As South Korea's 2026 FIFA World Cup (North and Central America) campaign ends with a group-stage exit, a tip-off request from SBS current affairs show Curious Story Y is drawing intense attention.
On the 28th, posts titled "SBS, which didn't buy World Cup broadcasting rights, latest update" spread across online communities and social media. The posts included a notice from the Curious Story Y production team asking for tips related to the Korea Football Association (KFA).
The notice read, "We're waiting for tips from those who have worked or are currently working at the Korea Football Association, or from anyone who knows the KFA's internal affairs well." The post went up on the official Curious Story Y social media account in March, before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off.
Even then, the national team faced heavy criticism for poor friendlies and shaky performances. After a 0–4 loss to Ivory Coast and a 0–1 loss to Austria, questions mounted over squad management and the KFA's overall administration, and the tip request posted around that time is now being reexamined.
Afterward, Hong Myung-bo's South Korea recorded 1 win and 2 losses (3 points, -1 goal difference) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage. They finished third in the group but failed to qualify via the third-place ranking, missing out on the Round of 32. Following the early exit, public criticism of the KFA intensified. Coach Hong announced his intention to resign, and general manager Park Hang-seo also apologized, saying Korean football needs reflection and self-examination within the KFA to start anew.
The shocking result sparked blunt reactions across the football community. Former national team star-turned-broadcaster Ahn Jung-hwan strongly called for KFA reform, raising his voice: "We need to clean it all out." He even said he would stage a one-person protest if similar issues repeat.
However, it's still unconfirmed whether SBS is actually preparing a broadcast centered on the KFA or planning to program an episode based on those tips. With public sentiment toward the KFA souring after the team's elimination—and that old tip request being dredged back up—the controversy looks set to continue for now.