Tottenham’s Son Heung Min’s Reputation Shaken by False Pregnancy Allegations

Tottenham Hotspur versus Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg. Image Credits via Getty Images

Korean soccer superstar and Tottenham Hotspur captain, Son Heung-min, filed a police complaint against a woman and a man for blackmail and threatening to spread false information.

On May 7, 2025, Son, age 32, filed a complaint, prompting an investigation into a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, both facing extortion charges, according to Gangnam Police in Seoul, Korea.

The woman, identified by the surname Yang, is a former romantic partner of Son. She allegedly approached Son last June, claiming she was pregnant with his child and demanded money in exchange for her silence, even sending an ultrasound image as evidence. Son transferred 300 million Korean won ($215,180), and the woman signed a written agreement not to disclose the alleged pregnancy.

However, the scheme thickened when the woman’s new boyfriend, identified by the surname Yong, contacted Son, demanding another 70 million won ($50,200) and threatening to leak the story to the media. Son refused to pay the second demand and reported the case to the police, leading to their arrest.

Police arrested Yang on Wednesday for blackmail and Yong for attempted blackmail. Authorities raided the two individuals’ homes and secured their phones for further investigation. Police are still investigating the case, including the authenticity of the ultrasound images.

However, the arrest of the two individuals has sparked controversy over a potential human rights violation after the media widely photographed Yang on the way to a pretrial detention hearing. As she stepped out of a police transport vehicle and tried to cover her face with a folder, a female officer standing next to her took it away, a moment that quickly went viral online.

Korean netizens have expressed their opinions on the situation, commenting on social media, “Isn’t it a basic right to be presumed innocent?” and “So it’s this easy to get arrested, yet women who are stalked and threatened still end up dead all the time?”

Online forums quickly filled with pointed criticisms of the justice system in Korea, even pointing fingers at Son Heung-min for the royalty treatment he has been given by police and authorities.

Meanwhile, Son’s management agency, Football Limited, issued a strong statement: “Son Heung-min is a clear victim in this matter. We plan to take strong legal action without leniency regarding the continued threats based on false claims.”