South Korean players react after being defeated by South Africa during the FIFA World Cup at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico on June 24, 2026. Photo: IC

South Korea's early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup triggered a wave of reactions across Chinese social media on Sunday, with some users teasing their East Asian rival underachieving, while some others expressed sympathy for one of Asia's established football powers.

The hashtag #SouthKoreacrashedout quickly climbed up the trending list on Sina Weibo on Sunday after DR Congo came from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 in their final Group K match, making South Korea slipped out of the top eight third-placed finishers.

“Congo DR has knocked out two Asian teams in one match,” a Sina Weibo user posted, referring the team’s victory that has sent both South Korea and Uzbekistan home. 

Some Chinese users quipped that "South Korea could now book their earliest flight home among Asian traditional football powerhouses," since they had reached the Round of 16 in the previous World Cup in 2022. 

One of the highly-liked Weibo comments argued that South Korea had "only themselves to blame" for the early exit, saying the team had squandered a favorable position by underestimating South Africa in a 1-0 defeat during the group stage.

"They had every chance to qualify but wasted it. In the end, they had to rely on other teams to decide their fate," the user wrote, adding that the campaign served as "a reminder that you have to rely on yourself rather than others."

“South Korea paid hotel fees for extra days but gained nothing,” another highly liked Sina Weibo comment reads. “Now they can book their flights home with peace of mind."

Memes and sarcastic posts about the South Korean team's disappointing campaign were also widely shared on social media.

Some Chinese fans also pointed to South Korea's 1-0 defeat to South Africa as the turning point, arguing that the team had ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalize on earlier opportunities.

However, the reaction was far from one-sided.

Many Chinese fans expressed sympathy, noting that South Korea has long been one of Asia's strongest representatives on the World Cup stage and that their early exit highlighted the increasingly competitive nature of international football.

"The World Cup is cruel. A team's fate can depend on a match it isn't even playing in," wrote one user, while another commented that "regardless of the rivalry, seeing them go out this early is still a surprise."

Others said South Korea's elimination should serve as a wake-up call for Asian football.

"With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, many people assumed the traditional Asian football powerhouses would progress to the knockout stage comfortably. But the gap between teams is getting smaller, and no one can take qualification for granted anymore," a popular Weibo comment reads. 

South Korea entered the tournament with high expectations but struggled for consistency. 

After an opening win over Czechia, they suffered defeats to Mexico and South Africa, leaving their qualification hopes dependent on other results. After DR Congo overturned Uzbekistan in Atlanta, those hopes finally disappeared.