At dawn, fans booed "Hong Myung-bo out"; at dawn, applause erupted for "I love Son Heung-min" ... two faces of Incheon International Airport [2026 FIFA World Cup]

[Financial News] The anger of football fans had a clear target, and the arrivals hall at Incheon International Airport seemed to know it all. The South Korea national team returned home bearing the bitter shame of a 34th-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the brutal fury directed at the coach gave way to tears of comfort when the players, who had fought hard, appeared before the crowd.
At 4:25 a.m. on the 1st, the arrivals hall at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport. Led by captain Son Heung-min, key members of the squad, including Kim Seung-gyu, Song Bum-keun, and Um Ji-sung, along with the remaining players, stepped onto Korean soil with grim expressions. Son, dressed in a white T-shirt and black pants, walked forward with a heavy, blank look on his face. Around 4:44 a.m., younger players such as Lee Han-beom, Lee Ki-hyuk, Bae Jun-ho, and Lee Dong-gyeong, who were seen as bright spots in the team's defense at this tournament, appeared one after another. It was a bitter scene, with the coach and the main group arriving separately under the Korea Football Association's awkward split-return plan, which it said was due to difficulty securing airline seats.



The highlight of the airport that day was the fans' extreme reaction, which was starkly different from the day before. Just 24 hours earlier, when former coach Hong Myung-bo arrived after stepping down over the team's early exit, the airport had been in chaos. Furious fans held up harsh banners reading, "Hong Myung-bo, pay back the money and get out," and "Stupid MB, ending run," while hurling loud boos.
But once the players appeared, the boos instantly turned into cheers. Even at that early hour, fans packed the airport and welcomed them with chants of "I love Son Heung-min!", "Let's go, players!", and "You did so well, thank you for your hard work." Affectionate messages such as "Stay strong, Jae-sung" and rows of red jerseys filled the arrivals hall. As the players, battered by the tournament, were showered with encouragement, they kept their expressions composed and responded with sincere bows to the fans. It was a complete contrast to the total indifference shown toward the coaching staff, including Joao Aroso, who arrived with Hong.



Although South Korea bowed out at the round-of-32 threshold after a 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic, followed by back-to-back 1-0 losses to Mexico and South Africa, fans did not let the players' sweat and sacrifice on the pitch fade into the background.
The suggested routes and tight security were the same over both days, but the two dawns at Incheon International Airport were split between condemnation aimed at the coach and chants for the captain. Even in the midst of a 34th-place disaster brought on by a collapse in leadership, the dignity and comfort shown by fans may now be the only spark capable of helping Korean football rise again from its dark period.


jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter