Chinese coffee shop owner has lonely start to World Cup, fan kisses Korean reporter on live TV

While countless fans flooded social media as the World Cup opening match kicked off, a tea and coffee shop owner next to the runway of Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport became the “loneliest” person of the tournament’s opener. Zhao Chong began preparing two weeks ago for the early morning occasion by setting up a projector, ordering thousands of yuan worth of beer and snacks and posting online promotions to “bring like-minded people together”. He posted daily reminders on his social media, mass-messaging 4,000 contacts and privately messaging dozens of friends on the evening before the match. And despite hoping to capitalise on the huge interest, Zhao ended up pulling an all-nighter all alone. Before the match, he paced outside his shop expectantly. “I already made up my mind, if even a single customer shows up tonight, I’ll give them free-flow beer and all-you-can-eat snacks,” he told local media. When the opening match kicked off at 3am on Friday, Zhao, still waiting in vain, brought out a chair to become his shop’s “only audience”, drinking beer and eating snacks by himself. “Since I announced I would host a World Cup screening, I couldn’t just close early because nobody showed up,” Zhao said. “If no one comes, I’ll just watch it myself.” He added that while he was not a diehard fan, he still wanted to join in the excitement of the tournament. Neither Mexico nor South Africa were familiar to Zhao, but to get into the atmosphere, he specifically bought a sports lottery ticket during the day. “I spent 40 yuan betting on a draw and a South Africa win,” he joked with a hint of hope. “Since there is no business revenue, I’ll see if the lottery ticket can win instead.” As sunrise marked Mexico’s 2-0 victory, the shop’s overnighter ended in dismal fashion, and Zhao’s 40-yuan lottery ticket went down the drain. “It is so embarrassing, there is absolutely no one,” Zhao said, adding that while he expected a small turnout, he never thought it would be a total empty house, though the owner stated he would persevere for a few more days. “In the past during the World Cup, everyone would gather at barbecue joints and bars to drink and eat skewers. Although my shop’s location is a bit remote, I thought that as long as I established this service, people would eventually come.” Friday’s second game was marginally more successful, with two customers turning out to watch South Korea beat the Czech Republic 2-1. Having been open for just a month, the shop is located next to the airport’s north runway and usually attracts customers who come to watch planes and drink coffee. An unexpected kiss A South Korean male reporter broadcasting live from a crowded fan zone in Mexico was unexpectedly kissed on the cheek by a female football supporter, prompting online viewers to worry whether he could “return home safely”. The MBC reporter was conducting a live segment from the historic San Juan district in Guadalajara, experiencing the local hospitality. Wearing a South Korea jersey, he was busy telling Korean viewers about the locals’ passion for the squad. However, that hospitality appeared to exceed expectations. A woman believed to be a local walked into the frame, first making a heart gesture to the camera from a distance, before stepping forward to link arms with the reporter, planting a kiss on his cheek and then walking away. In a moment of pure panic, the reporter’s face instantly transitioned from a startled professional into a wide, helpless grin – something that did not go unnoticed by thousands of viewers in Korea. He did, however, respond with “Gracias” and, despite the interruption, maintained his composure to finish the segment. Once the clip hit social media, Korean netizens skipped right past the “cultural exchange” narrative and went straight to planning the reporter’s “funeral”, assuming he had a wife waiting at home. “He might be able to explain away the situation itself, but that expression on his face is dangerous,” one user wrote, pointing out the reporter’s immediate joy. Not everyone was ready to condemn him, though. One desperate viewer tried to act as a character witness for the impending domestic trial. “I witnessed it; the reporter did not flirt at all,” they pleaded. “He was just focusing on his job.” This Korean journalist was covering the World Cup in Mexico, and a Mexican lady walked up and kissed him on live TV 😁 pic.twitter.com/Jq3VEhj3xA — Dera II (@Neutral_OC) June 11, 2026 More Mexican hospitality Another South Korean fan experienced the full extent of Mexican hospitality following the tournament opener. After Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa early Thursday morning, ESPN reporter Diego Yvey shared a video showing a crowd of Mexican fans surrounding several South Korean supporters to celebrate. One South Korean fan was lifted and repeatedly tossed into the air by the locals amid laughter and cheers. Later that day, South Korea launched their own World Cup campaign, beating the Czech Republic 2-1. While the two sets of fans were celebrating together, their respective national teams are scheduled to face each other on the pitch in a week. Así se divierte el coreano con la afición tapatía | México vs Sudáfrica @futpicante @ESPNmx pic.twitter.com/GWV9fZFS22 — Diego Yvey (@diegoyvey) June 11, 2026 Shirt off his back Back on the pitch, the tournament’s first ripped jersey made an appearance. In the second game of the day featuring South Korea against the Czech Republic, in the 25th minute, South Korean defender Lee Han-beom was marking Czech forward Pavel Sulc. As the two tussled, Lee tugged on Sulc’s jersey until it ripped, creating a rare sight on the opening day of the World Cup. With Sulc’s jersey ruined, the Czech backroom staff immediately sprang into action, quickly swapping it for a new one so he could continue playing. It was not a good look for Puma, the kit sponsor, who has supplied the national team since 1996. Pavel Šulc's shirt ripped in the first half of South Korea vs. Czechia 😳 pic.twitter.com/VzDFL7bKUu — ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 12, 2026 Deja vu Along with the Mexican fans off the pitch, the host nation’s players were equally excited after their victory. In the opening match against South Africa, Mexican forward Julian Quinones opened the scoring, netting the first goal of the tournament. After scoring, Quinones celebrated, extending and bending his arms before spinning on the spot, a gesture that was a nod to South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala. In the 2010 World Cup opener, hosts South Africa drew 1-1 with Mexico, a match where Tshabalala scored the opening goal. Following that goal, Tshabalala and his teammates performed a memorable dance. Quinones’ celebration was almost identical to those original dance moves. Julian Quiñones is recreating the exact same dance celebration as Tshabalala and South Africa back in 2010. 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/TXlZrWey0P — RazedFootball (@RazedFootball) June 12, 2026

Chinese coffee shop owner has lonely start to World Cup, fan kisses Korean reporter on live TV

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Zhao Chong spent thousands on beer and snacks, sent out mass invites, but was all alone in Hangzhou for Mexico’s win over South Africa

Zhao Chong spent thousands on beer and snacks, sent out mass invites, but was all alone in Hangzhou for Mexico’s win over South Africa