At Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul at 11 a.m. Thursday, the match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolded on the big screen. As kickoff approached, office workers in suits with company ID badges around their necks streamed out into the square one by one. Some were seen pulling red national team jerseys from their bags, putting them on, and dashing toward the screen. The areas in front of Gwanghwamun Square, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, and the KT Gwanghwamun Building quickly transformed into a massive outdoor cheering venue.
Jung Ji-eun, 28, who works at a company in the Gwanghwamun area, said, "I was surprised that the cheering fervor was as hot as the weather." She added, "I'm excited to enjoy the World Cup at the square with other citizens on the screen at the KT Gwanghwamun West Building." Park Hee-sun, 32, who works at a company near Gyeongbokgung Palace, also came to the square with colleagues during her lunch break. "I was surprised that the square was packed with people," Park said. "I'm getting excited along with the atmosphere. I'm thinking about whether to grab a takeout burger and join the cheering."
Even before the match began, citizens wrapped in red jerseys and Korean flags gradually gathered at Gwanghwamun Square. A Red Devils official repeatedly announced pedestrian path clearance and safety rules from the stage, and when the idol group Cortis appeared, fans took commemorative photos with the big screen as a backdrop. Heat illness prevention shelters and police, fire, and emergency medical booths were also set up throughout the square.
Foreign tourists also visited the square. Fantin, a French national, and Daniel, a Spanish national, who said they arrived in Korea a week ago, said, "We came to cheer because we like Son Heung-min." They added, "We're looking forward to experiencing Korea's World Cup street cheering firsthand."
Students who came to the square could not hide their excitement. High school student Park Jong-geun, 17, took part in the cheering with a friend. "After experiencing street cheering for the first time during the 2018 World Cup, I came to dream of becoming a soccer player and actually played as one," Park said. "I quit due to an ACL injury, but I'll keep coming to cheer for soccer, including Son Heung-min, going forward."
When the match began, the cheering fervor grew even hotter. Citizens crowded not only Gwanghwamun Square but also the steps of the Sejong Center and the area in front of the KT Gwanghwamun Building. On the steps of the Sejong Center, some citizens spread out mats, ate gimbap, and watched the match.
After the middle of the first half, cheers erupted whenever Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min took the ball, and sighs followed whenever a decisive chance was missed. Citizens shouted "Republic of Korea" and sang along to cheering songs. Whenever people's voices grew louder, even on-site safety staff briefly stopped their work to look at the screen.
The cheering continued amid the heat wave. Citizens watched the match holding parasols or cooled off around the fountain. "Happyso," a heat wave shelter operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was also crowded with citizens. Kim Ha-yeon, 29, an employee of the operating company, said, "Ninety people came within an hour and a half after we opened at 10 a.m." She added, "Days like today, when so many visitors crowd in, are rare."
During halftime, announcements on heat illness prevention and safety rules continued. In the Sejong Center area, citizens crowded in to find better seats, and police temporarily controlled entry at one point. A drone was spotted flying at the scene, prompting an announcement asking, "Please bring the drone down."
The commercial district around Gwanghwamun also buzzed with activity for the first time in a while. An official at the CU Gwanghwamun Square branch said, "More foreign tourists than usual are visiting, and the number of customers lining up has increased." Lee, 45, an employee at a nearby chicken restaurant, said, "We normally open at 5 p.m., but today we started business at 10 a.m. to welcome World Cup cheering customers." He added, "All five staff members came to work, but the roughly 60 seats filled up quickly right after the match started." He also said, "It seems nearly 100 customers turned away because there were no seats."
When Oh Hyun-gyu (Beşiktaş JK) scored the go-ahead goal in the 35th minute of the second half, Gwanghwamun Square was covered in a massive roar. Citizens sprang to their feet, waved Korean flags, embraced one another, and shared their joy. Song Chan-eui, 25, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, said, "The weather today was really hot, but the moment the goal went in, I got goosebumps to the point that I almost felt cold instead." He added, "Since this was street cheering with a friend of 10 years, it'll be all the more memorable." The citizens who filled Gwanghwamun Square shouted "Republic of Korea" in one voice until the moment of victory.
