How Hwang Hee-chan Became the Aggressive Bull of Korean Football

Since childhood, Hwang Hee-chan has been known by the nickname “Hwangso,” the Korean word for ‘BULL’, due to his aggressive playing style. This nickname, derived from his surname, reflects his agility, acceleration, sprint speed, reaction, and attacking prowess. This article goes beyond Hwang Hee-chan’s technical skills to explore the events of his childhood, his early football years, and the unwavering support from his parents, Hwang Won-kyung and Song Young-mi. Additionally, we delve into his family background, lifestyle, personality, and more.

We hope to whet your appetite for autobiographies as we take you through the life journey of Hwang Hee-chan, from his early days to his rise to fame. To start, let’s unveil a gallery that captures his story—from a little boy growing up in Chuncheon to achieving fame in both club and country football. Indeed, “The Bull” has come a long way on his incredible journey.

Yes, everyone knows of his aggressive playing style, which has kept defenders at bay at the sight of his presence.

However, not many football fans have read Hwang Hee-chan’s Biography, which is quite interesting. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Hwang Hee-chan Childhood Story:

Thanks to his playing style, fans gave him the nickname Bull (Hwangso). Hwang Hee-chan was born on the 26th day of January 1996 to his father, Hwang Won-kyung and Mother, Song Young-mi, at Chuncheon, Gangwon, South Korea.

He is the youngest of two children born of the union between his parents, pictured below.

The striker spent his childhood days with his extended Family. Being the last-born child of his home earned him so much affection from everyone.

 

As a little boy, Hwang was passionate about Taekwondo. It became the first sport he ever ventured into.

With enthusiasm, the young Korean practised all the necessary skills he could learn to excel in Taekwondo.

Early Life and Growing Up Days:

After his birth, Hwang’s Family moved from Chuncheon to Bucheon. There, he was raised alongside his elder sister.

While growing up, the forward enjoyed spending time in the company of his uncle and grandparents.

They constantly motivated him to work hard in succeeding in sports. By the time Hwang clocked 6, he witnessed how his country had reached the semi-finals of the 2002 FIFA World hosted on home soil.

It was indeed a commendable feat achieved by South Korean and a great motivation for the young lad. He soon decided to turn his attention toward soccer, which changed his life completely.

Hwang Hee-chan Family Background:

Thankfully, the goalscorer didn’t have to worry about financial problems as his parents had enough to cater for his need. Yes, his family fair as a middle-class household.

Both Hwang’s father and Mother had cheerful personalities. It helped them handle their businesses effectively. Of course, their sense of humour has been passed down to their children and relatives.

Family Origin:

There are quite a handful of Asians making the headlines in top-flight European football, and Hwang is one of them. He is a national of South Korea and has made many efforts to make his country proud.

Hwang is a native of Chuncheon, which lies in the northern part of Gangwon Province. His place of birth is an ancient city known to have been inhabited about 1000 years ago (as of 2021).

Interestingly, Chuncheon is famous for its chicken ribs dishes, which natives call ‘dak galbi’.

Education:

When Hwang Hee-chan’s parents became confident that he could stay on his own, they had him move to Uijeongbu. There he studied at Singok Elementary School. By the time he clocked 11, Hwang had forfeited Taekwondo to give football his absolute attention.

From the very first time he ventured into the game, he was unbelievably good at it. Fascinated by the intriguing nature of soccer, Hwang decided to pursue a professional soccer career.

Hwang Hee-chan Biography – Football Story:

As we mentioned earlier, the young prodigy started his soccer expedition in elementary school. Surprisingly, Hwang grew in popularity as one of the finest players in his school team.

He hardly missed an opportunity to score goals. Hence, the forward started to make the headlines with his performance in prominent competitions.

Do you know?… Hwang Hee-chan was 11 years old when he became the highest goal scorer in the 2008 Hwarangdaegi Tournament and Dongwon Youth Cup. Subsequently, his performance earned him a slot in South Korea’s U-12 national team.

Interestingly, he showcased an unrivalled prowess as he scored 22 goals for his country in the Kanga Cup in Canberra, Australia. This feat became the highest goal ever scored in the tournament’s history.

Early Career Life:

In 2009, South Korea acknowledged his talent by honouring him with the Cha Bum-kun Football Award. The accolade is usually awarded to the greatest youth football player in the country.

Upon graduating from Singok Elementary School, Hwang had already established himself as a promising athlete. It was with tremendous wisdom that his parents had him enrolled at Jecheol Middle School.

Their decision enabled the budding striker to feature for the U-15 team of his school soccer club – Pohang Steelers. Of course, it took him only a fraction of the time to get used to his fellow players.

Breaking All Odds:

As fate would have it, Hwang began defying many odds and continued setting new records in football. He even helped the Pohang Steelers win the Korean National School League middle school division.

Thanks to his impressive performance, the goalscorer was given the MVP award of the tournament. At this stage of his life, many analysts believed Hwang would likely surpass the level of veteran Asian players like Park Ji Sung.

Road To Fame Story:

The ensuing years of his career saw him rise to the U-18 team of the Pohang Steelers. He also joined Pohang Jecheol High School in the same time frame. Hwang continued to live up to his name on the pitch.

He continuously scored more goals than his peers in various competitions. At 18, luck shone upon the talented striker as he sealed a contract with the Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg. There, he contributed to the club’s success in winning different trophies.

Despite the limited playtime he had in his new team, his impact during those few appearances was unbelievable. In August 2018, his club saw the need to loan him to Hamburger SV to get more playing time and amass enough experience.

Hwang Hee-chan Bio – Success Story:

Upon returning to Salzburg, the forward formed a formidable attacking trident with Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino. Their combination became so deadly that it drew applause from fans and analysts alike.

Having shown his unmatched prowess despite his young age, RB Leipzig came begging for his signature. In July 2020, the Korean striker signed a five-year contract with the German club. His Salzburg departure paved the way for the likes of Karim Adeyemi (LW), Noah Okafor (LW) and Chukwubuike Adamu (CF) to join the club and shine there.

His meteoric rise to stardom came as a shock to his Family. It took Hwang’s parents a while to process the fact that he was playing in one of Germany’s finest clubs. After failing to score in his first Bundesliga season, Leipzig sent him on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers (managed by Bruno Lage) in August 2021. He joined the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu (signed by Arsenal) and Manor Solomon (Fulham and Spurs) as Asian footballers who were set to have a new experience abroad. The rest, as they say, is history.

Love Life:

While compiling this Biography, we realised that the veteran striker might end up walking in the same path as Heung-min Son. There is every tendency for Hwang to avoid getting a wife until he becomes established in soccer.

Hence, he has not delved into any romantic relationship that we know of at the moment. Thanks to his cute looks, Hwang wouldn’t have to struggle to get a girlfriend whenever he made up his mind.

Personality:

One beautiful philosophy that defines the goal scorer away from the pitch is FREEDOM. Hwang never wants to find himself in an awkward position that would breed any form of restriction.

He believes that everyone is entitled to do what they love to do. Of course, the Korean always ensures he savours the gentle breeze of his environment whenever he is all alone.

You could literally see his excitement in the picture below as he spreads his hands in a gesture that depicts his simple personality.

Hwang Hee-chan Lifestyle:

Interestingly, the forward has shown no trait that depicts his interest in living a luxurious lifestyle. Despite earning a tremendous amount of money, Hwang has kept his spending pattern low-key.

As I write this Biography, the athlete hasn’t been seen with any exotic car. Though he may have purchased an expensive mansion, nothing has been said about it as of 2021. Here is a picture that shows his humble self seeping a cup of coffee in a quiet space.

Hwang Hee-chan Family Facts:

The striker’s country of Origin is known for their absolute dedication to household ties. That is why his home thrived together as an extended family. In this section, we present you with interesting facts about every member of his menage.

About Hwang Hee-chan’s Father:

Hwang Won-kyung is the dad of the athlete. He has built a quality father-son relationship with his youngest child. Even though he has no good background in soccer, Hwang Won-kyung makes efforts to support his son’s endeavours.

Interestingly, he is educated and well informed about how the football world works. Hence, Hwang’s father helped him decide what contract to take and the one to forfeit in the earliest phase of his career.

About Hwang Hee-chan’s Mother:

Managing a home made up of both young and old is more like an arduous job. Thankfully, Hwang’s Mother – Song Young-mi – is quite up to the task of taking care of the extended Family.

She is her son’s confidant and special adviser. Hwang’s Mother tends to give more attention and affection to her son since he is the last-born child of the Family.

Hwang Hee-chan’s Siblings:

As earlier stated, the technical dribbler didn’t spend his Childhood days alone. He grew up alongside his elder sister, whose name isn’t mentioned in the pages of his Biography. Perhaps you didn’t know that Hwang’s sister is two years older than him.

Hwang Hee-chan’s Relatives:

The young dribbler had a rather adventurous journey with his grandparents. While growing up, his parents were so busy with work that he mostly spent his days with his grandfather and grandmother.

They often watched after him during his training hours and also prepared good meals for him. Their kindness would always be inscribed in the heart of the veteran striker. Hwang also enjoyed the company of his uncle while growing up.

Untold Facts:

Having read the complete Biography of the scorer, here are some realities that will help you understand his Life Story perfectly.

A Billionaire in South Korea:

Before Hwang’s sudden transfer to Wolverhampton, he was earning an annual salary of £2.1 million at Leipzig. After carefully analysing his financial proceedings, we estimated his 2021 Net Worth to be a whopping sum of £3.6 million.

Below is a breakdown of his salary at the time of compiling this Biography. Do you know?… An average Korean will have to work for 45 years to make what he earns in a week. We’ve carefully computed his Salary as the clock ticks. See how much Hwang Hee-chan has made since you came here.

Hwang Hee-chan Tattoos:

Unlike Shinji Kagawa, the Asian prodigy has got quite an interest in body art. However, he has not inked too many tattoos on his body. From what we have seen so far, Hwang has only six characters inscribed on his chest and left wrist.

According to the player, the tattoos’ characters are the names of his grandfather and grandmother. He never wants to forget the love and care they showered on him from his childhood.

That is the reason he kisses his wrist as a celebration after scoring a goal. It’s the best gesture he can show to the two people who were there for him from his humble beginning.

I still can’t believe my grandparents are gone. While I was in Austria, I had their names engraved on my wrists to honor their memory. I never wanted to forget the love they both showed me.

FIFA Stats:

Interestingly, Hwang’s ratings show he hasn’t unleashed the full potential of his prowess. Perhaps when he gets to the prime of his career, he may end up surpassing brilliant players like Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Hwang’s FIFA stats show an above-average attacking prowess – as seen in that of Son Heung-min and Hwang Ui-jo, his international teammates.

Conclusion:

Before closing out on this memoir, it is essential to note that one driving force that has helped Hwang succeed is the zeal to make his country proud. Of course, his entire Family makes up part of the equation of his success story.

Now that he has made it big in football, we are confident that he has begun to take good care of his parents and sister. Thanks to his vast earnings, there is no way his household will have to fear any sort of financial crisis.

We hope you liked our article about Hwang Hee-chan Childhood Story Plus Biography Facts. The Bio we’ve made on other South Korean footballers like Cho Gue-sung and Kim Min-jae will interest you.  Kindly share with us what you love the most about the Korean technical dribbler.