Korea Times’ Choi wins annual photo contest

Korea Times photojournalist Choi Won-suk won an annual award in a press photo contest hosted by the Korea Press Photographers Association (KPPA), Thursday.

Featuring football coach Son Woong-jung, the father of Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min, the photo, titled, “Football coach Son Woongjung, ‘Modesty is my strength,’” was selected as the photo of the year by a couple hundred retired photojournalists and awarded a special prize in the KPPA’s 59th annual contest, among the works of some 500 of its members.

The award-winning work of Choi, published on July 19, 2022, captures the football coach tying his shoelace before a training session with young athletes begins at his Son Football Academy in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.

Under the belief that a good football field is like a safe and solid home for athletes, the elder Son built the 66,000-square-meter football utopia to pass on his knowhow and expertise and nurture the next generation of Korean footballers.

As an educator, Son focuses on mastering the basics while cultivating diligence and modesty. He practices what he preaches by participating in every training session.

Apart from coaching young football players, he devotes himself diligently to maintaining an orderly and clean living space, is an avid reader and adheres to a philosophy of keeping possessions to a minimum. While living in Germany and in the United Kingdom to support his son’s athletic career, he only brought with him a light suitcase consisting of some sportswear and books.

The KPPA gives awards in six categories: news, sports, feature, nature, portrait and story.

This is Choi’s 14th KPPA award since joining The Korea Times in 2014.