Though Korea's opener was held far away from the nation's capital in the southeastern city of Busan, the electric atmosphere was rampant. Soccer fever hit a new pitch as Team Korea's not one, but two goals sent the nation into a heated frenzy that permeated the streets and homes all across the peninsula.

The whole country spent Wednesday, the day after Korea's first ever victory, talking about the festive night which united everybody as one, and were stunned to find that such a huge passion for the festival had built up. The festival was not exclusive for the Red Devils fans in their 20s and 30s as from apartment complexes to villages in the countryside, children to senior citizens, all celebrated the victory together with fire works and national flags waving.

Professor Ahn Seon-jae, of the English Literature Department at Sogang University, who joined the cheering rally in Gwanghwamun, said, "South Korea was considered a weird nation who waged a smiling campaign initiated by the government, but yesterday everything was down-to-earth with nobody hiding their emotions."

Amcham chairman Jeffrey Jones said South Koreans were getting accustomed to express their emotions, powered by their experiences, economic pride and freedom, adding that this was a very desirable phenomenon showing that the Korean people were growing into global citizens.

The festive night started in the downtown streets in Gwanghwamun. Thousands of soccer team supporters, the "Red Devils" gathered in the area near Jonggak station at around 11:30pm following the team's 2:0 win, with some 2,000 people celebrating the victory with hugs.

Some three to four motorcycle gangs drove around with national flags on their bikes. A family in a van repeatedly shouted "Dae-Han-Min-Guk (South Korea)," as all types of vehicles sounded their horns four times and supporters responded with four claps.

Businessmen on a crosswalk exchanged "high fives" with college students carrying backpacks without hesitation. Some 2,500 students watching TV in bars in front of Yonsei University's front gate held a water fight storming onto the four-lane road, while people near Gangnam station climbed on the top of a bus.

Children and housewives watching on TV went outside from home to shout out cheers and some set off fireworks. Housewife Yun Woi-suk living in an apartment in Amsa-dong, Seoul, said, "when someone set off a firecracker, all residents in our apartment building clapped on the veranda." She said she felt a new feeling of being united in the deserted apartment building where neighbors have built invisible walls from each other.

Professor Ham In-hee of Ewha Woman's University said people who used to be a festive agricultural society had restored festivity, which disappeared in the process of Japanese rule and dictatorship. Professor Ku Seung-hee of the Department of Culture at Dongguk University said, that group behavior without political ideology being involved is a positive phenomenon that enables people to confirm their unity.

Confidence in the national team is at an all-time high, and now with this precious victory, Korea is one step closer to the quarterfinals.

(Jeong Wo-sang, imagine@chosun.com )