SBS’s "Goalden Boys" premieres Dec. 3, setting the stage for a rivalry match that crackles with the kind of tension you’d expect from a full national-team showdown. From the opening whistle, both sides reportedly go all-in.
Beyond the nail-biting game itself, the must-see moment is a rare one-on-one between Park and Nakata. The two Asian football trailblazers open up about their peak years and the unique pressure of a Korea-Japan derby, speaking with unfiltered candor.
Reflecting on the win-or-else mentality that defines the rivalry ― right down to rock-paper-scissors ― Park says, “Japan is still our rival,” underscoring how seriously he takes the matchup. Nakata adds, “In a Korea-Japan match, I went in ready to fight even if my leg broke,” underlining the weight of the occasion. Park also recalls that teams would assign a dedicated man-marker just for Nakata, a nod to the former playmaker’s outsized presence.
Interest is especially high as the show offers a first real look at Nakata’s life and values since stepping away from the sport. Retired at 29, he has spent the last 19 years largely outside soccer ― and this conversation finally digs into why. Both Park and Nakata will serve as analysts for the game, breaking down movement and tactics to dial up the intensity.
The lineup is stacked on both sides. Team Korea features Premier League pioneer Lee Young-pyo; 2002 World Cup semifinal hero Seol Ki-hyeon; K League’s all-time leading scorer Lee Dong-gook; forward Lee Keun-ho, who starred in both the K League and J.League; defensive midfielder Park Joo-ho, with European experience; Koo Ja-cheol, who buried the dagger against Japan at the 2012 Olympics; and veteran goalkeeper Kim Young-kwang, with 605 K League appearances.
Team Japan counters with former AC Milan No. 10 Honda Keisuke; ex-Olympic captain Maezono Masakiyo; Jo Shoji, who helped lead Japan to its first-ever World Cup; center back Nakazawa Yuji; J.League’s all-time leading scorer Sato Hisato; gifted midfielder Kakitani Yoichiro; and record-setting J.League goalkeeper Minami Yuta ― a bona fide legends roster.
Fourteen retired greats suit up again under the banner of “Korea vs. Japan” for a one-night-only challenge. "Goalden Boys" airs Wednesday at 10:20 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)