"Hong Myung-bo is the Won-gyun of the soccer world," renowned history lecturer Hwang Hyun-pil sharply criticized... "Incompetent yet clings to the position through connections," also taking a jab at the association

*This content was translated by AI.

Famous history lecturer Hwang Hyun-pil (53) compared South Korea national team coach Hong Myung-bo (57), who was eliminated early from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to Won-gyun, an incompetent general from the Imjin War, in a scathing critique.

Lecturer Hwang Hyun-pil posted a video titled "The Won-gyun of Soccer, Hong Myung-bo" on his YouTube channel "Hwang Hyun-pil Korean History" on the 29th of last month. In the video, he defined Won-gyun as someone who was entrusted with heavy responsibilities under the protection of power rather than ability, making poor judgments that plunged the entire organization into crisis, and pointed out that Coach Hong's management of the national team was similar.

Lecturer Hwang Hyun-pil emphasized that the process of appointing Coach Hong Kang Sa-neun (CEO) was fundamentally flawed. He argued that the Korea Football Association's internal connections and decision-making structures were prioritized, resulting in the reappointment of a coach who had previously experienced failure. He also pointed out that the inflexible tactical changes and player selections displayed during the World Cup finals ultimately led to the early elimination.

The arrows of criticism also pointed toward structural issues within the Korea Football Association. Lecturer Hwang Hyun-pil warned, "The problem is not just with Hong Myung-bo personally," stating that unless the association's coach appointment system and accountability structure are reformed to prevent repeated poor decisions, such failures will recur.

Meanwhile, Coach Hong Myung-bo ultimately stepped down from his post, taking responsibility for the early exit in the North, Central America, and Caribbean (CONCACAF) World Cup group stage. He held a press conference in Mexico on the 29th of last month and officially announced his resignation. This was an ignominious departure after approximately two years in command, amid controversies over fairness. Having failed to win the support of fans throughout his tenure, he left quietly, leaving another painful stain on South Korean soccer history for the first time in 12 years since the 2014 Brazil tournament.

Coach Hong Myung-bo, who returned home through Incheon Airport in the early hours of the 30th, immediately after announcing his resignation, faced fierce jeers from angry fans. Even at that early hour, fans gathered at the airport expressed their anger, shouting "Hong Myung-bo, get out" and "Return your salary," while Coach Hong silently exited the airport without answering reporters' questions.

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*This content was translated by AI.