After South Korea's national football team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, a wave of criticism has surged against coach Hong Myung-bo. Numerous restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores across South Korea have displayed signs reading "No Entry for Hong Myung-bo." One restaurant in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, was among the first to hang the sign immediately following the team's defeat against South Africa, where they lost 0-1 on June 25.

In Seoul's Mapo district, a café shared a photo of its sign along with a message stating, "Even though he probably wouldn’t come, I’m still not over my anger." Convenience stores have also joined the trend, with signs declaring "No Service for Hong Myung-bo" and public buses displaying messages like "No Hong Myung-bo allowed on board!" The backlash has been further amplified by memes mocking the coach circulating widely on online forums.

A restaurant owner, who is a football fan, expressed that the sign was a way to show disappointment in the team's performance while also bringing some humor to patrons. South Korea finished 10th out of 12 teams in the group stage, failing to qualify for the knockout rounds. This marks the first time since the 2018 World Cup in Russia that the team has not advanced past the group stage.

The criticism has intensified towards coach Hong Myung-bo, with many fans labeling him as "the worst coach in South Korean football history" on forums like FM Korea. They recalled his previous World Cup performance in 2014, where the team also faced early elimination. One comment that received over 300 likes suggested that the appointment of a coach lacking direction and neglecting professional processes led to the current disappointing outcome.

South Korea's early exit is considered one of the major shocks of the 2026 World Cup, as the team has historically reached the knockout stages. The national team's disappointing campaign has sparked significant public pressure for accountability. On social media, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his surprise and confusion over the team's failure, despite being in a relatively easy group. He has called for a comprehensive investigation by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to understand the reasons behind the team's early exit and to develop measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

On the same day, a petition demanding the dismissal of coach Hong Myung-bo was quickly signed by enough people to be considered by the National Assembly of South Korea. The incident has also revived memories of the 2018 World Cup, where the team faced similar backlash after their exit.