Wang Yudong put China ahead in the first half, but Lee Young-jun equalized with a header before Bae Jun-ho scored the winner in the second half to send South Korea into the final.

The result ended Team China's hopes of reaching the Asian Games final for the first time since the men's tournament adopted an under-23 format in 2002.

China took the lead in the 23rd minute when Wang finished a counterattack with a composed shot. It was a notable goal in the long history of China's meetings with South Korea at the Asian Games: China had not scored against South Korea in the tournament since 1986.

Lee leveled in the 33rd minute with a header, sending the teams into halftime tied 1-1.

China continued to threaten after the break, with Wang testing the South Korean goalkeeper shortly after halftime. But South Korea gradually regained control and Bae headed in the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute.

China pushed for an equalizer late in the game, but could not find a way through the South Korean defense.

China ultimately lost 2-1 to South Korea, ending its hopes of reaching the final. The two sides were closely matched statistically, with China registering seven shots and four corner kicks while holding 55 percent possession.

The defeat came despite a strong run through the tournament for China, which advanced from the group stage as the top team after one win and two draws, conceding only once. It then beat Thailand 3-0 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals for the first time in 28 years.

The team is built mainly around China's under-23 squad, with three overage players Wu Xi, Zhang Yuning and Zhu Chenjie, added to the roster.

South Korea, meanwhile, advanced to the final in its bid for a fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal. The defending champions had beaten Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam before facing China in the semifinals.

For China, the semifinal appearance marked a significant improvement from recent Asian Games campaigns. The team had last reached the men's semifinals in 1998, when it won a bronze medal, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

China's men's team won silver at the 1994 Asian Games and bronze at the 1998 edition. The tournament introduced an under-23 age rule for men's football in 2002, and China had not returned to the semifinals since then until this year's campaign.

The semifinal also sparked extensive discussion on Sina Weibo, with several match-related topics trending after the game. Despite the loss, many internet users praised China's performance, particularly its run to the semifinals for the first time in 28 years.

China will play for the bronze medal on October 3 in the third-place match. The other semifinal of the Asian Games men's soccer tournament, between Japan and Uzbekistan, will be played later on September 30.