In 2002, South Korea, who were joint-hosting the World Cup with Japan, etched their name in history by becoming the first Asian side to reach the quarter-finals, only to be defeated by Germany 1-0 and subsequently 3-2 by Turkey in the third-place match.
Now making their ninth appearance, the team known as the Taegeuk Warriors were fortunate to secure their place in this year's tournament. Although they finished top of their group in the first round, were it not for their superior goal advantage over third-placed Uzbekistan, they would not have been the ones mixing it up with Algeria, Belgium, and Russia in a couple of weeks.
Hong Myung-bo's men are presently ranked 55th in the world, and fourth within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Their coach himself is a highly-regarded figure not just in Korean football, but around the world. For starters, the 45-year-old former defender is all-time record holder for most caps with the national team (136) but also played in four consecutive World Cups and received the Bronze Ball during the 2002 World Cup.
Hong Myung-bo was the first coach to win an Olympic medal (bronze) for Korea at the 2012 Olympics
Since their incredible run in 2002, Korea have failed to make much of an impact in their last two World Cup tournaments and naturally, they will be hoping to improve on that this time around. The team were among the first to name their traveling party to Brazil, with Leverkusen star Son Heung-min being one of the more recognized names in the 23-man squad.
Young Bundesliga star Son Heung-min will hope to help his side out of their group next month
Korea have made the most appearances in World Cups out of any team from Asia
Want to stay on top of all Korea's matches this summer? Visit their match page to find out times and channels for your specific country.
