The 2022 World Cup has yet to be decided but the tournament’s ultimate heartthrob may have already been crowned.
South Korea has exited the World Cup, no thanks to Neymar and Brazil’s dominant 4-1 win. But hey, the South Koreans didn't go out without leaving a gift that is Cho Gue-sung, the breakout heartthrob of the tournament.
His world-class skills, a skirmish with Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the tourney, and most importantly his K-drama star looks have contributed to his phenomenal surge in popularity. Cho had 20,000 Instagram followers before the global tournament began. By the time South Korea made it to the round of 16, he was up to 2.3 million followers.
Unsurprisingly, his inbox has been filled with doting fan messages including some asking for his hand in marriage. Realistically, his admirers would have to make peace with watching countless TikTok compilations of Cho being nothing but gorgeous. Videos under the hashtag #chogeusung have garnered almost 320 million views, by the way.
His team in South Korea, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, have already capitalized on their now world-famous forward as they posted consecutive videos of Cho on their TikTok account. The move prompted one user to comment, “They know what we want.” However, given Cho’s new celebrity status, reports say numerous football clubs in South Korea have reportedly been negotiating for his transfer.
Cho first drew attention when he converted a couple of header goals versus Ghana. It was the first time a Korean scored multiple times in a World Cup game. This oppa does seem to be the complete package, but the biggest takeaway here is he's only 24 years old. There’s a good chance we’ll see more of Cho in the 2026 World Cup. For now, all we can say is annyeonghi gaseyo, Cho!