At 7:30 PM on May 31st, 2002, the world’s greatest football celebration, the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, got off to a magnificent start. It was the first one to be held in Asia and co-hosted by two countries, Korea and Japan. It was tournament fraught with upsets and surprises, like Senegal beating defending champion France in the inaugural game. But the biggest surprise of all was the Korean team’s stunning performance, outplaying Poland, Portugal, Italy and France on its way to the semifinals. Although Korea finished fourth overall, the 2002 World Cup marked a turning point in Korean football history and gave Koreans something to be proud of. The joy and passion Koreans experienced during the 2002 FIFA World Cup will forever live on in the hearts of all Korean people.
