By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff reporter
Thousands of fans ate "bibimbap," a popular Korean dish and rooted for the Korean squad at a park by the Han River near Yeouido, Thursday.
The cheering event started at 5 p.m. and was hosted by the 2009 Miss Korea Kim Joo-ri. Citizens in red gathered to watch musicians Storyseller, Dr. Core 911 and Swimming Fish. Jazz harmonist Jun Je-duk also joined in the festive mood and the waterfront saw fireworks and a fountain light show.
Before the game, the fans took part in an event to make an enormous amount of bibimbap, rice mixed with assorted vegetables. Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish and freelance Korean publicist Seo Kyoung-duk and popular television show "Infinite Challenge" team placed a full-page promotion for it in the New York Times last December.
Football fans, children, married immigrants and political and business leaders held a large rice paddle to mix the huge bowl full of rice and vegetables topped with pepper paste. The bibimbap bore the message "Advance to the Round of 16," which was soon mixed into the bowl.
They made enough bibimbap for 2,010 people, commemorating the 2010 World Cup, and it was distributed to supporters for free during the game. Gogung, a restaurant famous for Jeonju-style bibimbap, provided the ingredients.
"We wanted to show the 'hot' power of the Korean team through the bibimbap and spicy pepper paste," an official for the event said. "The bibimbap also symbolized all Koreans gathering to cheer for their team."