![Yoon Doo-joon. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/12/news-p.v1.20260612.622b86679f7045be8ba455ef1a8afd6a_P1.jpg)
Yoon Doo-joon, a member of K-pop group Highlight and one of the entertainment industry's most devoted football fans, was moved to tears Friday as South Korea's national team claimed a comeback victory in their opening World Cup match.
Yoon hosted a live commentary broadcast on Highlight's official YouTube channel starting at 10 a.m. Friday, covering South Korea's Group A opener against the Czech Republic at the 2026 North America World Cup.
South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in the Group A first-round match at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico. Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu scored in consecutive fashion to seal the win.
When South Korea scored the go-ahead goal in the second half, Yoon leapt to his feet and cheered. He repeatedly said "thank you" and wiped away tears with a tissue. "I think this is the first time I've cried since a concert," he said.
After the final whistle, Yoon offered his assessment. "The Czech players looked heavy-legged, and our players performed much better than I expected," he said.
He added, "The players ran so hard. I feel amazing." He also named his man of the match: "My top player for Friday is Hwang In-beom. The goal was great, but he also controlled the tempo really well. Kim Seung-gyu was excellent too — did you see that save? It was like he had a gust of wind behind his hands." The remark drew laughs from viewers.
Yoon drew similar attention during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when he and his Highlight bandmates hosted a live commentary stream cheering on the South Korean national team.
min3654@heraldcorp.com
