‘Very sad’ but still hopeful, South Korean fans in Singapore react to World Cup upset

SINGAPORE – No celebratory roars and cries of “Daehan Minguk” were heard at Lau Pa Sat at the final whistle on June 25, when South Korea were upset 1-0 by South Africa in their final Group A match at the World Cup.

Instead, a collective sigh came from the crowd of over 200 supporters, who had turned up in red jerseys and flags at the Central Business District on a weekday morning to cheer on the Taeguk Warriors.

The result meant that South Africa qualified for the knock-out stage of the World Cup for the first time, while the Koreans’ hopes of advancing are in limbo.

Despite the loss, South Korean fans remain hopeful that their team will qualify for the round of 32, as the eight-best third-placed teams will also go through.

The morning had started on an upbeat note for their fans in Singapore, as many arrived over an hour before the 9am kick-off time, with some seen sipping on kopi, while others preferred a morning beer.

Kaya toast and Shin Ramyun instant noodles were also a popular choice for the breakfast football party.

While the seats were mostly occupied by Korean fans, a handful of South African supporters were spotted with their vuvuzelas.

After missing out on the first two fan gatherings, homemaker Park Moon-ye brought her two kids to Lau Pa Sat to soak in the atmosphere and show their support for the team.

The 41-year-old said: “We just moved here this year and I wanted my children to feel the atmosphere of the World Cup, and they are on vacation now so we came down.

“We missed the first two games. This is our first time watching them ‘live’, but today is very sad because we lost, but if they go through to the next round, we will definitely be here.”

Following kick-off all eyes were glued to the action until the seventh minute, when the two TV screens at Lau Pa Sat went dark after experiencing technical difficulties, triggering groans from the crowd.

Swiftly mobile phones were whipped out as they continued to watch the match, chanting the rallying cry of “Daehan Minguk” to urge their team on.

Fortunately, the screens came back on in the 33rd minute, though their team did not.

Instead of celebrating a victory, silence fell in the 63rd minute among the South Korean supporters, as Thapelo Maseko’s strike gave South Africa a 1-0 lead to the delight of their fans who broke into cheers and dance.

Jun Kang, a realtor and council member of the Korean Association of Singapore, told The Straits Times: “We are not satisfied, although the Korean team did their best… Congrats to the South Africans.

“I was here for the first two games (against Czechia and Mexico) and today the crowd is similar, but there are more kids here and it is nice to see the family environment.

“Today there were some technical difficulties for over 15 minutes… We put up the effort to come here and we do appreciate Lau Pa Sat, but I hope that the organisers will be more careful for the next round of matches.”

High Commissioner of South Africa to Singapore Madiepetsane Charlotte Lobe was also in attendance at the hawker centre and showed her support her in a bright yellow kit and vuvuzela.

“It was a ‘battle of the South’ and we came to Lau Pa Sat today because we knew that most of the South Korean fans will be here, though we usually watch the matches at Chijmes,” she said.

“But we came here because we want to feel the spirit of soccer. There is something about soccer and it is a universal language that transcends language, cultures and continents.

“We may not speak Korean and they may not speak our South African languages, but the language of football is the same, so we are here to show them our love.”

On the technical issues, she added: “Eventually Lau Pa Sat offered what we were looking for and I don’t think we should be too hard on them.

“They gave us the vibes we wanted, united the soccer fans here and together with the Koreans, we were patient enough to wait and ultimately, everyone wanted to be here.”