South Korean singer Psy lauded Guus Hiddink, manager of the Korean soccer team that reached the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, on a recent Dutch television program.

The Dutch football manager appeared as a guest on “College Tour,” a talk show on Dutch public-service broadcaster NTR. It aired on Friday evening.

Hiddink told the audience that his experiences both as a football manager and former player show that a sport can contribute to friendly ties among countries. 

K-pop sensation Psy made a surprise appearance on the show through a video message provided by the Korean Embassy in the Netherlands.

The “Gangnam Style” rapper said that both the 2002 World Cup and Hiddink have special meaning for him, as the World Cup gave courage and hope to all Koreans and was also an opportunity for his song “Champion” to be well received.

The Korean Embassy in the Netherlands said on its website that Ambassador Lee Key-cheol joined the show to add to praises for Hiddink. He hailed Hiddink as an “everlasting hero” for Koreans and presented him with a plaque of appreciation. The plaque was in recognition for leading Korea to its best-ever performance in the high-profile international soccer event, the embassy said.

Hiddink is currently the manager of Russian football club Anzhi Makhachkala.

“College Tour” is a talk show that runs on a question-and-answer format, and invites distinguished guests who are role models for college students.

Past celebrities who have appeared on the program include Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer, Google chairman Eric Schmidt and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama.

By Chun Sung-woo  (swchun@heraldcorp.com)