The internet seems to be rife with videos saying that the SK mens team is terrible, a fraud. They certainly have been the past few years.
Everyone who didn’t know this thought they were good, a rival to Japan. But they crashed HARD on the world stage. They’ve become an embarrassment and target for vitriol and mockery… and somehow, some videos even relate it to wider issues in Korean society, as if everything in Korea is toxic and corrupt.
I don’t remember other countries receiving as much vitriol compared to Korea recently when they unexpectedly failed in football.
Or is Korea in focus right now because Koreans are explicitly angry over their football team and the KFA – rightfully so – and making it a wider issue for everyone to see, making it a bigger issue for a wider international audience?
E.g. These traditionally powerful footballing nations can fail sometimes.
- Italy failed to qualify for the past 3 World Cups.
- Germany failed to get past the Group Stages in 2018 Russia (thanks to South Korea) and 2022 Qatar.
- Brazil lost to Germany in 2014 7-1 on home soil.
- England was bottom of their group in 2014 Brazil.
- Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in 2022 Qatar.
Not saying that South Korea is on their level, but the point is this: big upsets can happen.
It feels like South Korea’s football team (and the nation by association)’s reputation is absolutely is the gutter right now, and as if their former reputation – as Asia’s best (once upon a time), or as better than Japan (once upon a time) was a big lie.
submitted by /u/Still_Kitchen_1650
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