what happen to korea at world cup 2002
Korea had a historic run at the 2002 World Cup, which it co-hosted with Japan. South Korea reached the semifinals, beating Italy and Spain along the way before losing 1-0 to Germany, then finishing fourth after losing the third-place match to Turkey.
What happened
South Korea’s 2002 team became one of the tournament’s biggest stories because it advanced much farther than most people expected. The run sparked huge celebrations at home and is still remembered as a breakthrough moment for Korean football.
Why people still talk about it
The tournament is also remembered for controversy around refereeing decisions in the knockout rounds, especially in the Italy and Spain matches. Those games remain heavily debated, but the result is unchanged: South Korea made the semifinals on home soil.
Simple timeline
- Group stage: South Korea advanced from its group.
- Round of 16: Beat Italy in extra time.
- Quarterfinal: Beat Spain on penalties.
- Semifinal: Lost to Germany.
- Third-place match: Lost to Turkey and finished fourth.
In one line
South Korea’s 2002 World Cup was a Cinderella run: fourth place, massive national pride, and lasting controversy.
TL;DR: Korea did amazingly well in 2002, reaching the semifinals and ending fourth, with the Italy and Spain wins still seen as some of the most debated matches in World Cup history.