Hong Myung-Bo Steps Down, But Anger Remains... Mocking 'Memes' Spread After World Cup Exit

From AI-Generated Videos to 'Entry Prohibited' Signs
Fan Reactions Escalate Between Criticism and Satire

Although Hong Myung-bo resigned as head coach of the national football team in response to South Korea's elimination from the group stage of the 2026 North America World Cup, the anger of football fans has not subsided. The team finished third in their group after a 0-1 loss to South Africa, and failed to secure a spot in the round of 32 even in the wildcard race among third-place teams. This disappointment quickly spread online through memes, parodies, and AI-generated videos.

Former national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo, who recorded the worst performance in history by failing to advance to the Round of 32 in the 2026 North American World Cup, is returning home through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on the 30th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

This situation goes beyond mere disappointment over match results, reflecting an explosion of accumulated frustration about the team's management, tactics, and leadership. Although Hong stepped down, stating that "all responsibility lies with the coach," various social networking services and social media platforms have continued to overflow with satirical content targeting him even after his resignation.

'Hong Myung-Bo Memes' Spread Through AI Videos and Drama Parodies

The most talked-about item was an AI-generated video that spread under the title "The Current Sentiment of the Entire Nation." Although the video featured fabricated scenes, it included depictions of players such as Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan expressing their dissatisfaction with Hong, sparking widespread reactions. Some videos were edited versions of press conference scenes or bench situations, which fans consumed as memes satirizing the team's poor performance and early elimination.

An image altering some scenes from the Netflix drama "Punishment" to include protest lines directed at Director Hong has spread online. SNS

Parodies using drama scenes also followed. Images that altered scenes from the Netflix drama "True Education" with protest lines aimed at Hong spread online, and posts twisting the various scenarios for advancing to the round of 32—widely discussed throughout the group stage as "cases for returning through the airport"—also appeared. Phrases like "Is it Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 at Incheon Airport?" were quickly shared, satirizing the team's return as yet another "last scenario."

An image comparing the leadership styles of past national team coaches also resonated with football fans. Former coach Paulo Bento was described as a "leader" who pulls the cart together with the players, while former coach Jürgen Klinsmann was depicted as a "boss" who gives orders from atop the cart. SNS

Images comparing the leadership styles of former national team coaches also resonated with football fans. Former coach Paulo Bento was depicted as a "leader" pulling the cart alongside the players, former coach Jürgen Klinsmann as a "boss" directing from atop the cart, while Hong was portrayed as "chaos," with players pulling ropes in different directions so the cart would not move. Fans described Bento’s era as "do-it-yourself football," Klinsmann’s as "do-it-for-me football," and Hong’s as "don’t-do-it football," highlighting the confusion within the team.

'Entry Prohibited' Notices... Concerns About Overheated Satire

Online memes have also spread to offline spaces. A photo of a sign on a convenience store entrance reading "Hong Myung-Bo is prohibited from entering" became a hot topic, and subsequent posts on social media showed similar parody signs at restaurants, cafes, and hospitals. In some cases it was unclear whether the signs were put up by actual proprietors or as pranks by visitors, but these images served as symbolic representations of the depth of fans’ disappointment with the team’s poor performance.

A post twisting the various scenarios of advancing to the Round of 32, which was repeatedly discussed throughout the group stage as the "return airport case," also appeared on social media.

Some posts evoked memories of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, when returning national team members were pelted with traditional Korean taffy. This time, parody images featuring eggs and taffy spread online, and there was heightened attention on Hong and the squad’s return. Disappointment toward the team was expressed through satire, as collective scenes of public anger from the past were invoked once again.

Online memes have spread to offline spaces as well. A photo of a notice on the entrance door of a convenience store with the phrase "Hong Myungbo is banned from entry" gained attention, and afterwards, posts appeared on social media reporting that similar parody notices had been spotted at restaurants, cafes, hospitals, and other places. SNS

However, concerns have been raised that the criticism is going too far. Some media outlets reported posts on social media that appeared to threaten Hong. While criticism and demands for accountability over sports results are part of public discourse, indiscriminate spread of personal attacks, threats, or violent synthetic content targeting individuals is a separate and serious problem. With Hong’s resignation, the national team now faces the task of starting anew. However, this surge of memes is not just a matter of ridicule; it reflects fans' deep disappointment with Korean football, distrust of the Korea Football Association’s management, and dissatisfaction with the team’s leadership—all erupting at once.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.