About five million fans were estimated to have hit the streets on Saturday afternoon, a widespread echo of the 42,114 fans packed inside the Gwangju World Cup stadium.
Spanish supporters were there somewhere - a scarlet drop in the ocean of red.
As kick-off approached, when the teams were announced, the fans were finally able to start releasing their emotions.
The biggest screams came for Ahn Jung Hwan and Hong Myung Bo - the biggest of all for the coach, 'Hiddink Guus' as he is announced.
Korean fans, caught up in the emotion of it all, even cheered the referee.
The contrast between the team's composed approach and the unashamed lunacy of the Korean fans has been marked.
But one has complimented the other, the fans providing the fire on which the team's engine room is powered.
For a while, it seemed as though the engine room may finally have run out of steam. No matter how hard the Red Devils huffed and puffed.
Pilseung Korea, which has become the team's national anthem at this tournament, was belted out time and again.
Dae Han Min Kuk, the original and the apparent remix version, also got a regular airing.
The fans behind Lee Woon Jae's goal in the first half conducted the vocal orchestra and the sound, once more, was deafening.
But, on the pitch, Jose Camacho's side had dictated the pace, slowing the pace of the game and drawing the sting from the Red Devils and their tiring team.
Fernando Morientes had a header ruled out after Joaquin was wrongly adjudged to have crossed from beyond the by-line.