Known for his skill and beloved for his exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the field, South Korea’s Son Heung-Min, captain of the Tottenham Hotspur football team, has always been a champion through and through. Driven by passion and integrity, Sonny, as he’s affectionately known to fans, can now add regional ambassador of Ralph Lauren Fragrances to his score sheet. The new face of Polo 67 eau de toilette and all-round good guy chats with Vogue Singapore to share more behind his love for life, the game, and the scents that inspire him.
What feelings or emotions does Polo 67 evoke for you? What were your first impressions of the scent? “Polo 67 evokes feelings of sophistication and confidence. My first impression was of a fresh and sophisticated fragrance in a cool dark blue tone coloured bottle.”
What notes in Polo 67 are you drawn to the most? “I like the fresh and sweet scent, so I seem to like the top note with bergamot essence and sweet pineapple accord.”
Polo 67 is where scent meets style: describe your sense of style and approach to aesthetics? “I would describe my sense of style as chic and natural. The goal is to look cool without putting too much effort. [A post shared by Son HeungMin(손흥민)🇰🇷 (@hm_son7)]”
The pressure as a top athlete must be immense. How do you self-care in your down time? “First, I spend most of my time recovering on my physical and mental health. Then I watch football videos or play games with my friends. I think the most important thing is to find a good balance between what’s required to perform best as an athlete and physical and mental health.”
People talk as much about your inspirational leadership and exemplary sportsmanship than your skill in the game. What keeps you grounded and gritty? “The values that my parents taught me are that I need to be a good and humble person and that I have to lead by example. So I try to respect everybody, treat everyone the same way, and give my best on and off the pitch.”
What are the core values that you embody the most in your personal life, your style and the game? “I would say my core values are hard work, discipline, respect and humbleness.”
Share your little known or quirkier passions in life. “It’s mostly known, but I’m very interested in fashion and also passionate about playing games in my free time at home. It’s a game I play with my friends, but I don’t like losing, so I always get motivated to win and play really passionately. I think the process of getting to know various hobbies by studying things I like seems to make me stay interested in that field.”
List a few of your top ‘comfort’ smells in the world. “I like the vanilla scent and the fresh fruity scent. And I also like the smell of grass when I enter a football pitch. It automatically creates so many positive emotions in me and reminds me of my love for football.”
Finish this sentence: To make an impact… “To make an impact, be a good person, respect everyone, treat people the way you want to be treated, do your best in what you do and, above all, spend quality time with your close ones.”
