[Edaily Starin JOO MEE_HEE Reporter] As the South Korean national soccer team was eliminated from the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America, actress Kang Bu-ja expressed disappointment regarding former head coach Hong Myung-bo’s demeanor upon his return to South Korea.

On the 3rd, Kang Bu-ja’s YouTube channel “Cheongja Mansun” featured soccer commentator Park Moon-sung, Myongji University Professor Shin Moon-sun, and broadcasters Alberto and Floria Ning, who discussed the results of the recent North and Central America World Cup.
The focus of the discussion was on the atmosphere at Incheon International Airport on the 30th of last month, when former coach Hong Myung-bo, Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-kyu, and the team returned home after being eliminated from the group stage. At the time, some soccer fans shouted and protested at former coach Hong as he returned, and the KFA did not hold an official welcome ceremony. Former coach Hong left the airport without making any special statement.
Regarding this, Kang Bu-ja expressed regret, saying, “If Coach Hong Myung-bo had shed a tear or expressed remorse when the arrival gate opened, the public’s feelings might have been soothed, even if only a little.” She added, “I saw him walking out standing behind player Jo Hyeon-woo, without bowing his head, staring off into the distance.”
Kang Bu-ja also recalled the penalty shootout against Spain in the quarterfinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, saying, “When I think of Hong Myung-bo, the heroic image that first comes to mind is him smiling broadly and waving his arms after scoring a penalty kick, so it’s bittersweet to see that image shattered.”
Criticism also continued regarding game tactics and player selection. Kang Bu-ja criticized the decision to leave Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup for the match against South Africa—which proved to be the turning point in the team’s elimination from the group stage—stating, “Son Heung-min is a world-class player and a treasure of Korean soccer. It’s hard to understand why such a key player was kept on the bench.”
Former head coach Hong, who stepped down after the team was eliminated from the group stage of the CONCACAF tournament with a record of one win and two losses, departed for Los Angeles (LA), USA, on the 2nd—just three days after returning to Korea.