'I just feel so sorry': New Korea manager answers for about-face

Hong Myung-bo spoke publicly for the first time since being announced as the new Korean national team manager.

Hong Myung-bo speaks during a press conference after a match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Hong Myung-bo said yes to being the next national team manager in the middle of a domestic season after repeatedly assuring Ulsan HD fans he would stick with the club — and he answered for his about-face with a long apology.

"I just feel so sorry. It's been really good, and the time to leave comes someday, but I am really sorry to leave like this with my mistake. I have no words to say," a weary-eyed Hong said during a press conference Wednesday after Ulsan lost 1-0 to Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan.

He was speaking publicly for the first time since the KFA on Sunday announced the veteran coach as their pick to replace Jurgen Klinsmann.

And he was forced to take to the mic moments after Ulsan, who are chasing their third straight league title, lost their first home game of the 2024 K League 1 season to a mid-table club.

Ulsan fans expressed their frustration on Wednesday over Hong’s abrupt decision to leave Ulsan to take the helm of the Korean national team — firing fake $100 bills at the outgoing manager for selling out and abandoning the club and holding up banners with messages to the tune of "Liar, Hong Myung-bo!"

Banners criticizing Ulsan HD manager Hong Myung-bo, who was appointed the new manager of the Korean national team, hang at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Hong, who agreed to take the national team job on the weekend, remained on the Ulsan touchline for Wednesday's game.

Fans cheered when the club announced the starting XI for Ulsan but immediately started booing when the speakers introduced Hong.

Many chanted “Get out, Hong Myung-bo!” before kickoff.

The fans' anger seemed to strike a chord.

"The time I've spent while only thinking about Ulsan, fans and football was really great. The chant I heard until recently turned into booing, and this is entirely my fault. I once again apologize to Ulsan and Cheoyong Warriors (Ulsan supporters). I am sorry."

Ulsan HD manager Hong Myung-bo, who was tapped to lead the Korean national team, looks at the supporters' seats criticizing him after the game against Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Taking the national team job takes Hong away from Ulsan, who are currently in the middle of the K League season, despite him earlier promising fans that he would not leave.

“I honestly did not want to go [to the national team],” Hong said during the Wednesday press conference. “I knew what would happen if I accepted the job, and I didn’t want to go.

“I’ve had a really tough time as the KFA National Team Committee and media have mentioned my name since February, regardless of my opinion.”

Hong was rumored to be on the candidate list for the permanent national team job in mid-February after the KFA sacked Klinsmann.

But the KFA scrapped the rumored plan to appoint Hong after facing backlash from Korean football fans in the early spring, spent months going back and forth on other candidates, and then gave Hong the job in a shock announcement on Sunday.

Ulsan HD manager Hong Myung-bo sits on the bench and watches the match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng said during a press conference Monday that the selection committee selected Hong as his tactics would elevate the national team’s style of play.

“I met Lee for the first time on July 5 in front of my house,” Hong said. “He was asking me [to take the job]. But I did not make the call on site, and he went home. I thought about it all night, and I was honestly afraid about facing such an uncertain challenge.

“I thought this might be the final challenge of my football career. Yes, I failed before, and what happened during that failure and afterward was horrendous. But on the flip side, I was strongly motivated to face the challenge again.”

He was referring to a disappointing first stint as Korean national team manager. He led the senior team at the 2014 World Cup, where Korea crashed out of the group stage and secured zero wins at the tournament for the first time since 1998.

Hong's appointment to the national team post has landed in the middle of the 2024 K League 1 season when defending champions Ulsan are in a tight race at the top of the table alongside strong competitors like league leaders Pohang Steelers and second-place Gimcheon Sangmu.

Ulsan HD striker Joo Min-kyu shoots with an overhead kick during a match against Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Only two points separate third-place Ulsan and the top two sides as of press time.

Hong did not address why he was still managing Ulsan on Wednesday — or why the club maintained that he would stick around for a while — during the press conference. It's not unheard of, but is very unusual, for a manager to coach club and country at the same time.

It's unclear whether Hong will be on the touchline as Ulsan host FC Seoul on Sunday. But some reports Thursday suggested that while Hong originally planned to stick around, the jeering from fans at Wednesday's game made him change his mind.

Neither Ulsan nor the KFA have confirmed the date of Hong's departure from the K League.

A group of fans a Korea JoongAng Daily reporter met inside Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Wednesday a few hours before the K League 1 match between Ulsan and Gwangju were cutting out pre-made fake $100 bills bearing Hong's likeness.

The fake bills had Hong’s face in the center with “KFA 20240708” to the left side of his face. “KFA” stands for the Korea Football Association, and the numbers represent the date when Lee, the KFA technical director, held a press conference to explain Hong's appointment.

Pre-made dollar bills made by Ulsan HD fans for booing Hong Myung-bo [PAIK JI-HWAN]

The group also had a plastic cash cannon which they planned to use to fire the bills into the air.

“We made these ourselves to mock [Hong],” an Ulsan fan said. “We are going to shoot these with a cash cannon. We are thinking about firing when Hong passes in front of us. If we don’t see him, we will just fire from the stands.

“We heard that he is going to the national team despite a small salary. We heard a rumor that he is getting a maximum of $1.3 million, so at least this way he can have all the money he'd like.”

Other fans at Wednesday’s match were also there to call out Hong — and the KFA.

“It's not right for Hong to join the national team all of a sudden in the middle of a season,” another fan said. “I am disappointed because if the KFA cared about K League fans, they would not have stolen our manager."

BY PAIK JI-HWAN, MARY YANG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]