'I took half a day off for this': Fans pack Gwanghwamun, Yeouido for World Cup

"I love football so much I used up a vacation day to be here. Back in 2002 I cheered from inside the stadium — today I'm joining the street rally. I believe in this team." — Baek Seung-gu, office worker

Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, buzzed with energy Friday morning ahead of South Korea's opening group stage match against the Czech Republic at the 2026 North America World Cup, which kicked off at 11 a.m. KT Corp, the national team's official partner, along with the Korea Football Association and the Red Devils supporters' group, set up a main stage, cheering platforms, delay screens and a large media wall across the venue.

Gates opened at 6 a.m., and football fans who had staked out spots since early morning were joined by office workers on leave and families with elementary school children who had arranged field-trip excursions. The designated cheering zone in front of the main stage, with capacity for 500 to 600 people, was more than half full within 20 minutes of opening. Organizers expected around 6,000 people to gather at Gwanghwamun for the street rally.

By shortly after 8 a.m., the area in front of the main stage was effectively at capacity. As entry was restricted, some spectators moved to nearby spaces, including Gamsa-ui Jeongwon garden. The overall atmosphere at Gwanghwamun Square was calmer than anticipated, however. A woman in her 50s surnamed Lee, who had traveled up from Daejeon with her elementary school-age child, said she had arrived early after news reports predicted thousands would show up. "There are fewer people than I expected," she said.

The unusual timing — a weekday morning — shaped how people chose to attend. Many took annual leave or arranged school field trips to make it to the square. Yang Jeong-hwa, 38, came with her 7-year-old child, bringing a picnic mat and a folding chair. "I took a day off because I wanted to give my child a memory that will last a long time," she said. "We plan to enjoy it like a picnic while cheering."

Hong, 32, who runs a restaurant in Hongdae, arrived with a part-time employee, both wearing Red Devils headbands. "I have to be at work by 3 p.m.," he said, "but I still wanted to cheer for the team, so I'm planning to watch the match and head straight to work."

Kim Min-gyun, 20, a student at Dongguk University, had been holding his spot at the square since 10:30 p.m. the previous night, along with university classmates. "I haven't slept — I've been watching matches since the Mexico-South Africa game," he said. "I really hope the team wins through great teamwork."

Many in the crowd had also come to see idol group Cortis, who performed at the event. Jang, 27, clutching a Cortis light stick, said she had arrived at 1 a.m. to collect a numbered ticket. "I came for Cortis — I'll watch the World Cup if I have time," she said. Nadia, 24, an Indonesian exchange student studying chemical and biological engineering at Korea University, said she came for Cortis as well. "But of course I'm cheering for Korea," she added.

Police and fire department personnel were visible throughout Gwanghwamun Square. About 200 riot police were deployed for crowd management, and behind the main stage, emergency vehicles, a heat illness rest area and a command post were set up. Promotional booths handed out bottled water, hand fans and small electric fans to the crowd.

When the main program began at 9 a.m., the emcee led the crowd in chants of "Daehan Minguk" and "Oh, Victory Korea." A police official on the scene said approximately 750 people had entered the main stage zone by 9:30 a.m.

The cheering spirit spread to Yeouido, home to many of Seoul's office workers. Korea Investment Securities hosted a public street rally in front of its headquarters there, timed to the national team's match schedule. A large digital signage display called KIS Square, mounted on the building's exterior wall, served as the centerpiece, with a cheering zone, interactive experience areas and photo spots set up around it. The company expected several hundred people to gather and watch the match.

About two hours before kickoff, around 9 a.m., seats at the front of the cheering area began filling steadily. Fans wearing the jerseys of national team players Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in stood out in the crowd, while families in Red Devils headbands beat their cheering sticks to build the atmosphere. Lines formed at food trucks for snacks and drinks, and families posed for photos in front of a large balloon shaped like Korea Investment Securities' mascot, "Hanguki."

Lee Ji-heon, 26, an office worker, said he had taken a vacation day to come cheer with friends. "We even made a bet on the result," he said with a laugh. "I'm predicting Korea wins 2-1."

Bae Mi-yeon came dressed in matching Son Heung-min jerseys with her family. "When the kids get older they'll be busy with friends and moments like this will be harder to come by," she said. "I was in high school during the 2002 World Cup and those memories are so vivid — I wanted to share that experience with my children."

A different scene unfolded at COEX Mall in Gangnam, where people began trickling in to claim spots at the Live Plaza, which features a large electronic display board, two hours before kickoff. When a pre-match live broadcast appeared on the screen around 9:50 a.m., gasps of "Oh, it's starting!" rippled through the crowd.

Choi Hyeok-jun, 22, a student at Sejong University, passed the time finishing an assignment on his laptop while waiting for the match to begin. "My friends couldn't come because of class, but they'll all be sneaking a look during lectures," he said. "I was lucky enough to have no class today, so I came alone."

Ma, 31, an office worker, said he had engaged in a fierce unspoken standoff with teammates over who would get to take Friday off. "The competition to get today — Friday — off was intense, but I ultimately won," he said. "Most people here seem to have come alone since it's a weekday morning, but there's still a strange sense of camaraderie."

By Jeon Sae-nal, Jung Joo-won, Lee Young-gi and Jung Yoon-hee