"Wearing Mom's 2002 Cheering Shirt"... 'Kokkomi' Dance Returns

[Anchor]

Even at this early hour, Gwanghwamun Square was filled with the passionate cheers of the Red Devils. From office workers who took annual leave to students wearing the cheering shirts their mothers wore during the 2002 World Cup, everyone joined their voices in fervent support.

Reporter Dong Eunyeong visited the scene.

[Reporter]

Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul was painted red from early in the morning.

[Yoo Jung-hoon & Jo Sung-hyun / Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do: I took a day off. I will cheer as hard as I can for South Korea's victory before I head out.]

A high school student who cheered for the national team at the same spot back in 2002 returned to Gwanghwamun, this time holding his son's hand.

[Lee Song-seop & Lee Min-jun / Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do: I was here in 2002 when I was a high school student. I wanted my child to experience this as well...]

University students born in 2006 joined the street cheering, wearing red T-shirts inherited from their mothers.

[Kwon Hae-mi, Kim Hyun-seo, Park Ha-sol, & Heo Ga-eun: My mom said she wore this shirt in 2002... I wonder if this is what it felt like to be there in 2002? It's really fun.]

The 'Kokkomi' (vertex) dance, which took the nation by storm during the 2006 World Cup, also made a comeback.

This is Gwanghwamun Square, where street cheering is taking place.

People are cheering for the national football team in their own unique ways.

Yesterday (June 19), an estimated 24,000 Red Devils gathered at Gwanghwamun, according to organizers.

[South Korea!]

Cheers also echoed from in front of large electronic displays at securities firms in Yeouido, Seoul, in office break rooms where people gathered together, and in chicken restaurants that opened early.

[Yoo Dong-hee & Yoo Chang-hoon / Yangju, Gyeonggi-do: We were hanging our heads because we were sad. Even though they lost, we hope they play well in the next match...]

Mexicans living in Korea, who gathered at a hotel in Seoul to watch the match, expressed their joy while also conveying their apologies.

[Edwin & Nando / Mapo-gu, Seoul: I'm so excited. This is my first time watching a World Cup match in Korea. I feel so sorry for Korea. Sorry, I'm sorry.]

The Red Devils put aside today's defeat and pledged a victory in the upcoming match against South Africa on the 25th.

[Kim Cheol-min & Park Sang-hyeok / Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do & Jungnang-gu, Seoul: We will definitely beat South Africa. We will cheer until the end for South Korea along with the Red Devils. Bring it on, South Africa!]

(Video coverage: Lee Byung-ju, Choi Dae-woong, Kang Si-woo | Video editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.