[Sportschosun Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Yoo Jae-suk eventually declared a "ban on soccer talk" after the Republic of Korea's shocking defeat.
On the MBC variety show "What Are You Doing When You Play?" aired on the 4th, the special segment "What Are You Doing When You Play? Diary" featured Yoo Jae-suk, Haha, Heo Kyung-hwan, Joo Woo-jae, and Kwak Bum cheering for the final Group A match between the Republic of Korea and South Africa in the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup from a rural village.
The members still had work left to do, such as digging up potatoes, but they could not give up on cheering because it was such an important match. Yoo Jae-suk said, "We need to get back to work and dig up the potatoes now," but Haha stopped him, saying, "Son Heung-min is playing. Are you really not going to watch?" Joo Woo-jae also chimed in, saying, "We need at least one more person cheering."
In the end, the members reached a compromise: only the person who won a bet would be allowed to watch the match. After rock-paper-scissors, Haha stayed in front of the TV, while the others began preparing the meal. But whenever Haha's reactions grew louder as he watched from outside, the others gradually moved back toward the TV.
When Yoo Jae-suk quietly approached the screen, Haha asked, "Aren't you watching that?" Yoo Jae-suk replied with a grin, "Watch it? I'm just letting it air out," drawing laughter with his playful excuse.
But contrary to expectations, the Republic of Korea lost 0-1 to South Africa. As the match ended without capitalizing on crucial chances, a heavy silence fell over the set.
Yoo Jae-suk was the first to speak up, saying, "Let's give the players a round of applause. They worked hard. It must be disappointing, but the players are probably the most upset." He then led applause in support of the national team.
Still, he could not easily shake off the disappointment. When Joo Woo-jae tried to lighten the mood by saying, "Your mood shouldn't become your attitude. Why is everyone acting like this just because we lost at soccer?" Yoo Jae-suk and Haha denied it, saying, "No way." But when the sound of rain soon grew louder, Yoo Jae-suk muttered, "It's annoyingly loud," prompting more laughter.
Yoo Jae-suk then tried to pull himself together, saying, "Your mood shouldn't become your attitude. We're professionals. We need to do our jobs," as he attempted to return to normal life.
The aftereffects of the match continued at the dinner table. When Heo Kyung-hwan said, "So that's how it ended? What an unimaginable result," Yoo Jae-suk declared, "Let's not talk about soccer from now on."
Joo Woo-jae tried to break the awkward mood by saying, "It's nice that it's not hot because it's raining. It really feels like a trip to the countryside," but Yoo Jae-suk shot back, "Be quiet," setting off another round of laughter.
Joo Woo-jae joked, "Why are you taking your frustration out on me?" Haha defended Yoo Jae-suk, saying, "What are you talking about? He's not the kind of person who lets his mood become his attitude." Even after that, when Joo Woo-jae said, "Soccer is soccer, and we're us," Yoo Jae-suk and Haha once again said in unison, "Don't talk about soccer," showing how the loss still lingered.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea lost 1-0 to South Africa in a 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup qualifier held on the 25th of last month. As a result, the Republic of Korea national team finished third in Group A and failed to advance to the round of 32, and coach Hong Myung-bo announced his voluntary resignation on June 29.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
