Listening to the South Korea fans cheering "Dae-han-min-guk" (Republic of Korea) after their World Cup match against Germany on June 25 and watching fireworks light up the Seoul skyline, it was hard to realize that the South Korean team had lost its semifinal match.
But perhaps the Red Devil fans got it right. South Korea has emerged as a big winner in this first-ever, Asian-based World Cup. South Korea and its cohost, Japan, have put Asia on the map, not only as a serious international soccer contenders but as world-class hosts.
Underscoring this point was another remarkable sight during the ill-fated (for South Korea) match: an organized group of South Koreans cheering for the German squad. No, they did not lack national pride or team spirit; squads were put together to cheer for each team, including South Korea opponents, so that none would be without some support while competing far from home. This speaks volumes about the South Korean peoples' commitment to making the games the huge success that they have indeed been.