Monterrey Koreans rally behind national team at FIFA World Cup
Yoon Tae-sung, center, a Korean businessman in Mexico, and his children react to the arrival of Korea's national football team outside the JW Marriott Hotel in Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon
Expats in Mexico say team rekindles their sense of national identity
MONTERREY, Mexico — "Just seeing our national team makes my heart swell with pride. As people say these days, it's a real 'gukppong' moment."
As Korea's national football team arrived in Monterrey on Sunday (local time) for its final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, more than 100 members of the local Korean community, dressed in red, gathered outside the team's hotel hours before the players' arrival.
Despite temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius by 3:30 p.m., the fans waited patiently, chatting about the team, taking photos and eagerly anticipating the players' arrival. Their excitement easily outweighed the oppressive heat.
Local Korean residents and fans welcome members of the Korean national football team outside the JW Marriott Hotel in Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon
Yoon Tae-sung, 50, who first came to Mexico as an expatriate employee a decade ago and now runs his own business, was among those waiting with his three children.
"We arrived three hours early," Yoon said. "It's a long wait, but it doesn't feel difficult at all. The national team reminds those of us living abroad that we're Koreans."
He added with a laugh, "I bought tickets for my entire family of five through a Korean restaurant — 7,500 pesos (about $450) each for the match against South Africa. We'll just have to cut back on food expenses next month."
His children — Jun-su, 17, Jun-ho, 15, and Soi, 14 — were equally thrilled.
"We can't wait to see Son Heung-min and Oh Hyeon-gyu," they said.
Members of the Korean community in Mexico and football fans wait outside the JW Marriott Hotel in Monterrey, Sunday, for Korea's national football team to arrive. Yonhap
Monterrey is one of northern Mexico's major industrial hubs and home to about 4,000 Koreans, including many expatriate employees working for companies such as Hyundai Motor, Kia, LG and POSCO. That is nearly 10 times the size of the Korean community in Guadalajara, where Korea played its first two group-stage matches.
With such a large Korean population, support for the national team is expected to be even stronger in Monterrey.
Kim Jae-beom, 62, who has operated a Korean restaurant in nearby San Pedro for 34 years, said he never imagined he would one day see Korea's World Cup team play in his adopted city.
"Even those who couldn't get tickets plan to gather outside Monterrey Stadium on match day and cheer for the team together," he said.
Korea captain Son Heung-min arrives at the JW Marriott Hotel in Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, ahead of the team's third Group A match against South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon
When the team bus finally arrived, the atmosphere erupted. Fans raised their phones to capture the moment while chanting "Son Heung-min!" and "Daehan Minguk!" and waving Korean flags.
Several players, including captain Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae and goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, acknowledged the crowd with waves, while others headed straight into the hotel with determined expressions, reflecting the tension ahead of Korea's decisive final group-stage match.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.