Yoon Doo-joon. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) via Herald Business]
Yoon Doo-joon. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) via Herald Business]

Yoon Doo-joon, a member of K-pop group Highlight and a well-known football fan, expressed his disappointment over the South Korean national team's loss to South Africa.

On Wednesday, Yoon watched and live-commented on South Korea's Group A third-round match against South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup through a live broadcast on Highlight's official YouTube channel.

When South Korea fell 0-1 to South Africa, failing to secure a round-of-16 berth on their own, Yoon was left at a loss for words. "I can't believe it. Is this a dream?" he said, falling silent for a moment.

"After the Czech Republic match, I never thought it would come to this," he said, adding that he was holding back further comment for fear of saying something he would regret.

Yoon also spoke as a lifelong supporter of the national team. "As a football fan, the team I cheer for with all my heart is the South Korean national team, and it has never been like this," he said. "I've been watching national team matches with my father since I was 5 years old, and our standing has never been this low. It's heartbreaking."

He continued to voice his frustration. "I won't compare us to other countries — we simply didn't perform well enough. As a fan, my heart aches. This was a chance for Korean football to take several steps forward, and it's a shame we couldn't take it," he said.

The South Korean national team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in the final Group A match at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday.

With the defeat, South Korea finished the group stage with one win and two losses — three points — dropping to third place in the group. The team now faces the prospect of waiting on the results of other third-place finishers across all groups to see whether they can advance to the round of 32 as a wildcard.

Yoon, widely regarded as one of the entertainment industry's most passionate football fans, also drew attention during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when he and fellow Highlight members watched and live-commented on South Korea's matches together in a similar broadcast.


min3654@heraldcorp.com