Draft The 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup
| Title | Passion of Korea in the 2002 FIFA World Cup |
|---|---|
목차
1차 원고
The 2002 FIFA World Cup Jointly Held by Korea and Japan
The 17th World Cup held from May 31 to June 30, 2002, is an unforgettable event for Koreans because the whole nation became one under the name "Red Devils” and showed to the world passion of the Korean people.
Korea and Japan became the co-hosts of the event on May 31, 1996, by the decision of the Executive Committee meeting held at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. As a result, the 17th World Cup became the first World Cup to be held on the Asian continent as well as the only World Cup to be jointly hosted by more than one country. Its official title was ‘2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan” and its official theme was ‘New millennium, new encounter, and new start.’
From March 2000 to November 2001, regional preliminaries were held for each continent. On December 1, 2001, a total of 32 participating teams—29 qualified teams, 2 host teams (Korea and Japan), previous champion—made the draw for group placement. 64 matches were played in 20 Korean and Japanese cities. Korea hosted the opening ceremony and the opening match in Seoul on May 21, 2002, while the final match and the closing ceremony on June 20. Opening Ceremony and Opening Ceremony were held in Seoul on May 31 while Japan hosted the final match in Yokohama on June 30.
A fourth-time champion, Brazil won its fifth World Cup. Germany finished second while Turkey finished third. South Korean national team led by Guus Hiddink, a Dutch-born coach and manager, had 7 wins, 2 losses, and 3 draws, and achieved the historic fourth-place finish.
‘Red Devils’ and New Street-Cheering Culture
Korea’s cheering culture during the World Cup attracted the world’s attention. Thousands of Koreans in red T-shirts poured into the streets, cheering for the underdog South Korean national team. The collective street-cheering were coordinated and led by a supporters club called the ‘Red Devils.’ The ‘Red Devils’ was a non-governmental, non-profit, and apolitical group originally organized during the 1998 France World Cup to support the national team. The name ‘Red Devils’ came from ‘Red Furies,’ coined by the international media in 1983 when the South Korean youth team reached the semi-final of the 1983 World Youth Championship in Mexico.
‘Red Devils’ are not just spectators. They gather soccer fans who wish to actively participate in supporting the team. ‘Red Devils’ pay a particular attention in developing a democratic, orderly, and peaceful street-cheering culture in Korea. Furthermore, it unifies the Korean people under a common goal.
The Korean people’s passion was explosive during the 2002 World Cup games. ‘Red Devils’ coordinated massive street-cheering in public sites. Regardless of their age and gender, people in red t-shirts gathered in Seoul Square, Gwanghwamum Gate, and Daehangno as well as local schools and sports fields where jumbo screens were installed specifically for mass viewing. They watched the games together and cheered in one voice.
United in the ‘Red Devils’
At the beginning of the 2002 World Cup, there were 5 million fans participating in the ‘Red Devils.’ However, as the South Korean national team got closer to the semi-final, more Koreans joined. By the end of the World Cup, 70 million people, which was 20% of the entire South Korean population, participated in ‘Red Devils’ street-cheering. In other words, it became a sports festival not only for soccer fans but for the whole nation. Now, street-cheering has become a symbol of the Korean support culture especially for the national team during a FIFA World Cup.
The 2002 World Cup Korea/Japan presented an opportunity for Korea to strengthen its global stature. Furthermore, the passionate cheering and support the Korean fans demonstrated raised the level of Korean soccer and also united and gave confidence to the people.
