Why did national broadcaster blur South Korea’s head coach after World Cup exit? | OneFootball

Ollie Whitmore, Chief football news reporter

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo reportedly chose to resign immediately after the country’s surprise exit at the group stage of the World Cup, but this wasn’t the only decision that caught the eye.

The Tigers of Asia suffered consecutive 1-0 defeats to Mexico and South Africa following their opening victory against Czechia, and much like Scotland needed help from numerous teams if they were to qualify.

Victories for Algeria, Senegal, and a goalless draw between Paraguay and Australia extinguished South Korea’s chances of finishing as one of the eight third-placed teams with the best records at the World Cup.

They finished 10th on three points and a goal difference of -1, a minimum of four goals behind the required total to give Senegal reason for concern. Hong stepped down as could be expected, according to Korean outlet Yonghap News Agency.

However, their failure to reach the round of 32, having appeared in the knockouts in two of the past four tournaments and finished fourth when they hosted with Japan in 2002, had far-reaching consequences for Hong.

South Korea’s national broadcaster, KBS chose to blur out his face as the 57-year-old gave his verdict during the press conference that followed the conclusion of the country’s worst performance at the World Cup since 2014.

KBS reportedly visited the team’s hotel in Monterrey to investigate whether their accommodation played a role in the performance against South Africa that left them praying for results elsewhere to play out in their favour.

The footage then went viral over social media, with fans left puzzled as to why this editorial decision was made.

One user on X wrote: “You know it’s over when a news channel CENSORS your face because it’ll cause indescribable rage to the people.”

Why did KBS deem it necessary to blur out Hong’s face in the images of his press conference following South Korea’s exit from the 2026 World Cup?

Why did they do this?

While it may appear strange for a national station to visibly reflect the country’s anger focussed onto Hong, as his underperformance in the hotseat begins to come under fire, it is a practice that’s been used before.

Broadcasters in South Korea often use this method with figures involved in major controversies, or those who will provoke a negative public reaction if they appear on national television.

In fact, KBS has an exhaustive broadcast restriction list featuring many individuals whose image will be blurred out, or in most cases fail to make the final edit of a program or news package altogether.

The list includes former professional baseball player Kang Byung-kyu, whose career as a show host was overshadowed by gambling issues and serving time in prison – prompting a prolonged absence from mainstream broadcasting.

Hong seemed to allude to his players failing to adapt to the hot and humid climate when facing South Africa in Monterrey, compared to the milder conditions in Guadalajara – where the team played their first two group matches – but assumed responsibility for his team not executing his desired game plans.

He said: “Our data showed the players covered less ground than they did against Mexico, but recorded more high-intensity sprints.

“There was no noticeable drop in their conditioning or fitness compared with the match against Mexico, so it was difficult to explain why they appeared slow.”

Hong was appointed head coach of the men’s national team in July 2024, replacing Jurgen Klinsmann, and remains under contract until 2027 despite reports of his immediate resignation.

KBS choosing to censor Hong’s face from the South Korean public makes it perfectly clear the intensity of distain they feel towards their former head coach, whose time with the Taeguk Warriors has ended in disappointment.

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