The reasons behind Son Jungho's quick admission of guilt while in detention are thought-provoking. He describes his despair behind bars, suffering from depression that made him feel almost hopeless, and that the only way to regain his freedom was to confess to the charges. He was forced to plead guilty to trivial offenses in order to keep his soccer career intact, even though he could only take cold showers to relieve his worries in the extreme temperatures. However, some have questioned his motives, suggesting that he is deliberately trying to gain sympathy and attempting to use it to discredit others in order to seek forgiveness from Koreans. Nonetheless, the desperation of losing his freedom, as stated by Son Jun-ho, may be the real motivation behind his quick confession.
Sun Junhao's experience also seems to suggest why Li Tie, Chen Xuyuan and Du Zhaocai all confessed shortly after their detention. The loss of freedom and the destruction of humanity became their irresistible weakness. In the atmosphere of despair, it is difficult for them to resist the temptation to confess. In tears of remorse, Chen Xuyuan tells, "If I could turn back time, I would take my life as the price and never repeat the same mistake." This scene reveals more profoundly the great influence of freedom on the human heart.
