The South Korean national football team’s World Cup campaign suffered a significant blow on Tuesday evening, falling to a 2-1 defeat against a lower-ranked opponent. The loss has sparked widespread criticism of head coach Kim Do-hoon’s tactical decisions, with thousands of supporters expressing their fury on social media and outside the team’s training base.
The defeat leaves South Korea on the brink of elimination from Group H, having collected only one point from their opening two matches. Fans pointed to the coach’s conservative approach in the second half, when the team withdrew into a defensive shell after taking an early lead. The opposition equalised in the 67th minute and scored the winner deep into stoppage time, catching the South Korean defence out of position.
“We were too passive. The players looked lost, and the substitutions made no sense,” said Park Ji-sung, a former international who now works as a pundit. “The coach has to take responsibility for this result. You cannot defend a one-goal lead for 45 minutes in a World Cup match.”
Anger has been directed at Kim for his decision to replace creative midfielder Lee Kang-in with a defensive specialist shortly after the hour mark. Critics argue that the change invited pressure and disrupted the team’s rhythm. The coach defended his choice, stating that the team needed to “secure the points” and that the players executed the plan correctly until the final moments.
“We had control of the game. It was a lapse in concentration that cost us, not the tactics,” Kim said in a post-match press conference. He acknowledged the fans’ disappointment but urged patience. However, his words have done little to calm the public mood.
Protests have been organised outside the Korea Football Association headquarters in Seoul, with demonstrators carrying banners that read “Kim Do-hoon Out” and “Tactical Failure.” Several online petitions have garnered more than 100,000 signatures calling for his dismissal before the team’s final group match.
The Korea Football Association is due to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation. A senior official told reporters that the board is “monitoring the response” but stressed that “knee-jerk changes” are not advisable mid-tournament. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the association would review the coaching staff’s performance after the World Cup.
South Korea’s final group stage fixture is against top seeds Germany, who need a win to advance. The match is widely seen as a dead rubber for the Asian side, barring an improbable set of results. Yet the players have insisted they will fight for pride. “We owe it to the fans to give everything,” captain Son Heung-min said. “We let them down today, but we will not give up.”
The episode has exposed deeper divisions within Korean football about the direction of the national team. Critics argue that the domestic league has failed to produce world-class talent and that the coaching structure is outdated. Supporters are demanding systemic reform, not just a change at the top.
For now, however, the immediate focus is on the coach. Whether he remains in charge for the Germany match could depend on the association’s assessment of the public backlash. One thing is certain: fan sentiment will be a powerful factor in the decision.
The defeat has also raised questions about the viability of hosting future international tournaments in South Korea. The country’s bid for the 2035 Asian Cup is already under scrutiny, and poor performances on the pitch do little to enhance its credentials. The government has so far refrained from commenting, but diplomatic channels suggest that officials are watching the situation closely.
As the dust settles on Tuesday’s debacle, the football community in South Korea is bracing for further fallout. The coming days will test the resilience of both the coach and the institution that hired him. Whether the team can salvage any pride from this campaign remains to be seen.
