Hanoi, 27 August 2026 – South Korean media have given extensive coverage to Kim Sang-sik and Vietnam’s ASEAN Cup 2026 triumph, praising the Korean coach after he guided the Golden Star Warriors to another historic milestone.
Vietnam successfully defended the ASEAN Cup title for the first time in their history after drawing Thailand 2-2 in the second leg of the final at My Dinh National Stadium on August 26.
Combined with their impressive 2-0 victory at Rajamangala Stadium in the first leg, Kim’s side completed a 4-2 aggregate win to retain their place at the summit of Southeast Asian football.
The achievement quickly attracted attention in South Korea, where several media outlets praised Kim’s impact on Vietnamese football. Some described the latest success as the “Kim Sang-sik Magic,” drawing comparisons between his achievements and the hugely successful era of former Vietnam head coach Park Hang-seo.
South Korean media also highlighted Kim’s place in Vietnamese football history. The 50-year-old has become the first head coach to lead Vietnam to back-to-back ASEAN Cup titles, adding another major achievement to his increasingly successful tenure.
Vietnam’s remarkable consistency under Kim was another major talking point.
Following the 2-2 draw against Thailand at My Dinh, the Golden Star Warriors extended their unbeaten run at senior international level to 26 consecutive matches, comprising 22 victories and four draws.
The streak is the longest unbeaten run in the history of the Vietnam national team, further underlining the stability and competitive strength developed under Kim.
Meanwhile, South Korean news agency Yonhap (YNA) focused on the extraordinary celebrations that erupted across Vietnam after the final whistle.
The report described how supporters flooded the streets of major cities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hai Phong, shortly after Vietnam were officially crowned champions.
“When Vietnam were officially crowned champions, streets in major cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hai Phong quickly filled with supporters and streams of motorbikes celebrating the victory.”
According to the report, thousands of supporters carried or wrapped themselves in Vietnam’s distinctive red flag with a yellow star, while repeatedly chanting:
“Vietnam are champions!”
The celebrations continued deep into the night. Red flares illuminated numerous areas as supporters sounded motorbike and car horns, blew vuvuzelas and even used drums, pots, pans and other household objects to add to the deafening atmosphere.
Major roads in Hanoi and other cities became packed with people and motorbikes, while numerous cars were caught in the enormous crowds. Traffic congestion reportedly continued beyond midnight as supporters celebrated Vietnam’s latest regional triumph.
The scenes provided a vivid illustration of what the championship meant to Vietnamese supporters, while the attention from South Korea further highlighted Kim Sang-sik’s growing reputation after leading Vietnam to consecutive Southeast Asian titles and an unprecedented 26-match unbeaten run.
VSN/RPT
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