After a 3-2 loss against Ghana last November 28 in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, South Korea National Football Team forward Cho Gue Sung slingshotted to fame and social media spotlight. At age 24, the professional football player, a.k.a. Player #9, has amassed more than 2 million followers on Instagram (@whrbtjd) from only about 20,000 before the World Cup.

Scoring twice in the South Korea versus Ghana match made Cho an instant internet heartthrob and a huge talk of the ladies’ town. Cho Gue Sung is fast-sliding into stardom for his soccer skills, standout face, and sexiness (fans can't get enough of his abs and they've even dubbed him as World Cup's sexiest player).

History is etched as it was the first time that a Korean footballer has ever hit a goal for more than once in the World Cup. Only three Koreans have managed to garner more goals than the handsome man of the hour: former football player and television personality Ahn Jung Hwan; former professional footballer Park Ji Sung; and current South Korea captain and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung Min. Following Cho’s outstanding performance, an overwhelming number of new follows, fan pages, and marriage proposals started to come in. His socials continue to swell, too, that he was said to have had to shut his phone down to avoid distraction.

The pro player, who was born on January 25, 1998 in Ansan, South Korea, picked up soccer as a hobby and has slowly made it to the soccer scene from midfielder to striker. He initially stayed with the youth academy at FC Anyang and years after, trained with the Gwangju University football team. When he finally went professional for Anyang, he played as the third top goal scorer in K League 2 by the end of his Season 1. With the good recommendations and recognition that he had been getting, he was bound to move up to K League 1 with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

In 2021, Cho Gue Sung got a timeout when he stopped playing the sport for his mandatory military service. He served his time and reunited with his Jeonbuk team where he shone as K League 1’s top scorer in the 2022 season. It was also in 2021 when the acclaimed soccer star was summoned to join South Korea’s National Football Team, jump-starting his eventual shoot to global prominence. Their team’s game against Ghana in the FIFA World Cup 2022 then afforded him his launch to the limelight, attracting fans across countries and continents, and even European teams and endorsements.

The Korean wave is smashing the world once again as top Korean athletes own the people’s hearts. From K-dramas to K-pop, South Korea delivers another reason for acclaim as this heartthrob plays in Korea’s foremost sport—football.

Browse through the gallery below for Cho Gue Sung’s swoon-worthy shots!

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Meet Man Of The Hour Cho Gue Sung, South Korea’s Football Heartthrob

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Lead photos from @thekfa

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