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."
But she cautioned that there were horror stories.
"Anything bad can happen. I heard about someone who came over and had no apartment [which was promised] and no paycheck at the end of the month. It's a gamble."
Andrea said she was paid US$1,600 a month, got free housing, airfare voucher and some free medical care.
She also warned that teaching illegally was practically impossible in South Korea and even doing private lessons was likely to lead to a heavy fine and even deportation.
Another teacher said the "English-language police" went to schools and asked children if they had private tuition in order to catch out teachers giving lessons.
Tickets, please
South Korean soccer bosses are understandably worried about empty stadiums for World Cup matches, since they want the tournament to be an unqualified success.
While demand for opening-game tickets has been strong, tickets for some of the less popular games are still unsold.
As a result, hundreds of volunteers have been sent out over the city of Seoul and around the country where matches are being held to drum up support.
Teams of volunteers can be found at subway stations and on the trains, dispensing match schedules.
An official at the temporary FIFA headquarters in Seoul explained that attendances so far had been good and the South Korean football association wanted to maintain this record. Hence the volunteers.
Ticket touts were in evidence at the French game. Tickets for Brazil against Costa Rica were going for 100,000 South Korean won (US$77).
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS