The military is a lifelong snack for men.먹튀검증 A reporter whose civil defense will end soon still talks about the military when he meets his friends. Sangmu players were no different. Although they are special forces who undergo different training than regular soldiers, they are also soldiers who spend the brightest part of their 20s in the army. People who have served in the military and active duty soldiers met and talked about the military, so it was not unreasonable that time passed quickly. Heo Hoon (28, 180 cm) and Song Gyo-chang (27, 200 cm) are players with a lot of female fans, so I chose only episodes that female readers would enjoy reading and put them on the paper. You can look forward to it. Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang’s military story! Yes!
※ ※This article was published in the June issue of Jumpball, a basketball magazine, and the interview was conducted on May 16th.
Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang unravel the training center
Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang entered the military on May 16, 2022. As they were players who had a brilliant career, such as being selected as the MVP of the regular league in the KBL, they were selected for the national team within a few days of the training center. Unlike other comrades who enlisted together and were assigned to Sangmu after completing basic military training early, they had to return to the training center after finishing the national team schedule and receive basic military training. There were a lot of stories about the training camp that they talked about.
It’s been over a year since I enlisted. Do you remember your first day at the training camp?
Song Gyo-chang (hereafter referred to as Gyo-chang)_ When I wake up, the trumpet sounds. I heard it for the first time the next morning and it was the worst. Guys jokingly say that if you give them a few hundred million won, you can go back to the training center. I won’t go even if they give me 1 billion. (Even if I can go back to being 20 years old, I can go back to the military)
Heo Hoon (hereafter Hoon)_A… . Really? As long as I don’t go to the training center, I can go back. We were selected for the national team within a few days of enlistment. So I came back to the training center in August and it was hell. Live and live, such a living hell… . Just kidding (laughs). There are things I learned at the training center, but even though I tried group life, it was difficult because it was another group life. Because everyone does it though. I had heard a lot about Sangmu, so there was no particular difficulty in adapting after being assigned to the base.
What is the most memorable anecdote at the training camp?
Hoon_After returning to the training center, the first training was to wear a gas mask, but it rained heavily that day. It’s not just rain, it’s a heavy downpour. But the company commander took all the trainees and went out to train. Even the training assistant said that this was the first time that his boots were filled with water. I wear a poncho and go to training, but I wonder if this is the right thing for people to do… .
Gyochang_Corona 19 was in full swing, so it was fortunate that I didn’t go into the NBC room. After spending a few days at the training center, I was selected for the national team, so I know how to live when I go back. I had a lot of worries thinking, ‘Can I survive?’ There are so many stories that can be called episodes, but I can’t tell you because it’s difficult to explain here (laughs).
How were your shooting skills?
Hun: I did really well. I got 11 out of 20 shots. If you have more than 10 rounds, you can use PX. (Compared to when I was in the army, the cut-off is lower?) Ah, when we were shooting, it was August, so the grass was growing wildly. It was enough to cover the target. I couldn’t see even though my eyesight was 2.0. Considering that, it was a lot right. I’m almost done with the 100m. (Assuming a shooting stance) If it was North Korean soldiers, it would be a headshot, no. I would have matched the crowd.
Gyochang_Ugh, Hoon is a true soldier. They only told me how many shots I hit with 10 or more, but I didn’t tell them. Because it was less than 10 feet… .
You didn’t throw a grenade?
School Chang_I couldn’t throw a real grenade because of the aftermath of Corona 19. There is a sound only for practice, right? I only threw that, but that day happened to be Hun’s older brother’s birthday.
Hun – I remember. It’s my birthday and it rained again that day. No, if you go out to some training, heavy rain falls. But the head of education was FM, so he always went out to train in heavy rain or something. It was the worst birthday I’ve had in my 29 years of life (laughs).
There were a lot of restrictions on training in the aftermath of Corona 19.
Gyochang_I was not allowed to play soccer because of concerns about infection with Corona 19. Originally, the teaching assistants said they would allow us to use the weight training center, but we couldn’t use it either. We went to the national team and even went to quarantine. Was it about 4 days? There was nothing to do after I went into quarantine, so I brought a book with me, but Hoon hyung, who doesn’t read books, also read it.
Hoon: I read the book for the first time then (laughs).
Sooner or later, we will welcome our first successor. Aren’t you excited?
Hoon: I heard you were enlisted yesterday. He must be eating a lot of combat rations, Yukgaejang. (Park) Ji-won and I gave him a tip when we talked on the phone before admission. “When you enter the training center, they don’t check your bag, so bring snacks and coffee. He said thank you for saying, “That’s the way you live.” I’m already curious about what the successors will tell me.
Gyochang_ You don’t know if you don’t experience it. Everyone should do it, you know. (Byeon) Junhyung and (former) Hyunwoo are friends. Hyunwoo entered the enlistment a bit late, but (Cho) Hanjin is an alumnus of Samil Middle School. It feels different to be able to work out on the same team with his friends after a long time.
I think fans will be curious about the daily routine of Sangmu players.
Hun: Nothing special. I do the same morning roll call and exercise instead of training during work hours. After work hours are over, I get permission from the manager to play volleyball, foot baseball, and soccer. I became very close with the volleyball players.
School Chang_To receive the morning roll call, I have to go down to the parade ground, but it is far away. After the morning roll call, you have to run 2km and come up. And the night exercise of the executive is quite difficult.
Hun: You have to be careful on the road at night.
Have you seen the movie ‘Rebound’?
Gyochang_I haven’t seen it yet because I don’t have time.
Hun: I enjoyed watching it. As a basketball player, it felt good to see a basketball movie come out. I hope there will be another basketball movie. Originally, my life movie was ‘National Team’, but this time it has changed. I fell asleep while watching ‘Slam Dunk’ because it wasn’t fun, but I didn’t sleep while watching ‘Rebound’.
Gyochang _ It’s been less than 10 minutes since the real Hoon started ‘Slam Dunk’, but he was drooling and sleeping.
Hoon_ That’s why ‘Rebound’ was so much fun. I had a dinner with the actors, and there was a man next to me. ‘Who is this?’ I wanted to, but it turned out that it was actor Ahn Jae-hong. Actor Ahn Jae-hong ~ his acting was amazing, so the movie lived. Later he even followed (laughs).
What kind of memories do Hoon Heo have of the association long finals at the time?
Hun: It was so long ago that I don’t remember the details, but it was just a game where we won by 30 to 40 points as usual. However, after the game, I noticed that there were more articles from Joongang High School (laughs). The actor who played my role in ‘Rebound’ was also a player. On the day of filming, I heard that basketball got better as if I was possessed.
Did you say, ‘ Could this be the last puzzle? ‘ It seems like it hasn’t been long since this magazine covered those entering the training center, but before they knew it, Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang became corporals. There are only 5 months left until the end of the campaign. In other words, it means that it will not be long before we see professional basketball players Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang. For them, the last season before enlistment remains a bitter memory. As much as that, the mindset of preparing for a comeback was also different. Can Heo Hoon and Song Gyo-chang become the ‘last puzzle’ of Suwon KT and Jeonju KCC, respectively, in the upcoming season?
Song Kyo-chang seriously injured his finger during the last season before enlisting. What is your current status?
Gyochang_ I get medical treatment sometimes, but the treatment is all over. He’s not completely bent. (bending the operated finger) It’s only going this far.
Hoon: When you have a son later, there will be a lot to talk about. “I mean dad. If you boast, saying, “This is a wound of glory~”, wouldn’t your son think, “I should become a father like that too?”
Coach Heo Jae also suffered a similar injury during his active career, so his fingers wouldn’t bend?
Hun: That’s right. He later had surgery, but he said it was wrong. Originally, I had to get surgery as soon as I was injured, but instead of surgery, he went to a dinner party… (laugh).
How is your overall physical condition?
Hoon: I think I need to raise it according to the comeback season. I’ve been exercising steadily, but to be honest, it’s neither good nor bad. Since this is a time when there are no games, there is a limit to maintaining a sense of the game. It is true that the environment itself is good, but it is not a practice match.
Gyochang_There are no minor injuries other than fingers. I’m a basketball player, so my ankles aren’t good, but I think the amount of exercise itself is less compared to when I was on the team (KCC), so the burden on my body is less. I also developed good habits in business. If the lights are turned off at 10 o’clock, Hoon hyung goes to bed right away. So he goes to bed early along with me. I used to go to bed at 1 or 2 in the morning.
He’s the type to go to bed early even outside, but it’s different when he goes on vacation. I come in after playing golf until dawn (laughs). I also have bad ankles. ‘Should I have surgery?’ I thought about it, but decided to rehabilitate. Apparently, players want to avoid putting a knife on their body. I plan to continue to rehabilitate and manage after I am discharged from the military. I am also in contact with the team (KT) trainer.
Heo Hoon and Ha Yoon-gi went to watch SK and KCC playoff matches?
It’s also Hun_Hyung’s (Heo Ung)’s game, there’s still time during vacation, and (Choi) Junyong hyung is resting, so he asked to watch the game together, so the three of us sat side by side. I was behind the SK bench, but since I have a hyung, I watched while cheering for KCC. I thought KCC would win… .
Looking back on the season before enlisting, I think I will be very disappointed. KT played the season with a good composition of players and finished runner-up in the regular league, but could not rise to the championship match. Song Kyo-chang was injured, and KCC couldn’t make it to the playoffs either.
Gyochang_Andrew Nicholson wasn’t originally the style to block shots, but he tried to block shots that day… . It was the first time I had been seriously injured. It was as if the bones were visible. I think the psychological damage was greater than the injury itself. There may not be no trauma at all, but I am trying to overcome it. It’s not completely gone, but it’s gotten a lot better. By the way, hyung, didn’t you win the regular season championship?
Hoon: I went down to 2nd place at the last minute. Too bad. I can only win 1 in the quarterfinals… . I was able to win the regular league championship, but when I saw that I was pushed to second place and fell in the semifinals, I thought, ‘I guess it doesn’t work’. It was really sad because the members were good too.
Both players will return to their teams with different power compared to before enlisting. Do you think your expectations are too high?
Hoon_I hope our team makes the right choice in this free agency. please… .
Gyochang_ I don’t think it will change much if I go back. I thought that KCC would have good results last season, but I guess I wasn’t as lucky. This season, I think it is important for the players to work well together. Personally, I’m really looking forward to KT next season.
In the season when the two players were away, the Asian quota was expanded to the Philippines. In particular, Hoon Heo has a lot of Filipino players he has to face directly. How did you see it?
Hun_I think there are some parts that need to be supplemented institutionally with a positive side. I think Korean players are worth watching and learning about their personal skills, but on the other hand, I really like the treatment of the Asian Quarter. The period for obtaining FA is also shorter than ours. The individual skills of Ethan Albano and Ronjay Avarientos were definitely amazing. I also thought that I would like to run together, but when I saw the championship match, (Kim) Sun-hyung was very good at it.
Gyochang_I think Seonhyung is the top.
Hoon_No, do you become better at basketball when you are over 35 years old? Same with Seon-hyung, and (Oh) Se-geun. I was envious of playing in the championship game with a lot of spectators.
Gyochang_(Choi) Junyong hyung already has two championship rings.
Hun_ Ah… . I really envy you. Can I retire now? When can I play in the championship game?
Dave Ildefonso, who will play together at KT, has the nickname ‘Heo Hoon of the Philippines’?
Gyochang_I didn’t see it properly. Who are you?
Hoon: There is a kid who looks like Rain. rain. So I heard he was popular in the Philippines? I also looked to see how much it was, but I thought it was Jung Jin-wook, not Jung Ji-hoon (laughs).
There are about 6 months left until the discharge. How do you plan to spend your last years in the army, where ‘a sergeant must be careful of falling leaves’?
Hoon_ I have to do a long-term race, so I have to work hard. Sooner or later, the national team has to go. I’ve been taking a lot of rest so far. People should exercise.
Gyochang_Did you give up being a human? (Laughs). I also want to focus more on sports. Professional players have just finished their season, but for us, now is the time to exercise. I’m going to focus on building my body in preparation for my comeback.
Hoon_ I played 4 seasons at KBL before enlisting, but I was stressed out and lost my hair because I was fighting a lot. Compared to that time, I feel more comfortable now. No obsessive thoughts. From now on, I think I will have to make up my mind and exercise under stress. Are you discharged after developing your skills in business? Actually, I think this makes little sense. There are well-equipped facilities to exercise, but it’s not like you can get skill training. I think it’s important to take good care of your body, do weight training regularly, and maintain your physical condition.