Two hours before kickoff Saturday night, the line already stretched down the block and back towards the Richards Building outside South Field.
Fans draped in red jerseys and waving small Korean flags waited patiently beneath the evening sun. Korean advertisements covered the stadium fencing. Chants occasionally drifted over the walls and into the quiet stadium before the gates had even opened.
For one night, South Field looked a little less like Provo and a little more like Seoul.
The Korean Republic men's national team defeated Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 in front of a sold-out crowd of 3,454 at BYU.
From the outside looking in, this was just another standard international friendly. But for fans of the beautiful game here in Provo, it was a World Cup team bringing its preparations to Utah and temporarily turning BYU's campus into an international soccer venue.
The crowd certainly reflected that unique setting. Korean, English, and Spanish could all be heard around the stadium.
Families and other members of the VIP section gathered along the railings during warmups, cameras in hand, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of their loved ones preparing for a moment they’ve probably been waiting for since they first ever touched a soccer ball.
Or perhaps they were just trying to catch a glimpse of one of the world's most recognizable soccer stars: Son Heung-min.
And whenever Son touched the ball, the reaction was immediate.
A gasp. A cheer. Phones lifted into the air. On every single touch.
The South Korean captain, widely regarded as the greatest Asian soccer player of all time, thankfully gave the crowd exactly what it came to see.
After a competitive opening half-hour in which Trinidad and Tobago successfully absorbed waves of Korean possession, Son finally broke through in the 39th minute. Kim Moon-hwan slipped a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area, and Son buried the finish to give Korea a 1-0 lead.
Just three minutes later, Son converted a penalty kick to double the advantage.
The sold-out crowd erupted.
By halftime, Korea held a commanding statistical edge, outshooting Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 while firmly controlling possession and earning six corner kicks.
Yet Trinidad and Tobago deserved credit for keeping the match close early. Defender Lee Han-beom delivered one of the game's most important plays in the first half, sprinting back to deny Dante Sealy on a dangerous counterattack, and on one of Triniadad and Tobago’s only good looks at the goal.
Goalkeeper Jabari Price later produced several impressive saves early in the second half to prevent the scoreline from growing even larger.
Eventually, however, Korea's depth proved overwhelming.
The second half became a showcase of attacking talent, especially after both teams made major substitutions.
Cho Gue-sung scored in the 65th minute after a beautiful setup from Lee Dong-gyeong. Hwang Hee-chan converted a penalty kick in the 74th minute, and Cho added another goal two minutes later during a chaotic sequence in front of the net.
By the final whistle, Korea had recorded 19 shots, 10 on target, while possessing the ball roughly 75% of the match.
For a team ranked No. 25 in the FIFA rankings and preparing for the upcoming World Cup, the evening checked nearly every box.
The match was part of Korea's acclimation process before opening World Cup play in Guadalajara, Mexico. At more than 4,500 feet above sea level, Provo offers similar altitude conditions to Guadalajara, making Utah an ideal training location. Much of the squad has already been training at the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman since mid-May.
After the match, head coach Hong Myung-bo said the team successfully executed much of what it hoped to accomplish tactically.
"We executed the shape we prepared fairly well," Hong said. He explained that Korea intentionally worked between three-back and four-back formations, allowing players to adapt based on game situations and create numerical advantages when opportunities arose.
Hong also praised the performances of several attacking players, particularly Lee Dong-gyeong and Cho Gue-sung.
"When a player scores in a match, regardless of whether the opponent is strong or weak, it gives him confidence," Hong said. "Confidence is one of the most important things for attacking players."
As impressive as the performance was, the lasting image of the evening may not have been any single goal, pass, or display of footwork.
It really came after the final whistle.
The sun had long disappeared behind the mountains. Stadium lights illuminated South Field as players from both teams made their way around the pitch one final time. Korea's players stopped, gathered together and performed their customary bows toward the crowd.
Each bow drew louder and louder cheers.
For one night, BYU became a gathering place for thousands of fans from across cultures and countries, all united by the world's game.
BYU often and proudly describes itself as a global university. A sign on the corner of Canyon Road and Cougar Boulevard even proclaims, “The World is our Campus.”
On Saturday night, South Field looked the part. The chants, flags, languages, and international stars transformed the familiar and intimate campus venue into something much bigger.
The World Cup is still a couple of weeks away.
But for a few hours, the scene unfolding on South Field really did bring the world to campus.
The Korea Republic Men’s National Soccer Team will continue its friendly exhibitions on South Field when they face El Salvador on June 3 at 7 p.m.