Interview: Red Devils President Cho Ho-tae | OneFootball

South Korea will be backed by the 'bulkeun agmar' or Red Devils, the national team's official supporters group, in their thousands, whether that be in Gwanghwamun or Guadalajara. Expectations may be tempered somewhat heading into the 2026 World Cup, but Cho Ho-tae, the president of the Red Devils, believes that the World Cup still has the power to unite, even with the heights of the 2002 team now little more than nostalgic memories.(Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)

Even with qualification secured for an 11th consecutive World Cup, every one since 1986 in Mexico, enthusiasm for the national team has seen a drop-off. Attendances for home friendlies reflected a disenchantment.

Against Paraguay in October 2025 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, an arena that holds over 60,000 and is used to seeing sellouts for national team games, there were just 22,206 fans.

Even when matches were moved away from the capital to areas of the country where there aren't too many national team matches, there were no sellouts. In Daejeon for a friendly with Bolivia, there were 33,000 in attendance, with around 7,000 empty seats.

Back in Seoul for Ghana, Seoul World Cup Stadium was only half full at 33,256, then for Korea's last World Cup qualifier against Kuwait, there were only 41,911 fans there.

But the World Cup is now just around the corner, and the feeling will be different.

K League United spoke to Red Devils president Cho Ho-tae to see how the national team's official supporters group is preparing for what will initially, at least, be three group stage matches in the Mexican heat, and what fan sentiment looks like at the moment.

How are the Red Devils preparing for the World Cup? How many members do you expect to travel to the United States and Mexico?

Everyone’s plans are different — some are coming for one match, some for two, some for all three group games — but we expect around 500 people per match on average. Aside from us, we also expect quite a few members of the Korean communities in the U.S. and Mexico to attend as well.

How far do you think the Korean national team can go at this World Cup?

At the very least, I think we should be able to reach the Round of 32 based on our strength, and I believe there’s a possibility of making the Round of 16 as well.

How would you describe the current mood and expectations among fans toward the national team?

Fundamentally, I think expectations for Korean football have become much lower. Even within the Red Devils, there are quite a few people who had planned to go to the World Cup but are now deciding not to. This is a time when the team needs to show results, but since they haven’t really shown anything yet, I would say expectations are lower than in the past.

Cho Ho-tae at Seoul World Cup Stadium in 2022

Looking back at previous World Cups, do you think the players are coping well with the attention and expectations that come with a major tournament like the World Cup?

As I mentioned in the previous answer, I would say they are not receiving as much attention and expectation as before.

Do you think expectations for the national team in Korea often go beyond football and take on a national meaning?

Yes, absolutely. Expectations for the national team have always been high, and when the public’s expectations rise, support for the World Cup and the national team also increases. I think it gives people a sense of pride in being Korean.

Do you think the huge attention from fans and the media can act as both motivation and pressure for the players?

I think there will always be both motivation and pressure. If the team fails to achieve the expected results, the disappointment of the public is directed straight at the national team.

With the rise of social media and online reactions, do you think the pressure felt by players is greater than before?

Since players can directly feel the reactions of fans now, I think the pressure has definitely grown even more.

Do you think the expectations of Korean football fans for the World Cup are realistic at the moment?

At the moment, I think expectations are realistic. To be honest, there are quite a lot of people thinking, “Can we even make the Round of 16?”

Do you think the World Cup still has the power to unite Korean society like it did in 2002?

Whether it’s the World Cup or the Olympics, I think these events still have the power to unite Korea. Especially in times like these, I feel that kind of unity is needed more than ever.

As interest and expectations surrounding the national team grow, do you think the burden on players has also increased compared to the past?

Of course. The greater the expectations and attention, the greater the sense of responsibility becomes. Especially now, with so many overseas-based players and what people call a “golden generation,” if the results are poor, the disappointment becomes even bigger, and that criticism will naturally be directed toward the players as well.

Cho Ho-tae in Jordan in 2024

Do you think every Korean World Cup team is naturally compared to the achievements of the 2002 national team?

Because 2002 was our best-ever result, I think many people still think back to that time. But the circumstances are very different now, and since this is an away World Cup, the reality is much more difficult in many ways.

Do you think those expectations and comparisons can also have a positive effect on the development of Korean football?

I think expectations increase people’s interest in football. In that sense, everyone involved in football works harder to live up to that interest and expectation, and I believe that helps the development of Korean football a great deal.