The Korean national team had to stop at the 2026 World Cup after failing to qualify for the round of 16.
Under the guidance of coach Hong Myung Bo, the team only won 1 match and suffered 2 defeats, ranking third in Group A.
The hope of going further as one of the third-placed teams with the best results also vanished on the morning of June 28, when the DRC defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in Group K.
The information that the team was eliminated quickly caused a stir in Korean public opinion. Not only fans, many Korean stars also publicly expressed their disappointment with the sad result of their home team.
Comedian Lee Kyung Kyu said this is the "worst World Cup" he has watched since 1994. In the live broadcast, he could not hide his anger and criticized the coaching staff, especially the decision to put captain Son Heung Min on the bench in the important match.
Kim Heechul (Super Junior) also shared his sad mood on social networks. The male idol regretted that this could be Son Heung Min's last World Cup.
He also implicitly criticized coach Hong Myung Bo's tactics when writing: "I heard that everything ended like this just because of one person's mistake".
Meanwhile, actor Han Jung Soo reacted more harshly when publicly criticizing the Korean Football Association (KFA) and the federation's leadership, saying that they are the ones who should bear the greatest responsibility for this failure.
As a long-time football fan, Yoon Doo Joon (Highlight) woke up early in the morning to watch the decisive match with the hope that South Korea would slip through the narrow door. However, after the team was officially eliminated, the male singer only sent a short message: "It's really over. I'm very sad".
Amidst the wave of criticism, actor Kim Soo Ro sent words of encouragement to the team. He expressed his gratitude for the efforts of the players, and hoped that Son Heung Min would continue to stick with the national team to aim for the next World Cup.
South Korea's stop right from the group stage is considered a big shock, especially when the team was once expected to continue to make a mark after reaching the knockout stage at the previous World Cup.
This defeat not only made fans regretful but also sparked many debates about the tactics of the coaching staff and the future of Korean football.
