After the World Cup opening-game party came the hangover for French fans yesterday, following their team's 1-0 defeat against Senegal.
There was no sign of them at the Seoul World Cup Stadium campsite -- where many of them had been staying -- even though the French team remained at its headquarters at Champions Park Practice Stadium near Seoul.
The French team was also lying low and a scheduled press conference at 11am didn't materialize.
France's next game is on Thursday in Busan against Uruguay, where victory is a must.
Meanwhile, China's coach Bora Milutinovic said yesterday in Seogwipo that he was taking comfort from the France-Senegal match.
"It's the best opening game that I've ever seen. The Senegalese team was excellent. We learned the lesson that any team can have a good result if does its best throughout the game."
Striker Yu Genwei agreed, saying, "The Senegalese squad excelled in individual ability, teamwork and skill."
As a result, he said, he was upbeat about China's chances against Brazil, which it takes on next Thursday.
"In mental power the team doesn't lag behind any team, but in skill it may do."
China's veteran defender Fan Zhiyi then said that reports of a dustup with Hao Haidong were untrue.
"That's not the case. Such a report causes a negative effect on the morale of our team, so I'd like to ask reporters not to publish certain stories."
No sooner said than done.
But there's much more going on in Seoul than just soccer. There are hundreds of events taking place during the World Cup and flag-making is just one of them.
Outside the Seoul World Cup Stadium yesterday, thousands of South Koreans turned up to walk in the five parks surrounding the venue.
Ballroom dancing, a concert, organized exercising and impromptu drumming gave the whole area a festive air.
The ballroom dancing featured diminutive South Korean children and flamboyant teens, who gave performances by the subway entrance to the stadium.
To celebrate what engineer and part-time translator Dr. Lee Young-no called "5,000 years of our history and unique flag culture" was the 2002 Flag Art Festival: Poetry of the Winds.
He pointed out a huge display of colored strips of material hanging from trees and lines and said it was an ancient tradition to hang up strips of cloth on boats before going fishing to bring luck.
The flag festival was divided into two zones. The first area displayed the banners of the World Cup competing nations, along with the works of domestic artists and more than 500 artists from 45 countries.
The other area featured a program for the public to create their own flags by cutting out paper, sticking it on card and then getting it pressed on a white silk square.
"This will bring luck for the World Cup and the country." Lee said.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It could be another hundred years before the World Cup comes back to Korea."
English-language teachers everywhere
A US English-language teacher in Seoul recommended the South Korean experience in Seoul yesterday.
Andrea, who is from the US but did not want to give her second name, said she had been in the country three months and had been treated well.
She said her employers had set her up with an apartment and even went shopping with her when she first arrived.
"It's been cool. My boss bought me food, set up a bank account and cellphone for me, everything I needed."
RSS