Foreign media has delivered a stinging critique, stating that the "Taegeuk Warriors era," in which South Korean football players thrived in the English Premier League, has come to an end, with Japan taking over the lead.

The British daily newspaper The Guardian published an article titled "The sun sets on South Korean football, but rises for Japan."

The report pointed out that the 21-year run of South Korean prominence in the Premier League, which began with Park Ji-sung and continued through Son Heung-min, is drawing to a close, noting that the upcoming season could mark the first time since 2005 without a single South Korean player on the stage.

Indeed, as Son Heung-min leaves London for the United States and Hwang Hee-chan departs Wolverhampton following the team's relegation, South Korea's presence in the Premier League has practically vanished.

While young prospects such as Yang Min-hyeok and Kim Ji-soo have been included on squad lists, analysts suggest they are also highly likely to be sent out on re-loans.

In contrast, rival Japan's upward trajectory is steep.

Building on established regulars like Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, Hidemasa Morita and Daizen Maeda have successively secured spots with Premier League clubs ahead of the new season.

The Guardian pointed out that the contrasting fortunes of the two countries are also reflected in their "World Cup cruelties."

It criticized that while Japan proved its competitiveness by putting up a strong performance against Brazil, South Korea faced group-stage elimination and fell into total chaos, prompting investigations into the football association and resignations of its leadership.

It also noted that while South Korean fans used to stay up all night every weekend to watch our players, domestic television ratings and interest in the Premier League are dropping sharply due to the absence of Korean players.

The Guardian projected, "Hwang Hee-chan's appearance against Burnley last May is likely to be the last glimpse of a South Korean player in England's top tier for some time."

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Choi Gang-san | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News