'Those who didn't come will regret it': South Korea's dramatic comeback win electrifies Gwanghwamun, Yeouido

[The Herald Business = Jung Joo-won and Jeon Sae-nal] "People who didn't come are texting me saying they regret it. I'm wondering whether to take another day off for the next match."

When South Korea's 2-1 comeback win over Czech Republic in their opening North and Central America World Cup group match was confirmed Friday afternoon, Gwanghwamun Square and the Yeouido street cheering venue erupted in cheers and laughter. Strangers exchanged high-fives, and chants of "Daehanminguk" rang out across both sites.

Despite the unusual 11 a.m. weekday kickoff, fans took annual leave or squeezed in the match during free periods and lunch breaks to join the street crowds. The atmosphere, which had gone quiet after South Korea conceded first, surged to a peak when Hwang In-beom equalized and Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner.

Around 3,500 people had gathered inside the fenced viewing area at Gwanghwamun Square by kickoff, at the event co-hosted by the Korea Football Association and the Red Devils supporters' group. Fans waved cheering horns and inflatable sticks, chanted players' names and bellowed "Daehanminguk" in time with the Red Devils' drumbeats.

Once the match began, the mood in the square transformed entirely. Every time the ball moved toward the Czech goal, cries of "Let's go!" filled the air, and groans rippled through the crowd whenever a shot went astray. As lunchtime approached, the area around the square grew more packed. Near the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, office workers in lanyards gathered in front of the screen, coffees in hand.

Yoo Su-yeol, 46, who runs Geumseong Super near Gwanghwamun, grabbed a microphone to rally customers even while South Korea trailed 0-1. "There's still plenty of time. We can win this," he told the crowd. "There are far more customers now than during the Qatar World Cup," he said. "I think the lunchtime kickoff is bringing in people who wouldn't have come for an early-morning match."

When Czech Republic broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, the square fell momentarily silent. The cheering died down and fans stared at the screen with tense expressions. But the mood flipped in an instant when Hwang In-beom equalized in the 67th minute. A roar loud enough to carry to the Sejongno intersection erupted, and fans turned to slap hands with whoever was standing nearby.

Then, when Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute, celebrations spread from the main screen all the way into the side streets where the screen was barely visible. A cheer lasting more than 10 seconds swept through the crowd as everyone leapt to their feet with arms raised. Each of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu's subsequent superb saves sent fans clutching their chests before erupting again.

Lee Jin-hee, 64, who said it was her first time joining street cheering since 2002, lingered in the square long after the final whistle. "I was doing the dishes at home and thought, 'This is no time to be standing here,' so I just put on some sunscreen and came out," she said. "I wanted to feel the energy of 2002 again, and I'm leaving with so much of it."

"I feel like our country has become very divided lately, but here everyone — young and old, men and women — was on the same side," she added. "Cheering alongside strangers was such a wonderful experience. I'll definitely be back for the next match."

Hong Seong-wan, 35, who said he has watched South Korea's opening World Cup match in person since 2002, recalled how the mood collapsed right after the second half began. "After Hwang In-beom's goal we came back to life, and when the winner went in, everyone became one," he said. "I used up annual leave to be here, and I came away feeling that the future of Korean football is still bright. It was my first time at Gwanghwamun cheering and I'm really glad I came," he said with a smile.

Nearby businesses also felt the lift from the victory. A vendor selling slogan merchandise after the match said he had worried the weekday timing would keep crowds thin. "But listening to the noise, the atmosphere was something else," he said. "After a win like this, I think even more people will show up for the next match."

A toast shop employee near Gwanghwamun, surnamed Noh, 60, noted that street cheering had been tough during the Qatar World Cup because of the cold. "This time, a lot of people popped out just for a few minutes during their lunch break to catch the game," she said. Convenience stores also saw a boost — a staffer at the Seven-Eleven Jongno Gwanghwamun branch said water and beverage sales ran at roughly double the usual pace during the match.

Right after the final whistle, bright voices calling out "We won!" on phones could be heard all around Gwanghwamun. But the euphoria was brief — within less than 30 minutes the square had returned to its everyday rhythm, as office workers headed back to their desks and students made their way to school or home.

The street cheering venue in front of Korea Investment & Securities headquarters in Yeouido was equally electric. Every chair and parasol seat set up before kickoff was taken, and fans who could not find a seat stood along flower beds and walkways to watch. Office workers in suits with lanyards around their necks streamed in one after another on their lunch breaks.

When Czech Republic scored in the 62nd minute, the crowd fell briefly silent. Fans groaned as the replay played back on screen, and some stared at the scoreboard with blank expressions.

But the mood reversed the moment Hwang In-beom equalized. Fans jumped to their feet and exchanged high-fives, and when Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner, the entire crowd leapt up. When six minutes of stoppage time were announced, a few voices muttered, "That's too long."

Park Ye-seong, 20, a student at a university in the United States, said street cheering on this scale was something he had never seen abroad. "Cheering together like this was so much fun," he said. "I think it'll be an experience I never forget."

Jang Hyeon-sik, 22, said it was his first time at a street cheering event, and the comeback made it all the sweeter. "It wasn't just a win — it was a comeback, so the thrill was on another level," he said. "I'll come out to cheer for every remaining match." Kim Ji-na, 26, a university student who came despite being in the middle of exam season, said the outing was worth every skipped study hour. "Jumping around and singing together — all my stress just melted away," she said.

Anticipation for the Mexico match on June 19 was already running high. Im Chang-min, who took annual leave to attend, said friends who stayed home had been texting him with regrets. "If Czech Republic had won, the energy for the next match would have fizzled out," he said. "But because we came back so dramatically, I think even more people will show up next time."