Flank striker Uhm Seong (Swansea City), who literally scored a goal that gave Korean soccer its fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal, said he was waiting for an opportunity in a frustrating situation and did not hide his joy, saying he would never forget this gold medal for the rest of his life.
After the U-23 national team defeated Japan and won the gold medal in the Asian Games final held at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 3rd, Uhm Seong met in the common coverage area (mixed zone) and smiled, saying, "We ended our long journey with the result we wanted. I am very grateful to my colleagues and I would like to say they worked hard."
In the game against Japan that day, Uhm Seong scored a goal in the 16th minute of the second half when the score was tied at 0, leading Korea to a 1-0 victory and winning the gold medal.
With this one goal, Korea maintained its top spot in men's soccer at the Asian Games since the 2014 Incheon Games.
In a situation where the national team was somewhat pushed back by the momentum of Japan, whose team consisted only of players under the age of 21, Uhm Seong Uhm, who received a cross from Yang Min-hyuk (Westerlo), beat the defense and created a fantastic shot.
Umjiseong said, “We were playing a lot of defense in situations where we kept losing the initiative, so I was just waiting for one opportunity to come,” and added, “Thanks to Minhyuk’s kindness, a good opportunity came.”
He continued, "When I had the chance in the first half, I couldn't save it because of the ground conditions, but I really wanted to save it next time. I think I shot while falling because of the grass in the goal scene, but I think I was just lucky."
Uhm Seong Uhm, who also participated in this year's North and Central America World Cup, was born in 2002 and played the role of ace by joining the Asian Games national team, which was age-restricted to under 23 years old, as one of three wild cards (players over 24 years old). He recorded 4 goals and 4 assists, taking first place in the competition in both categories.
Although it is a competition where there are no awards for personal records, it was definitely a performance worthy of recognition if the MVP was selected only in soccer.
Umjiseong said, "I felt the pressure of being a wild card, but I thought I had to take it for granted, acknowledge it, and do what I could do well. As a result, the players helped me a lot, and I think I got good results because I did what I was good at."
He continued, "I was a bit lost in the first half of today due to the opponent's tempo and ground conditions, but since it is more important to get results than performance, I mentally gathered myself by thinking that I should increase my scores and assists. Normally, my condition would have been down and my confidence would have been low, but with that mindset, I was able to finish well."
Regarding the journey of this tournament, in which he played a key role in the team and achieved success, he defined it as "an unforgettable memory while playing soccer" and said, "It is sad that we cannot get together again as a member to train and play, but since we have achieved our desired goal, I think we will be able to smile and talk cheerfully when we get together later."
Uhm Seong, who received military service benefits by winning the gold medal at this event, has laid the foundation for his continued performance on the European stage. Before participating in the Asian Games, he was active with his team, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists in 6 games in the early 2026-2027 season.
Umjiseong emphasized, "Rather than thinking about the military service issue, I am glad that we achieved the result because we all came together with one goal: a gold medal. I think that my future life will depend on what I do, so now I will return to my team and play a role appropriate to that position."
He said, "Currently, my team is ranked first in the English Championship (Second Division). I feel like the competition has started again for me," and expressed his determination, "I will enjoy a little joy today and then go back and do my best like a professional."
Uhm Seong, who was taking a commemorative photo with his teammates while holding the Taegeukgi after the game, suddenly jumped forward and jumped. “Actually, I’m not that type of person, but I just liked it so much that I wanted to try it,” he said, laughing. “I think I was so happy that I wanted to express it.”
