'Hang in there,' Kwak Yun-ki tells Son Heung-min after South Africa loss

Former national short-track speed skater Kwak Yun-ki has shared footage of a brief exchange with South Korea captain Son Heung-min following the team's loss to South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The video was posted Sunday on Kwak's YouTube channel "Kkwak Jaba Yunki" under the title "The final moments of Korean football that didn't make it onto the broadcast."

The footage captured Kwak's visit to Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday, where South Korea faced South Africa in a Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kwak documented the scene from the stadium's surroundings before kickoff through to the aftermath of the match.

After the final whistle, Kwak spotted Son leaving the stadium with staff members and called out to him. Son turned, saw Kwak, and bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle in greeting.

"Son Heung-min, I don't know when I'll ever get another chance to say hello to you in my life — could I have just 10 seconds?" Kwak asked. Son readily stepped over to him.

"I was an athlete myself, briefly," Kwak told him. "I just really wanted to say thank you. Truly, thank you so much. I think all Koreans, myself included, have found comfort and received a gift through you. Please just hang in there a little longer. Thank you."

Son thanked Kwak for the kind words but apologized, saying, "I'm sorry we couldn't deliver a good result when you came all this way."

As Son turned to leave, Kwak kept calling after him: "Thank you so much, truly. You've worked so hard."