A restaurant in Gyeonggi province displayed a "No Hong Myung-bo" sign immediately after the 0-1 loss to South Africa in the final group stage match on 25/6. In Mapo district, Seoul, a coffee shop posted a photo of a similar ban sign on social media, adding: "Even though he probably won't come, I'm still angry."

A restaurant in Anyang city, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, displays a "ban" sign for coach Hong Myung-bo. *Yonhap*.

Beyond restaurants, some convenience stores also posted "No Hong Myung-bo" signs. On several city buses, messages appeared stating: "No Hong Myung-bo on board! Service refused!" Numerous memes and satirical posts targeting the coach continue to circulate on online forums.

A restaurant owner stated he displayed the sign to express disappointment with the team's performance and to create a humorous atmosphere for customers.

The South Korean team finished the group stage in 10th place among the 12 third-place teams, failing to qualify for the round of 32. This marks the first time South Korean football has exited the World Cup at the group stage since the 2018 tournament in Russia.

A convenience store announces "no service for coach Hong Myung-bo". *Yonhap*.

Coach Hong Myung-bo became the focal point of fan criticism. On the FM Korea forum, many opinions labeled him the "worst coach in South Korean football history," citing his record of one draw and two losses at the 2014 World Cup and the team's continued group stage elimination in this year's World Cup.

A comment with over 300 interactions suggested that the coach's appointment, lacking clear direction and bypassing professional procedures, caused the team's failure.

South Korea's early elimination is considered one of the biggest surprises at the 2026 World Cup. The team, a frequent qualifier, had to leave the tournament after only three matches, sparking public outcry.

In a social media post on 28/6, President Lee Jae Myung expressed being "surprised and completely unable to comprehend" the team's elimination, despite being in what was considered a favorable group. He requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the reasons for the failure and propose reform measures to prevent similar situations from recurring.

Coach Hong Myung-bo during South Korea's loss to South Africa in Mexico, 24/6. *Reuters*.

Coach Hong Myung-bo was appointed in 7/2024 as Juergen Klinsmann's long-term replacement, tasked with guiding South Korea to their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance.

With a squad featuring stars like Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, the South Korean team was expected to advance past the group stage, where they were drawn with co-hosts Mexico, Czech Republic, and South Africa.

The team began with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic but then suffered consecutive losses to Mexico and South Africa. This result forced South Korea to await outcomes from other groups to maintain their hopes of advancing, but they ultimately failed to reach the round of 32.

Tuan Anh (According to Yonhap, Reuters)