Former South Korean national soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo, who resigned last week after a disappointing performance at the FIFA World Cup, reportedly fled the country to Los Angeles on Thursday just days after arriving to an angry mob demanding he return his salary.

South Korea existed the once-in-four-years tournament last week before the beginning of the “knockout” rounds after losing two of its three matches in the group stage. South Korean soccer fans expected their team to perform at a much higher level as several players on the team are members of high-level European soccer clubs and the other members of the group – Mexico, South Africa, and Czechia – were considered beatable opponents.

Public sentiment has almost entirely blamed Hong for the failure, who was a highly unpopular choice to coach the team when chosen in 2024. He is the only person to have ever coached the South Korean team in two non-consecutive World Cup tournaments, also resulting in a disappointing performance in 2014. Many soccer fans, journalists, and others accused the Korean Football Federation (KFA) of inappropriately choosing Hong over superior foreign coaches vying for the job.

Politicians across the political spectrum have also condemned Hong, including South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who described him as “incompetent” in an infuriated social media post following the team’s return to the country.

On Thursday, Hong boarded a plane to California at Incheon International Airport. Before departing, journalists surrounded him demanding answers about the failed World Cup bid. He denied that any personal discord among the players or with himself was responsible for the losses. He also added cryptically that he had “something to say, but that story will come out someday.”

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