Doha: Korea Republic enjoyed something of a fairy tale summer when it co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. The tournament, at which the Taegeuk Warriors finished a very commendable fourth, was a turning point for thousands of Koreans, who drew inspiration from their team’s performance and used it to help set their future goals.

The World Cup’s impact, however, might have been greatest on the nation's young footballers, who were more motivated than ever to replicate the heroics of Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Woon-jae, to name but two.

In Ulsan, a city that hosted three fixtures at the 2002 Finals, thousands of people would gather at the city’s stadium, which was used as a fan zone to watch the national team in action. Jung Woo-young, only 13 at the time, attended with his family and watched as his national heroes went all the way to semi-finals. .....

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