside di diagonal line wey retired footballer draw for ground. E dey inside di seafood market seller wey use rubber shoe pass ball back. E still dey inside dat one second when people still dey shout Sonny name for street even after e don leave World Cup. Korea football remaining heat no stop for big screen — e still dey for roadside, still dey for shoe toe, still dey for every young person wey dey talk 'next time.'