[Sportschosun Kim So-hee] Ki Sung-yueng recalled how he felt at the time of his monkey celebration in the Korea-Japan match.
In the ninth episode of TikTok's original content, "Tiki Tiki Takataka Talk Talk Show" (hereinafter "Tiki-Taka Show"), which aired on Monday, the 22nd, Ki Sung-yueng, Hong Jin-ho, Kwon Il-yong, and Choi Chang-won shared a wide range of stories about soccer and psychology, entertaining viewers.
The episode examined the hidden psychological battles behind penalty kicks and shootouts, which are among the most intense moments in a match and often decide the outcome.
While discussing penalty shootouts, which are often called "Russian roulette from 11 meters" because of the heavy mental pressure, Ki Sung-yueng recalled the penalty shootout against Japan at the 2011 Asian Cup. He remembered that senior players such as Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo were not visible before the shootout, and Ahn Jung-hwan said, "That can be stressful."
As Ahn Jung-hwan and Ki Sung-yueng then revealed the tense psychological battles they had actually experienced on the pitch, Choi Chang-won cited Zinedine Zidane's headbutt incident in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final and explained, "That phenomenon is called 'amygdala hijacking.'" He said that when people feel fear or anger, the amygdala, which handles emotions, hijacks the frontal lobe, which is responsible for judgment, planning, and design, leading to impulsive behavior.
Kwon Il-yong also shared an experience in which he was provoked during a psychological battle with criminals. He said, "I asked a criminal, 'Should I order you jajangmyeon?' and he replied, 'I don't eat flour-based food because it's bad for my health.' There are cases where people say things like that after killing someone," adding, "Isn't that just before the amygdala gets hijacked?" which drew laughter.
When asked which football managers best understood psychology, Choi Chang-won chose Ferguson and Ki Sung-yueng chose Benitez. Hong Jin-ho, a first-generation pro gamer, then shocked the studio by asking which coach stood out most from his playing days and saying, "Back then, there was a coach who used to run a PC bang." He also drew attention by adding, "In the past, things were not systematized, so there were also cases of coaches hitting players."
Meanwhile, Ki Sung-yueng reflected on his monkey celebration in the Korea-Japan match at the 2011 Asian Cup, saying, "I was angry when I saw the Rising Sun Flag." He said he received a lot of criticism, but his Social Networking Service (SNS) followers increased by 80,000 the day after the match, showing how much attention he had drawn.
Ki Sung-yueng also expressed his respect for senior players who paved the way for him, including Ahn Jung-hwan, saying, "Because we had our older brothers, we were able to play comfortably. They played a huge role." Ahn Jung-hwan added, "Because there were senior players, I was able to go forward, and now the younger players can do the same. Also, because there are fans who love soccer, we can play and feel happy, so I am grateful."
Meanwhile, in a live broadcast at 8 p.m. on Thursday the 25th, footballers Kim Nam-il and Kim Young-kwang, commentator Jang Ji-hyun, and soccer fans Yang Sang-guk, Nucksal, Jonathan, model Lee Hyun-yi, and actor Jung Yu-mi will appear to review the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. TikTok's original content, "Tiki Tiki Takataka Talk Talk Show," can be watched on the official TikTok Korea account and Ahn Jung-hwan's TikTok account, "Ahn Jung-hwan 19."
