(Man 1) I came out at 3 in the morning. I’m an office worker and came from Muju. My friend here is from Pohang. We met up in Daejeon and arrived in Seoul at three.
(Man 2) I live in Bulgwang-dong in Seoul. I got up at 4:30 and came here on a 5:30 bus.
(Man 3) I left home at ten last night, because I love Korea.
(Woman 1) I came here at 11 last night with my husband and children.
(Man 4) I got here at 10:30. I came early so I can sit up front to root for the Korean players.

Gwanghwamun Plaza in downtown Seoul was packed with some 12 thousand people at six in the morning of June 18th. Some came at three or four in the morning and some even stayed overnight to get good seats. What made so many people stay up all night to come here so early in the morning?



(Man 1) Because I love Korea. I’m happy because the whole country is one big family now.
(Woman 1) I cheered all night long, but managed to catch a few winks last night. I can feel the excitement of the World Cup right here. I’m off to my part-time job right after this.
(Woman 2) People always talk about the 2002 World Cup. It gives me shivers just hearing about that year. I wish Korea can experience those glory days again. I’m for Korea all the way.
(Man 2) Korea has to win this time. I said I wouldn’t go home if they lost. Go, Korea!

June 18th was the day the Korean national soccer team played against Russia in the first round of Group H matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The game was supposed to start at 7 in the morning, Korean time, but people began to arrive early to cheer for the Korean players.

During the 2002 World Cup in Korea-Japan 12 years ago, Korean supporters of the national football team showed the world what cheering was all about. Now it’s time for the Red Devils to strut their stuff once again. The Red Devils are the official supporters of the Korean national soccer team. They came under the international spotlight during the 2002 World Cup for their unwavering loyalty and rousing cheers. They have come together again for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The Red Devils have come to Gwanghwamun today to cheer for the Korean team’s first match and plan to do the same for the second and third games. I hope more people will come and join us. The stage was set up at 10am yesterday and some events were held at midnight. We have cheering routines that anyone can follow, but also our own moves that we show only in stadiums. We usually play popular cheer songs.

In addition to 12 thousand people assembled at Gwanghwamun Plaza, more than 100 thousand people gathered at theaters, stadiums, and beaches around the country to root for Korea in the match against Russia.

Police started controlling traffic around the Gwanghwamun area at 10pm the previous night for the public cheering session. One of the beneficiaries of the huge crowd was the convenience stores near the plaza.

The dress code for the outdoor cheering event is of course red T-shirts. Event organizers handed out red T-shirts to anyone unfortunate enough to have dressed up in something else.

Street vendors selling cheering props were also enjoying brisk business.

In one corner of the plaza a group of volunteers was serving free breakfast to hungry fans. Korean people’s passion for soccer seemed to know no bounds.

There were of course over-the-top supporters who grabbed people’s attention with their eye-catching outfits – a headband with lighted devil horns, a skirt made out of a Korean flag, and devilish face paintings.

I painted my face with white for my nose and the red and blue Taegeuk marks on my cheeks and wrote “Korea” on my forehead.

There were also some foreigners who had come to Gwanghwamun to witness the cheering madness so touted by the media. They soon got swept away and joined other Koreans in loudly cheering for the Korean team.

I’m from Mongolia and I’m in Korea for my studies. This is so exciting! Go, Korea! We foreigners are cheering for you, too!

At another cheering venue in front of the COEX convention center, world-famous K-pop star Psy put on a special performance ahead of the game, driving the already charged crowd into a frenzy and rocking the entire Gangnam area.

While the streets were filled with the manic energy discharged by hyped-up fans, some people preferred to enjoy the game in a quieter setting, at a movie theater.

(Man 1) My office is nearby and I came here to watch the game with my co-workers. I have to go to work immediately after the game.
(Woman 1) I came from Jinju. It’s fun cheering with my friends outdoors, but the theater is cooler and I wanted to watch the game on a big screen.
(Man 2) I’m an office worker. I even brought a change of clothes, so I can go to work directly from here. I chose the theater, because I wanted to watch the game quietly. I didn’t have breakfast yet, but the theater offered me some food with the World Cup theme. It’s going to get hot outside when the sun comes up, but here I will have my comfortable seat, with the big screen and great sound. The theater is a good place for people older than their mid-20s.

Theaters have been a choice venue for some Korean soccer fans during the past World Cup games. This year was no exception and some 70 movie theaters around the country showed the match live.

I’m the manager for the Megabox Theater in Gangnam. Since everyone in Korea is interested in the game, we opened early so people can enjoy the game and show support for the Korean team together.

When the Korean national anthem was played on TV, the Red Devils and ordinary supporters sang along to show their solidarity and love for the players.

Former football player Lee Young-pyo provided the commentary for KBS. The three major broadcasters in Korea hired former football stars who played in the 2002 World Cup as commentators. Here’s culture critic Kim Seong-su김성수 to add his thought about this phenomenon.

Looking at the commentator list of the three broadcasting stations is like looking at the lineup of the Korean team at the 2002 World Cup. SBS has Park Ji-sung박지성 and Cha Du-ri차두리 as commentators, and former defender Lee Young-pyo이영표 is working as the main commentator for KBS. I was a little perplexed when I heard that Lee Young-pyo was going to be a commentator. Then MBC is joined by the former striker Ahn Jung-hwan안정환 and ex-midfielder Song Chong-guk송종국. It’s going to be fun watching them work.

These former football stars have brought their vast knowledge and experience to the game. Comparing their styles has become another fun activity for the TV viewers. KBS commentator Lee Young-pyo was even reported in the Asian edition of the Wall Street Journal for his eerily accurate predictions of winning teams. His uncanny foresight earned him the nickname “Octopus Young-pyo” after a cephalopod that had picked winners during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Here’s culture critic Kim Seong-su again to share his thoughts about Lee.



The KBS telecast and commentary was deemed to be the best, because Lee prepared a lot. He used his extensive knowledge and materials for his commentary. He even outperformed a professional sports commentator and he’s been making accurate predictions. Some people even say he’s possessed.

Shouts of delight and sighs of disappointment intersected the crowd. The first half ended in a tie and not long after the second half began, the Korean team replaced Park Chu-young with Lee Keun-ho.

Twenty-three minutes into the second half Lee Keun-ho’s powerful ball reflected off the Russian goalkeeper’s fists into the goal. The whole country erupted in ecstatic cheers.

But merely five minutes later Russia evened the game with a goal of its own.

Sportscasters, commentators, and spectators all let out cries of exasperation at the game-tying goal. But they soon realized how well the Korean team played and sent their heartfelt applause to the players.

The World Cup has brought Korea together as one. The hard-fighting Korean footballers have delivered an important message to the Korean people. That message says hope never dies. Their presence at the World Cup, regardless of their game records, will bring renewed energy to the nation not yet recovered from the ferry tragedy.