An Unthinkable Underdog Story
Before 2002, South Korea had never won a single match in five previous World Cup appearances. As co-hosts with Japan, expectations were modest: just get out of the group stage. But under the guidance of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, the team was forged into
a relentlessly energetic, high-stamina unit. They did more than advance; they topped their group, beating a Portuguese team full of stars. The country was swept up in a tidal wave of national pride, a feeling magnified by the fact that the nation was still recovering from the 1990s Asian financial crisis. This wasn't just football; it was a symbol of a new, confident Korea. The team's journey to the semi-finals became the first time an Asian team had ever advanced that far, a feat that felt like a fairytale.
The Round of 16: A Battle with Italy
The knockout stage is where the story gets complicated. In the Round of 16, South Korea faced Italy, a global football powerhouse. The match was brutal and tense, but it is remembered almost exclusively for the performance of Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno. His decisions ignited a firestorm of controversy that still smolders today. Italy was furious over a number of calls, but two stood out: first, a highly debatable second yellow card shown to superstar Francesco Totti for “diving” in extra time, resulting in his ejection. Minutes later, Italian midfielder Damiano Tommasi scored what should have been the “golden goal” winner, only for it to be incorrectly disallowed for offside. Ahn Jung-hwan eventually scored a dramatic header to win the game for Korea, but for Italy and much of the world, the result was tainted.
The Quarter-Final: Controversy Strikes Again
If the Italy match was a storm, the quarter-final against Spain was a hurricane. With the world watching to see if the controversy was a fluke, it happened again. This time, Egyptian referee Gamal Al-Ghandour and his assistants were at the center. Spain had two goals disallowed under highly dubious circumstances. The first was an own goal nullified for a supposed foul. The second was even more egregious: a header by Fernando Morientes was chalked off after the linesman flagged that the ball had gone out of play for a goal kick, a call that television replays showed to be clearly incorrect. South Korea went on to win in a penalty shootout, securing their place in the semi-finals. For Spain, like Italy before them, it felt less like a defeat and more like a robbery.
The View From Seoul: Skill, Passion, and Home Advantage
From the European perspective, the narrative was one of scandalous refereeing. But in South Korea, the story was—and remains—very different. The victories were seen as the deserved result of years of preparation, the tactical genius of Guus Hiddink, the superhuman fitness of the players, and the overwhelming power of home support. Proponents of this view argue that controversial refereeing is part of football, and that home-field advantage often manifests in favorable calls at every World Cup. They point out that reducing the entire run to a few bad decisions disrespects the players' effort and skill. Hiddink himself noted that experienced teams like Italy and Spain had plenty of chances to win the games on their own terms and failed to do so. For millions of Koreans, the miracle was real, earned through heart and determination on the pitch, not by a whistle in the referee's mouth.
